Storr illustrates his ideas with some rich examples and quotes from famed artists, writers, composers and other creative people regarding how their creative processes, works, temperaments and lives have been influenced by their solitude or by their lack thereof.
While highlighting the creative utility and positive contributions of solitude on the 'self', this book in no way devalues the need for relationships. I like the idea that solitude is rather, part of a process which by making us more authentic, makes our relationships with others and our world more genuine and satisfying.
Anthony Storr's Solitude renders eloquent arguments that a craving for solitude is not a pathology, but instead, for some people, is lifestyle. He pulls examples from history, limning a clear pattern from the lives of Kafka, Trollope, Wittgenstein, Henry James and others. Those interested in literary lives will certainly find new material in these profiles.
It is true that the book explores the role of solitude in the lives of creative people: "It may be the case that, the less a person feels himself to be embedded in a family and social nexus, the more he feels that he has to make his mark in individual fashion." Any artist, undiscovered or famous, will find solace in these pages. However, anyone who finds herself quite happily content living life solo will also find good company in these pages.
Utlimetly, Storr concludes that the creative genui who lived lives of solitutde have pushed up the bar of achievement for humankind. Most of us would agree after comtemaplting a world unenriched by Newton, Beethoven and Beatrix Potter (author of Peter Rabbint!).
Storr's book also offers a condensed and imminetly readable history of psychoanalysis, with Freud and Jung as the main characters. Storr, to my mind, shows the initial insights into motivation that Freud had, insights that can still hold water today. Storr is also quick to point out how that history of psychoanalysis lead to today's misguided (and frankly, offensive) maxim that if one is not in a relationship, one needs to be in therapy to deal with the issues about why not. No thanks, I'd rather be by myself.