The past year and a half has been rough. For everyone. In the entire world. Most of us have suddenly had to narrow our lives down to only a few people, some of us haven’t even had that. We’ve been coping with fear, loss, uncertainty. Some of us have been coping with death or illness. Some with the loss of income and residential security. Some even worse. In the western world, we’ve been both blessed and cursed with modern technology that allowed us to bring work and school into our homes. But all of us, every single one, has been dealing with COVID-19 in one way or another.
Even though we all know that the whole world is in this with us, the very nature of isolation means it’s impossible to see that other people are going through what you are. It’s a uniquely individual shared experience. This book helps to bring together a whole range of voices sharing what this time has been like for them. No matter what you’ve been dealing with in the past year, there’s likely someone else in this book who is sharing a similar experience.
Not only does this book feel like a mirror for whatever your situation is, but it also provides a whole range of different perspectives and reactions to our current moment. It talks about all kinds of concerns – how to help isolated parents, how to deal with loss, loneliness, dating virtually, missing work. Not having breaks from parenting. The fear of catching COVID. There are ideas in here on how to frame these experiences, how to get through them, and what may be waiting for us on the other side.
I loved this book. It helped me feel a sense of connection I’ve been sorely lacking, and didn’t even realize how much I needed. It introduced me to some new authors (I’ve ordered a couple of books by some of these authors whose pieces struck a particular chord with me) and let me get to know others better. What a necessary gift in such a challenging time. I think everyone will find something inspiring or familiar in these pieces, and I definitely think it’s a balm to our COVID-weary souls.
Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort During the Time of COVID-19 is a collection of essays, poems, and interviews to serve as a lifeline for negotiating how to connect and thrive during this stressful time of isolation as well as a historical perspective that will remain relevant for years to come. All contributing authors and business partners are donating their share to The Book Industry Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit organization that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community.
The roster of diverse voices includes Faith Adiele, Kwame Alexander, Jenna Blum, Andre Dubus III, Jamie Ford, Nikki Giovanni, Pam Houston, Jean Kwok, Major Jackson, Devi S. Laskar, Caroline Leavitt, Ada Limón, Dani Shapiro, David Sheff, Garth Stein, Luis Alberto Urrea, Steve Yarbrough, and Lidia Yuknavitch.
Alone Together is divided into five sections: What Now?, Grieve, Comfort, Connect, And Don’t Stop. The overarching theme is how this age of isolation and uncertainty is changing us as individuals and a society. – Goodreads
Book Title: Alone Together
Editor: Jennifer Haupt
Series: No
Edition: Paperback/Audiobook
Published By: Central Avenue Publishing
Released: September 1, 2020
Genre: Anthology, COVID-19, Non-Fiction
Pages: 288
Date Read: July 4-July 27, 2021
Rating: 8/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.89/5 (685 ratings)
