The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Feb 02, 2017 Ryan rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017, borrowed, audiobooks

Wow, SUCH a clear voice. Her fiction was so well-thought-out that I mistook it for fact at first.

Some of these stories are going to stick with me for a long, LONG time...a fitting tribute for any writer, let alone one so young.

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Oct 21, 2018 Kerry rated it liked it

This collection of stories and essays is a bit of an unusual combination. This book consists of hand selected works of Marina Keegan that was assembled after she died. The essays are like an infusion of hopefulness...on the horizon, but also some glaring social critique.

My favorites were both the The Opposite of Loneliness for which the book is named, which encapsulates the feeling of belonging at college.

Maybe a little idealism is a good thing,

"What we have to remember is that we can still do ...more

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Aug 15, 2015 alana rated it really liked it

After reading The Opposite of Loneliness, I thought I should wait a bit and digest it before reviewing...but really I should know myself better. Now I've gone and forgotten at least half of what I wanted to say.

I'd heard the title of this book causing a stir when it first came out, but I had no idea that was related to the fact the young author had died in a car accident days after graduating from Yale. The title of the book comes from her commencement speech which is...painful to read in light ...more

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Oct 21, 2015 Ms. McGregor rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fic, short-stories, essays, stuylib

More like 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding up.

I came to this book fairly skeptical, (Does Keegan get to be published and celebrated only because she died suddenly and too young? Does this book exist mostly because of undue privilege?), but also hopeful because a friend whose taste in writing I trust deeply loved it and said she couldn't wait for me to read it.

As for my skepticism: yes, maybe Keegan's book was published a little before she was ready to publish a book, but we didn't really get the ch ...more

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Dec 15, 2018 Talia rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio-books, short-stories, readharder2018

Read Harder 2018: A book published posthumously

Interesting short stories and a unique voice...it's a shame I'll never get to see Keegan's writing evolve. (Speech nerd alert!: The story about Celiac's disease would make a great prose reading.) I also loved the interview with the exterminator!
I listened to this on audio, and the reader needed to pause more between stories for a clear separation. ...more

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Dec 02, 2014 Deb rated it liked it

I'm amazed by some of the comments this book has received... that her voice is so young, that these stories would never have been published if she hadn't died. Well, yes, she was young. And of course they wouldn't have been because she wasn't ready for them to be published-many were still in the process of revision. There seems to be an anger or jealousy pervading a lot of the negative comments... that it's not fair that such unpolished work got to be published when there are many more talented ...more

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