Alone Time

'Full of heart.' Michael Harris, author of Solitude

Travelling with friends and family is usually thought of as a privilege. In theory, anyway. In practice, it's more often about debating which sights to see, panicking over diminishing phone batteries and bickering over what to eat. Not much joy in that. But alone you can do as you please. You can wander markets, relish silence, go to a park. Go to Paris. Why not?

In Alone Time, New York Times travel columnist Stephanie Rosenbloom travels alone in four seasons to four remarkable cities - Paris, Istanbul, Florence and New York - exploring the sensory experience of solitude. Along the way she illuminates the psychological arguments for alone time, revealing that whether you recognize it or not, it's good to be alone now and then.

This is a book about the pleasures and benefits of savouring the moment, examining things closely, using all your senses to take in your surroundings, whether travelling to faraway places or walking the streets of your own city. Through on-the-ground observations and anecdotes, and drawing on the thinking of artists, writers and innovators who have cherished solitude, Alone Time lays bare the magic of going solo.

A sublime sensory experience from start to finish. Herald In Alone Time, the celebrated New York Times travel columnist espouses the virtues of solitude... Mixing her own analysis with insights from psychologists, sociologists, artists and innovators throughout history, Roesenbloom documents the restorative qualities of her 12-month tour or Paris, Istanbul, Florence and New York. If you're looking to reconnect with yourself and the world around you, this utterly unique reading experience will prove an inspiration. 19th J.P. Morgan Reading List An evocative, observant book. Time magazine An erudite and absorbing book... a "love letter to loners" and persuasvie argument for the bliss of solitude. Saga Non-fiction book of the month Stephanie Rosenbloom writes with irresistible curiousity and grace. I was drawn in from page one. Alone Time will make you love your solitude and it'll leave you raring for solitary travels. This book is deeply researched and full of heart. Michael Harris, author of The End of Absence and Solitude