Author: Michael Harris
Book Link

It’s not  often I can pick up a non-fiction book and be completely immersed in the author’s head.

It’s also rare that I pay attention to every single word.

Harris completely hooked me into his world and I  felt myself slowing down to absorb everything he was saying in this book.

Reading through it felt like a journey through my own thoughts, but articulated through the author. It didn’t feel like an over-bloated blog post with a lot of filler text, but rather like someone who had a lot to say while trying to find their answer.

It helps that as a person steeped in mysticism and contemplation, the subject matter is near to my heart.

Solitude, in this book, is presented as something that is not only healthy… but necessary.

As we move towards a completely interconnected world, finding time for solitude is becoming increasingly rare. It is also becoming fearful as people try to drown out their own thoughts rather than allow themselves to walk down their inner road.

Harris looks at how our strength and creativity comes from these moments when we completely detached. Yet, they are being replaced with constant connection and outsourcing to others.

What are the consequences and what are we giving up in the process?

We don’t get a solid answer in the end, which is a good thing. This is a deep question requiring serious thought.

To give it a black and white answer denies the reader any opportunity to wrestle with it.

This is the first work of Harris’ I read and if he continues writing this way, I’m on board for the rest.