From the SF Weekly, March 26, 2003:

"A wonderful validation for solo fliers, from the self-proclaimed to the reluctant.... As an avowed loner, I was immediately drawn to Party of One.... Throughout my reading, I experienced numerous moments of recognition and kinship ... an entertaining and informative read. The author has done her research, and she ties myriad threads together seamlessly (from political economist Thorstein Veblen to baseball superstar Barry Bonds ... weaving them tighter with humor."

http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2003-03-26/books2.html/1/index.html

From the San Francisco Chronicle, March 16, 2003:

"... [an] important ... wholly unprecedented new book ... Party of One belongs on that short shelf of books that revise how we think about human behavior."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2003/03/16/RV116117.DTL

From Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2003:

Rufus discusses with brio the rewards of the sequestered life and the bothers imposed by gregarious outsiders in various sociological contexts. In film, lone heroes like Shane are overtaken by lone killers like Norman Bates.... Organized religion is a problem (it's organized, after all), but the Internet is a stroke of luck.... "Is socializing all that great?" Rufus asks. "Riots are socializing." Proceeding on the ... assumption that loners are universally reviled, she provides a founding manifesto for an organization of self-contained people. (There would, naturally, be no meetings.) ... A clever and spirited defense.

Amazon reader reviews:

Loner isn't a Bad Word Anymore!!!! (January 10, 2003)
Reviewer: A reader from Auburn, AL USA

Much like the other reviewer, I've looked and looked for a book that would speak to my soul -- now I've found it. The things I've never quite been able to put into words -- my skepticism about organized religion, for example -- she's found the expression for it.

This book can serve two purposes, I think. It is good for the loner -- even though we don't mind feeling alone, it helps to be able to shove this under someone else's nose and say, see, I'm not crazy. Really, I'm not. But it also serves to explain those strange folks who are happy to be by themselves to the rest of the world. Not all loners are child molesters or potential axe murderers.

This book demonstrates in clear, direct statements the benefits of having loners in society. We actually do deliver "the goods" if you will. We provide the imagination that makes the rest of the world work :)
This is a brilliant work -- one that rewards its readers again and again.

Profound Contribution to Sociological Thought (January 8, 2003)
Reviewer: Brandita

Many thanks to Anneli Rufus for finally making me feel, for once, normal in that I enjoy spending time alone. This book is an incredible contribution to the study of human personality and behavior--but what shocks me most is how long it took anyone to say express these ideas! Rufus explores the common stereotypes of loners as misfits, criminals, and perverts, and debunks them by showing the valuable contributions loners have made to the creative arts, science, and technology. She challenges the assumption that it takes two to make a life event meaningful, and brings hope to those of us who may feel alone in our loner status. An important and enjoyable read for everyone, whether you consider yourself a loner or not!

Loners Unite! (January 5, 2003)
Reviewer: amazonshopper17 from Portland OR

Sometimes you wait your whole life to find a book that speaks directly to your heart. Party of One is that book for me! This world is full of loners...people who aren't shy, who aren't lonely, who just like to be by themselves...and never before has anyone even thought of them as a personality type worth discussing, much less defending! The sub-title says it all, this really is a manifesto for the loners of the world. Forget about Freud, forget about Jung, forget about the enneagram, forget about all the ways society has tried to classify and identify different types of people. This author has really hit the nail on the head. The world is divided into loners and "nonloners" (as she calls everyone else). And there's more loners than you think! Almost everyone's got a loner inside them too.

I've never heard of this author before but she made me laugh, she made me sigh, and she made me feel like I had a place in this world. Very highly recommended for loners, "nonloners," and anyone else who thinks they know what they're talking about when it comes to human beings.