Escape from Loneliness

by Paul Tournier

A Swiss physician and lay theologian suggests practical cures for loneliness based on a spirit of fellowship that rejects what he considers to be a widespread false belief in individualism

Genres: Psychology, Faith, Christianity, Spirituality, Christian

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1943

About the author

Paul Tournier was a Swiss physician and author who had acquired a worldwide audience for his work in pastoral counselling. His ideas had a significant impact on the spiritual and psychosocial aspects of routine patient care, and he had been called the twentieth century's most famous Christian physician.

Reviews

[Rose Stubblefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally, I'm not one to give books as gifts, but I do with this one. When I do, I tell them that this one was like candy to me. I read it super slowly, so I don't have a great sense of the overall sweep. The stories and examples helped me understand myself and others. Here are some quotes:
"Love always means going to others, not demanding that they come to us" p.109
"I am encouraged, nevertheless, when I notice that it is precisely when I feel most useless and powerless that I am sometimes able to help others. Christ acts when man is without hope."
"It means rather following them through all the turns of their twisting pathway with love and patience, never losing hope even when they seem to be going in the wrong direction."
"Only by seeing the inner debate going on in another person is one able to be set free from a critical spirit. We can understand people only when we are free from every preconceived idea about them" p. 110
"'To pity oneself,' wrote Weatherhead, 'is the most weakening of all emotions. We must be unpitifully honest with ourselves... a suffering exaggerated can be a form of self-love which does us no good whatsoever'" p. 139
"There is no more impressive a testimony than such miraculous acceptance of life's tragedy" p. 147

[Tim]

A really rewarding book to read...it outlines various
flawed ways peeps try to escape loneliness ('losing
oneself' in a job, trying to 'possess' pleasure-sources,
getting all legalistic about what "I got a *right* to
have", etc.)...Tournier claims that only in a "fellowship"
of some sort is there any hope of escaping the loneliness
that so many try to escape. Thought-provoking...

[John Lipton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully clear presentation of the challenges to and benefits of Christian Fellowship. Dr. Tournier captures the essence of practical spirituality from the Christian perspective. This book is fresh, though written more than 40 years ago.

[Covenant Presbyterian Springfield Ohio]

Call Number: 155.6 TOU-1

Available.