
The Lonely Century
How to Restore Human Connection in a World that's Pulling Apart
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $18.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Noreena Hertz
-
By:
-
Noreena Hertz
About this listen
A bold, hopeful, and thought-provoking account by “one of the world’s leading thinkers” (The Observer) of how we built a lonely world, how the pandemic accelerated the problem, and what we must do to come together again
“A compelling vision for how we can bridge our many divides at this time of great change and disruption.” (Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global)
“An important new book.” (The Economist)
Next Big Idea Club nominee • Named one of the best books of the year by Wired (UK) and The Daily Telegraph
Loneliness has become the defining condition of the 21st century. It is damaging our health, our wealth, and our happiness and even threatening our democracy. Never has it been more pervasive or more widespread, but never has there been more that we can do about it.
Even before a global pandemic introduced us to terms like “social distancing”, the fabric of community was unraveling and our personal relationships were under threat. And technology isn’t the sole culprit. Equally to blame are the dismantling of civic institutions, the radical reorganization of the workplace, the mass migration to cities, and decades of neoliberal policies that have placed self-interest above the collective good.
This is not merely a mental health crisis. Loneliness increases our risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Statistically, it’s as bad for our health as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. It’s also an economic crisis, costing us billions annually. And it’s a political crisis, as feelings of marginalization fuel divisiveness and extremism around the world. But it’s also a crisis we have the power to solve.
Combining a decade of research with firsthand reporting, Noreena Hertz takes us from a “how to read a face” class at an Ivy League university to isolated remote workers in London during lockdown, from “renting a friend” in Manhattan to nursing home residents knitting bonnets for their robot caregivers in Japan.
Offering bold solutions ranging from compassionate AI to innovative models for urban living to new ways of reinvigorating our neighborhoods and reconciling our differences, The Lonely Century offers a hopeful and empowering vision for how to heal our fractured communities and restore connection in our lives.
©2020 Noreena Hertz (P)2020 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
Social Chemistry
- Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection
- By: Marissa King
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Yale professor Marissa King shows how anyone can build more meaningful and productive relationships based on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and network analytics. Conventional wisdom says it's the size of your network that matters, but social science research has proven there is more to it. King explains that the quality and structure of our relationships has the greatest impact on our personal and professional lives.
-
-
Just a collection of facts
- By Kevin Richardson on 02-10-21
By: Marissa King
-
Platonic
- How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends
- By: Marisa G. Franco PhD
- Narrated by: Marisa G. Franco PhD
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do we make and keep friends in an era of distraction, burnout, and chaos, especially in a society that often prizes romantic love at the expense of other relationships? In Platonic, Dr. Marisa G. Franco unpacks the latest, often counterintuitive findings about the bonds between us—for example, why your friends aren’t texting you back (it’s not because they hate you!), and the myth of “friendships happening organically” (making friends, like cultivating any relationship, requires effort!).
-
-
Too much and yet, not enough
- By Kali on 04-05-23
-
We Should Get Together
- The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships
- By: Kat Vellos
- Narrated by: Kat Vellos
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you recently moved to a new city and are struggling to make friends? Do you find yourself constantly making plans with friends that fall through? Are you more likely to see your friends' social media posts than their faces? You aren't alone. Millions of adults struggle with an uncomfortable and persistent ache: platonic longing, which is the unfulfilled wish for authentic, resilient, close friendships.
-
-
A beautiful and brilliant wake up call to the richness we’re missing out on in life.
- By Revive Media Group on 03-15-22
By: Kat Vellos
-
Eyes Wide Open
- How to Make Smart Decisions in a Confusing World
- By: Noreena Hertz
- Narrated by: Noreena Hertz
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this eye-opening handbook, the internationally noted speaker, economics expert, and bestselling author, Noreen Hertz, reveals the extent to which the biggest decisions in our lives are often made on the basis of flawed information, weak assumptions, corrupted data, insufficient scrutiny of others, and a lack of self-knowledge. To avert such disasters, Hertz persuasively argues, we need to become empowered decision-makers, capable of making high-stakes choices and holding accountable those who advise us.
-
-
Unique and insightful
- By chris boutte on 03-14-21
By: Noreena Hertz
-
Belonging
- The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides
- By: Geoffrey L. Cohen
- Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover the secret to flourishing in an age of division: belonging. In a world filled with discord and loneliness, finding harmony and happiness can be difficult. But what if the key to unlocking our potential lies in this deceptively simple concept? Belonging is the feeling of being a part of a group that values, respects, and cares for us—a feeling that we can all cultivate in even the smallest corners of social life.
-
-
Belonging
- By Danielle on 03-09-25
-
How to Not Die Alone
- The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love
- By: Logan Ury
- Narrated by: Logan Ury
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you ever looked around and wondered, “Why has everyone found love except me?” You’re not the only one. Great relationships don’t just appear in our lives - they’re the culmination of a series of decisions, including whom to date, how to end it with the wrong person, and when to commit to the right one. But our brains often get in the way. We make poor decisions, which thwart us on our quest to find lasting love.
