{"product_id":"the-art-of-solitude-9780300261523","title":"The Art of Solitude","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn a time of social distancing and isolation, a meditation on the beauty of solitude from renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e \"Best of the Year\" selection\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Whatever a soul is, the author goes a long way toward soothing it. A very welcome instance of philosophy that can help readers live a good life.\"--\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Elegant and formally ingenious.\"--Geoff Wisner, \u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned sixty, he took a sabbatical from his teaching and turned his attention to solitude, a practice integral to the meditative traditions he has long studied and taught. He aimed to venture more deeply into solitude, discovering its full extent and depth. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e This beautiful literary collage documents his multifaceted explorations. Spending time in remote places, appreciating and making art, practicing meditation and participating in retreats, drinking peyote and ayahuasca, and training himself to keep an open, questioning mind have all contributed to Batchelor's ability to be simultaneously alone and at ease. Mixed in with his personal narrative are inspiring stories from solitude's devoted practitioners, from the Buddha to Montaigne, from Vermeer to Agnes Martin. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In a hyperconnected world that is at the same time plagued by social isolation, this book shows how to enjoy the inescapable solitude that is at the heart of human life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eStephen Batchelor\u003c\/b\u003e is a teacher and scholar of Buddhism. He is the author of numerous works, including \u003ci\u003eBuddhism Without Beliefs, Living with the Devil, Confession of a Buddhist Atheist, Secular Buddhism, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAfter Buddhism.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Yale University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50610075926802,"sku":"9780300261523","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_9a51acc1-dbae-4176-958d-034592b5cafa.jpg?v=1732332930","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-art-of-solitude-9780300261523","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}