Has anyone else read this? By Amy Key. It’s something, when I read the synopsis, I knew this was going to be very much in my wheelhouse…but I had no idea how much it would hit me.
Just to provide the quick high level summary… Amy Key writes a book of her own musings about learning to live and be alone. Never being married, loved by anyone or with children. And she does it with the very very (almost near obsession) close relating to it, to Joni Mitchell’s album “Blue”.
For context I’m a single guy, 36, and I have a laundry list of confidence, shyness, self image issues. I make no qualms about this. I live alone, and have been by myself for now 7 years. I go out of my way to surround myself with media that give me a sense of belonging and community with others who spend their time alone. “Coping” you may call it. Sure, I accept that. I don’t go out partying, socializing and my circle of friends, I unintentionally cut loose and I sort of hate myself for it. I’m babbling about this all to relate that this book, “Arrangements in Blue” is probably the most “seen” I’ve felt in a long time. I listened to the audio book , and as she’s describing her own situation, I found myself lightly chuckling and nodding in agreement to many of the things she feels.
Basically the book itself is a…memoir or sorts? But I am going to attempt to coin a new genre here and call it a “Coming to Terms” book. It’s a book that is one part confessional where she describes her situation, her feelings about being a long in her approaching 40’s and 50’s, without a child, or partner and the realization that she and others come to with this. It almost serves as a sort of self help book for me. Describing how her apartment is like an uncracked egg, or having sex with zero emotional connection. (as a male, somehow I am not allowed to feel like random sex is bad. I have faced probably more opposition from society about my views on sex than any other thing..but that’s neither here nor there)
She describes coming to the conclusion that her weight was an issue (for me it’s height) and that she struggled with this for years. The amount of catharsis this book provided is unreal, at least for me. The constant Joni Mitchell references and bringing the topic back to the album Blue was fantastic. So… I don’t know, I feel like this book isn’t going to be for everyone. But for those who do struggle with isolation, mental health, self image problems, living a solitary quiet life…I would immediately give this a read.
by Telnet_to_the_Mind