The Lonely Century

'If I could issue a reading list to 10 Downing Street, I'd put this book near the top.' Guardian

'Destined to be a classic' Nouriel Roubini

'Fascinating' Sathnam Sanghera, The Times

'A hopeful book that couldn't be more important or timely' Philippa Perry

'Timely and important' Charlie Brooker

A hopeful and empowering vision for how to reconnect with each other and heal our divides.

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 'renting a friend' and paying for cuddles in the U.S. to nursing home residents knitting bonnets for their robot caregivers in Japan.

Packed with bold solutions that we can apply at home, at work and in our neighbourhoods, and with a clear vision for what businesses and governments must do, she 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 making us more isolated than ever before.

Noreena Hertz helps us to understand why this is the lonely century, how we got here and what each of us can do to help reduce loneliness for ourselves and our communities.

“Explosive stuff. Timely . . . urgent. - Daily TelegraphCausing a deserved stir - Financial TimesRevealing, empathetic and couldn't be more timely - Jonathan FreedlandFor an uplifting and educational read, The Lonely Century is about how we can overcome our divisions to rebuild a society that works as one - StylistAn indispensable, engaging and brilliant book about the pervasiveness of loneliness in the twenty-first century and its far-reaching impact. It reveals the way that loneliness is political as well as personal, playing a powerful role in everything from the rise of extremist politics to the vibrancy of our communities to how we relate to those we love. With its powerful vision for how we can come together again, ultimately it is a hopeful book that couldn't be more important or timely .We are living in an age where we have forgotten a fundamental truth about humankind that is as old as the Hebrew Bible itself: that we were not meant to live alone. In The Lonely Century , Noreena Hertz recognises this and provides an enlightening, engaging and compelling analysis of the dangers posed by the loneliness pandemic not just to our individual health and happiness, but to our collective ability to reinvigorate society and tackle the many challenges we face today. Brilliant and full of captivating stories about the power of human connection in our lives. A truly engrossing and important book that left me feeling both wiser and more hopeful!We're hard-wired to connect, and yet we're in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, which has profound consequences for both our individual and collective well-being. In The Lonely Century , Noreena Hertz delivers a compelling vision for how we can bridge our many divides at this time of great change and disruption. Passionately argued and deeply researched, this book is for everyone who wants to build a healthier and more connected world.”

An indispensable, engaging and brilliant book about the pervasiveness of loneliness in the twenty-first century and its far-reaching impact. It reveals the way that loneliness is political as well as personal, playing a powerful role in everything from the rise of extremist politics to the vibrancy of our communities to how we relate to those we love. With its powerful vision for how we can come together again, ultimately it is a hopeful book that couldn't be more important or timely.

We are living in an age where we have forgotten a fundamental truth about humankind that is as old as the Hebrew Bible itself: that we were not meant to live alone. In The Lonely Century, Noreena Hertz recognises this and provides an enlightening, engaging and compelling analysis of the dangers posed by the loneliness pandemic not just to our individual health and happiness, but to our collective ability to reinvigorate society and tackle the many challenges we face today.

Brilliant and full of captivating stories about the power of human connection in our lives. A truly engrossing and important book that left me feeling both wiser and more hopeful!

We're hard-wired to connect, and yet we're in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, which has profound consequences for both our individual and collective well-being. In The Lonely Century, Noreena Hertz delivers a compelling vision for how we can bridge our many divides at this time of great change and disruption. Passionately argued and deeply researched, this book is for everyone who wants to build a healthier and more connected world.

In this hugely stimulating and ambitious book, Noreena Hertz provides a powerful account of the causes and consequences of the loneliness pandemic that has swept across the globe. Filled with terrifying facts, eye-catching stories and bold ideas, it is a must-read for anybody concerned about the post-Covid-19 world that we are building.

Social connections are vital for our health and well-being, but loneliness is on the rise globally, especially with the measures introduced to contain the spread of Covid-19. In this captivating book Noreena Hertz describes the physical, mental, economic and societal effects of loneliness, and not only provides a fascinating examination of the evidence, but also a rousing call for action - to governments, businesses, society and individuals to address and mitigate the loneliness crisis and build a more inclusive and kinder world.

A fascinating and original book about one of the greatest challenges of our time - the growing global crisis of loneliness - and a clear and inspiring vision of how we can respond.

Described as 'one of the world's most inspiring women' by Vogue and 'one of the world's leading thinkers' by the Observer, Noreena Hertz has an impressive track record in predicting global trends. She advises a select group of the world's leading business and political figures on strategy, economic and geo-political risk, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, millennials and post-millennials. Having graduated from university aged just nineteen, Noreena went on to complete a PhD from Cambridge University and has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. After ten years at the University of Cambridge as Associate Director of the Centre for International Business and Management, in 2014 she moved to University College London where she is an Honorary Professor. Her best-selling books, The Silent Takeover, IOU: The Debt Threat and Eyes Wide Open are published in 23 countries.

A radical call to arms and a bold new vision of how we must act, fast, to reconnect society at individual, government and business level, from a global economist hailed by the Observer as 'one of the world's leading thinkers'.Professor Noreena Hertz has travelled the world to explore the loneliness epidemic first hand: 'renting a friend' in Japan, visiting co-habitation spaces in Israel and trying a week experienced entirely online. From the spread of social media and the rise of AI to the architecture of our cities and the growing elderly population, loneliness is a global issue that is affecting our health and financial security.She takes on a world increasingly dominated by big business and consumerism, and challenges us all - and most importantly, our politicians, business leaders and economists - to take urgent action to ensure we survive and thrive in the centuries to come. The Lonely Century is a bold, game-changing book that has the power to transform how we behave.

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