08 April 2020
‘Fascinating, moving, and essential reading’ Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal
‘The most important book you’ll read this year’ Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive
‘This book is a gift for us all’ Susan Cain, author of Quiet
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States from 2014 to 2017. During that time, he travelled the country highlighting public health issues from the opioid crisis to e-cigarettes. But none struck as close to home as his discovery of the loneliness epidemic. Like many of his patients, he had experienced periods of loneliness throughout his life, when studying at Harvard and Yale, and even during the period after Obama had nominated him for the country’s most visible medical position.
Published early in ebook and audio to help address the issue of loneliness in relation to the current reality of social isolation caused by COVID-19, this is a book for our times. Especially now, the world seems more connected than ever, and yet we are increasingly lonely. Loneliness is a contributing factor in addiction, violence, depression and anxiety. But what lies behind this crisis, and is it possible to reverse?
In Together, Dr Vivek Murthy explores the root causes and devastating effects of loneliness. But most importantly, he offers solutions that can be applied to our individual lives, inform how we raise our children, and change how we think about work and create communities. Real human connection is not just nice – it is essential.
We are proud to publish this timely, optimistic book, on our list with Wellcome Collection.