The Lonely Century

Book excerpt: *** THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER *** 'Destined to be a classic' Nouriel Roubini 'Brilliant, powerful and hopeful' Philippa Perry 'Explosive, timely and urgent' Daily Telegraph Even before a global pandemic introduced us to terms like social distancing, loneliness was already becoming the defining condition of the twenty-first century. But it's also one we have the power to reverse. Combining a decade of research with first-hand reporting, Noreena Hertz takes us from a 'how to communicate in real life' class for smartphone-addicted university students to bouncy castles at Belgian far-right gatherings, from paying for cuddles in the U.S. to nursing home residents knitting bonnets for their robot caregivers in Japan. The Lonely Century explores how our increasing dependence on technology, radical changes to the workplace and decades of policies that have placed self-interest above the collective good are damaging our communities and making us more isolated than ever before. With bold solutions for us as individuals as well as for businesses and governments, Noreena Hertz offers a hopeful and empowering vision for ow to heal our fractured world and come together again. 'If we could issue a reading list to 10 Downing Street, I'd put this book near the top.' Guardian 'Causing a deserved stir' Financial Times 'Revealing, empathetic and timely' Jonathan Freedland 'Read it, then pass it onto a friend.' Charlie Brooker