The shelf · Loneliness and solitude
Does Party of One hold up?
Party of One: The Loners' Manifesto, by Anneli Rufus (2003)
Defends people who prefer solitude against stereotypes of loners as damaged or dangerous.
The short answer
Yes. Later evidence backs both its main points: attackers called loners mostly were not, and being alone is not the same as being lonely.
The claims, checked
Violent attackers labelled 'loners' by the media are usually misidentified.
Holds with conditions The FBI's study of 63 US active shooters (2000–13) found 68% lived with someone and 86% had a significant in-person relationship in the year before. US data only, published years after the book.
Evidence: FBI, 2018
Being alone is not the same as being lonely.
Holds The World Health Organization treats loneliness (a felt gap) and social isolation (an objective lack of contact) as different things.
Evidence: World Health Organization, 2025