Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton | Book Review

Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton
Genres: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Original Publication Date: 1973
Source: I purchased this book
Goodreads
Find the Author: Website, Goodreads, Amazon

In this, her bestselling journal, May Sarton writes with keen observation and emotional courage of both inner and outer worlds: a garden, the seasons, daily life in New Hampshire, books, people, ideas―and throughout everything, her spiritual and artistic journey.

Journal of a Solitude is an account of a year in the life of May Sarton in the early 1970s. It is an interesting journey into the mind and soul of a writer and poet.

Sarton’s Journal Reflects Her Thoughts

Sarton was a difficult person and was subjected to bouts of intense anger and dark depression. She still managed to be amazingly prolific, however.

Sarton describes country living in New Hampshire, her attitude toward her career, and her interactions with the people around her.

That is what is strange – that friends, even passionate love, are not my real life unless there is time alone in which to explore and discover what is happening or has happened. Without the interruptions, nourishing and maddening, this life would become arid. Yet I taste it fully only when I am alone here and “the house and I resume old conversations.”

It is ostensibly a very personal journal, but it is obvious that Sarton seemed to view anything she wrote as eventually publishable.

If you are interested in writing or reading about the life of a creative person, you may be interested in this book.

This is a video with interesting viewpoints on this book:

Final Analysis

Sarton is an excellent writer and she made me reflect upon my own life.

You can read more about May Sarton here.

Please also read my post on May Sarton’s delightful “life story” of her cat Tom Jones in my review of The Fur Person.

Thank you for reading The Literary Lioness!