After Risa Mickenberg identified herself as a hermette, a female hermit, proudly retreating from the world while living in the heart of New York City, she got a lot of e-mails.
It seemed to defeat the point of the exercise. “Getting publicity for this is such a ridiculous thing,” she said. It was also tricky to lead a movement of people who want to be by themselves. But she believed in countering a social stigma that made women feel uncomfortable about being alone.
