'In Loneliness in World History, Katie Barclay has produced a master class in how to study elusive emotions, like loneliness. She articulates the elisions and lapses in our understanding of "loneliness", recognising and exploring cultural and linguistic challenges in writing global history, while importantly historicising such modern concepts as "lonely", alone and solitary. While she asks more questions than she answers, this is a fascinating and engrossing read.'Deborah Simonton, University of Turku, Finland'This engaging book approaches an old problem with fresh eyes. Loneliness comes and goes, we’ve all experienced it. Feelings about being alone are intensely personal and difficult to examine objectively. As Katie Barclay demonstrates masterfully in a global history with dazzling breadth: loneliness is culturally specific and socially determined.'Diana Barnes, University of New England, Australia