An Island to Myself: The Place of Solitude in an Active Life (Paperback or Softback)

The power of solitude to deepen a life.

In his twenties, Michael N. McGregor traveled to the remote Greek island of Patmos to spend two winter months alone, 6,000 miles from home. It was a time before cellphones and the internet, when even a phone call was costly. Although he expected his solitude to be meaningful, he wasn’t prepared for how it would change him.

Before his island days, McGregor had spent years reporting on the world’s poor and months on the road. As he settled into days of rigorous writing, evening walks through fierce wind, and nights full of memories, dreams and spiritual encounters, he learned that solitude can be difficult and even dangerous, but also awe-inspiring and life-altering.

When he returned to his active life, McGregor sought solitude wherever he could—in nature, in libraries, in silent spaces—before returning to Patmos forty years later to repeat his youthful experiment.

Michael N. McGregor is a Seattle-based author and journalist. His first book, Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax, received an Excellence in Publishing Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers and was a finalist for a Washington State Book Award and other prizes. Korza Books published his first novel, The Last Grand Tour, earlier this year.