@ShaulaEvans so many people I studied were like 'I was lonely because I was an only child' or even 'I don't remember being lonely, but I must have been because I was an only child' because they imbibed the stereotype, but looking closer, eg. living a long way from other kids, emotionally-distant parents, enjoying their own company were better explanations (plus, having siblings was no guarantee of companionship!).
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alicemcalicepants@ohai.social
@alicemcalicepants@ohai.social
Posts
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What is one book that positively shaped who you are as a person and how did it influence you? -
What is one book that positively shaped who you are as a person and how did it influence you?@ShaulaEvans thanks, and same – my main finding was that other factors were more instrumental than being an only child in itself! Eg. Family circumstances/parental attitudes, individual personality, class, where they lived, when they lived, gender...
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What is one book that positively shaped who you are as a person and how did it influence you?@ShaulaEvans @bookstodon Thicker Than Water by Leonore Davidoff, which I read ahead of a colloquium with the author at the beginning of my Master's in 2012, when I was 23.
It's a monograph about siblings in history that's super engaging because it's such an interesting, human topic and she wrote it in such an accessible way. Not only did it open my eyes to the fact historians are 'allowed' to write like that, but it made me think 'what about only children?' – giving me a topic for my PhD!