Journal of a Solitude

If you're into reading memoirs, this is exceptional. Her clarity of thought and her ability to portray her feelings into words is unsurpassed, in my opinion. I enjoy her prose so very much. I can find myself relating to so many of her feelings and thoughts despite the difference of age and time. This is a great read.

I read Journal of a Solitude shortly after giving birth to my first child. I was alone in a new neighborhood with few family and friends around me and felt completely estranged from my former life as a professional woman working in New York city. May Sarton's story - shared in such a real and heartfelt way - has always stayed with me. Where are the May Sarton's in today's world? She was an extraordinary woman who was able to connect with a broad audience of readers, through the authentic sharing of her thoughts, feelings and experiences. I miss her work but am thankful that she left behind a wonderful legacy.

I keep this book with me throughout my life. I first read it quite a few years ago, and felt it touch truths that I didn't dare go near previously. Thank you, Ms. Sarton, for sharing your world, for daring to articulate what really goes on in the mind. Everyone should give it a shot, and maybe another because its different each time I read her words. Sometimes I'm receptive, sometimes not; after all, we are all reading through our own lens.

The first of Sarton's Jornals, this one introduces the readers to the players -- both human and animal -- that make return appearances in her subsequent journals. In these pages, Sarton provides us with a view of one who looks closely at the everyday. She examines larger themes as well creating a journal that speaks plainly of the seasons and the cycles of life.