Together

352 pages | paperback |

New York Times bestseller

“We have a massive, deadly epidemic hidden in plain sight: loneliness. It is as harmful to health as smoking and far more common. And as his gripping stories of the science and suffering make clear, we can do something about it. Together is fascinating, moving, and essential reading.”—Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal

“Together made me rethink much of what I believe about physical health, public policy, and the human condition. By revealing America’s epidemic of loneliness—and then offering an array of remedies for the condition—Murthy has done a great service, and made Together the most important book you’ll read this year.”—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive

Loneliness is a root cause and contributor to many of the epidemics sweeping the world today—from alcohol and drug addiction to violence to depression and anxiety. It affects not only our health but also how our children experience school, how we perform at work, and the sense of division and polarization in our society.

While technology promises to connect us, it can also isolate; while mobility means our loved ones are only a trip away, we also move away from the communities where we grew up; while we increasingly have the opportunity to pursue our individual destinies, we can put our own goals ahead of our relationships and community. Despite our progress in talking about mental health, we are still ashamed of feeling lonely.

But there is hope in our true nature as social animals. Our desire to connect, to forge lasting bonds, to help one another, and to share life experiences also provides the starting point for curing this epidemic of loneliness. Together, we are simply better. In Together, Dr. Murthy offers inspiring and encouraging stories of individuals and communities who are making great strides in helping us to understand that we are not alone and offers simple yet effective solutions we can all use today to heal ourselves, each other, and to build stronger communities.