--- product_id: 123070861 title: "The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone Kindle Edition" brand: "olivia laing" price: "VT4685" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/123070861-the-lonely-city-adventures-in-the-art-of-being-alone store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone Kindle Edition **Brand:** olivia laing **Price:** VT4685 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone Kindle Edition by olivia laing - **How much does it cost?** VT4685 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/123070861-the-lonely-city-adventures-in-the-art-of-being-alone) ## Best For - olivia laing enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted olivia laing brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone Kindle Edition - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51p5Mwk1-HL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐ While well written, misleading *by R***E on Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017* I am a lover of descriptive language. When I first read the sample pages of this book online, I was excited to dig into the rest. The author seemed at the beginning to grasp the idea of loneliness in a way so relatable, and was able to put it into words beautifully. As the pages went by thought, a term came to mind -- purple prose. Dressing up one's writing so much so that the message is lost behind pretty words and elaborate descriptions. The book quickly reads pretentious and it grows distracting and tiresome. Added to this is the strange idolization of some troubled people that seems to have long since passed the stage of fascination in an attempt to understand the burden of loneliness. Along the way, it ceased being relatable. Opposite of what some of the other reviewers have said, I found the more interesting parts of this book to be when the author reminisces on her own experiences, recounting her feelings when faced with solitude, only for her to then veer off in the direction of other artists, often times so quickly I forgot who was being discussed. Just as often, it veered into more political content, completely off topic from the promise of what this book would be. Overall, it wasn't a terrible read, but it was a chore to get through this book. It may be best read in small doses, and understanding that it is more a study of several artists from New York, than a feeling of loneliness while surrounded by people. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fascinating stories about creativity and loneliness *by D***Y on Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2017* I am an artist and a loner, even when surrounded by people, so the concept of this book was appealing to me. The author relates her journey of being alone in NYC after a nasty break-up, and researches the lives of artists and other loners to explore how they expressed loneliness. While the subject sounds depressing, anyone who has had moments (or lifetimes) of feeling left out and ignored will connect to some of the people in this book. She focuses primarily on four artists, the most well known being Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper. The other two are David Wojnarowicz, a photographer in New York during the late 70's who would become a vocal AIDS activist, and Henry Darger, a janitor in Chicago who created a complex fantasy world of art and writing in his cramped apartment, hidden from everyone until after his death. The section on Hopper feels like the outlier here, as he seems more of a miserable curmudgeon that someone longing for connection. There are so few interviews from him that the author is challenged to flesh out the chapter; I found myself skipping paragraphs in the this section of the book due to the lack of solid information and too much speculation on what Hopper was really feeling when he created his imagery. The writing gets so much better after this, however, as the author finds connections through the material. There is much more information available on Andy Warhol, and I gained a better understanding of his creative process and personal anguish. The chapter on Henry Darger is fascinating and a bit creepy. Was he a child-like innocent or a perverted pedophile? He never acted on his ideas, so we don't know. The story of David Wojnarowicz is the most harrowing. Unwanted, abused, and turning tricks on the streets as a young teen he lived by his wits and managed to hash out a substantial career with his photography of the tattered New York of the 70's and 80's. The author ties David's story to the gay scene in New York at that time, the AIDS epidemic and subsequent fear-mongering that tore through that community, and Warhol's last years befriending the wild and destructive artist Jean Michel Basquiat. Laing's final observations are poignant and original. Highly recommended. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must for lonely New Yorkers who have curiousity *by S***N on Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2016* This book will be in my collection til the day I die. There is so much truth and depth in the writing. As someone who has not delved into the world of art history, or criticism, I found my self completely intrigued by the artists spoken about and amazed how unaware I was of most of it. I'm impressed with the author's thinking and perspective on the brutality of loneliness. It's so darkly refreshing to know how many great minds suffer in this complexly cruel world, and somehow use that pain to make works of art. I too live in NY and am saddened and appalled by the changes in this once really interesting, artistic city that has become a playground for the very wealthy and lost so much in the process. A compelling read and quite educational. I also can't stop watching Klaus Nomi sing "Lightning Strikes" on youtube. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/123070861-the-lonely-city-adventures-in-the-art-of-being-alone](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/123070861-the-lonely-city-adventures-in-the-art-of-being-alone) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-08*