Robinson Crusoe was quite alone on his deserted island, but he was not alone in knowing the pain of loneliness. Whether far from home or caught up in the humdrum of everyday life, we all feel cut off at times. We all experience the devastating impact of loneliness.

Edgar N. Jackson knows well the anguish of the lonely. He hears the human cry for help, for understanding. And what he offers is not glib solutions or easy remedies, but a clear and honest look at loneliness: its deep pain, its diverse origins, its dynamic workings, and fresh ways of dealing with it more effectively.

As we meet some of the lonely people Dr. Jackson has served, we heighten our understanding of them and of ourselves. We begin to discover footprints in the sands around us and to take heart for the days ahead.