-
-
Not a good buy
- By Brandon Prescott on 02-10-21
By: Logan Ury
-
Social Chemistry
- Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection
- By: Marissa King
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Yale professor Marissa King shows how anyone can build more meaningful and productive relationships based on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and network analytics. Conventional wisdom says it's the size of your network that matters, but social science research has proven there is more to it. King explains that the quality and structure of our relationships has the greatest impact on our personal and professional lives.
-
-
Just a collection of facts
- By Kevin Richardson on 02-10-21
By: Marissa King
-
Platonic
- How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends
- By: Marisa G. Franco PhD
- Narrated by: Marisa G. Franco PhD
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do we make and keep friends in an era of distraction, burnout, and chaos, especially in a society that often prizes romantic love at the expense of other relationships? In Platonic, Dr. Marisa G. Franco unpacks the latest, often counterintuitive findings about the bonds between us—for example, why your friends aren’t texting you back (it’s not because they hate you!), and the myth of “friendships happening organically” (making friends, like cultivating any relationship, requires effort!).
-
-
Too much and yet, not enough
- By Kali on 04-05-23
-
We Should Get Together
- The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships
- By: Kat Vellos
- Narrated by: Kat Vellos
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you recently moved to a new city and are struggling to make friends? Do you find yourself constantly making plans with friends that fall through? Are you more likely to see your friends' social media posts than their faces? You aren't alone. Millions of adults struggle with an uncomfortable and persistent ache: platonic longing, which is the unfulfilled wish for authentic, resilient, close friendships.
-
-
A beautiful and brilliant wake up call to the richness we’re missing out on in life.
- By Revive Media Group on 03-15-22
By: Kat Vellos
-
Eyes Wide Open
- How to Make Smart Decisions in a Confusing World
- By: Noreena Hertz
- Narrated by: Noreena Hertz
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this eye-opening handbook, the internationally noted speaker, economics expert, and bestselling author, Noreen Hertz, reveals the extent to which the biggest decisions in our lives are often made on the basis of flawed information, weak assumptions, corrupted data, insufficient scrutiny of others, and a lack of self-knowledge. To avert such disasters, Hertz persuasively argues, we need to become empowered decision-makers, capable of making high-stakes choices and holding accountable those who advise us.
-
-
Unique and insightful
- By chris boutte on 03-14-21
By: Noreena Hertz
-
Belonging
- The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides
- By: Geoffrey L. Cohen
- Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover the secret to flourishing in an age of division: belonging. In a world filled with discord and loneliness, finding harmony and happiness can be difficult. But what if the key to unlocking our potential lies in this deceptively simple concept? Belonging is the feeling of being a part of a group that values, respects, and cares for us—a feeling that we can all cultivate in even the smallest corners of social life.
-
-
Belonging
- By Danielle on 03-09-25
-
How to Not Die Alone
- The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love
- By: Logan Ury
- Narrated by: Logan Ury
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you ever looked around and wondered, “Why has everyone found love except me?” You’re not the only one. Great relationships don’t just appear in our lives - they’re the culmination of a series of decisions, including whom to date, how to end it with the wrong person, and when to commit to the right one. But our brains often get in the way. We make poor decisions, which thwart us on our quest to find lasting love.
-
-
Not a good buy
- By Brandon Prescott on 02-10-21
By: Logan Ury
-
Effortless
- Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most
- By: Greg McKeown
- Narrated by: Greg McKeown
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As high achievers, we’ve been conditioned to believe that the path to success is paved with relentless work. That if we want to overachieve, we have to overexert, overthink, and overdo. That if we aren’t perpetually exhausted, we’re not doing enough. But lately, working hard is more exhausting than ever. And the more depleted we get, the more effort it takes to make progress. Stuck in an endless loop of “Zoom, eat, sleep, repeat”, we’re often working twice as hard to achieve half as much.
-
-
Laced with mistakes!
- By LEE on 04-28-21
By: Greg McKeown
-
Range
- Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
- By: David Epstein
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. David Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel.
-
-
If you're highly curious, read this
- By anon. on 06-07-19
By: David Epstein
-
Together
- The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
- By: Vivek H. Murthy
- Narrated by: Vivek H. Murthy
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Humans are social creatures: In this simple and obvious fact lies both the problem and the solution to the current crisis of loneliness. In his groundbreaking audiobook, the 19th surgeon general of the United States Dr. Vivek Murthy makes a case for loneliness as a public health concern: 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.
-
-
Losing 7 Friends to Suicide, I’m Glad I Read This
- By Amit Bhuta on 05-04-20
By: Vivek H. Murthy
-
The Rabbit Effect
- Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness
- By: Kelli Harding MD MPH
- Narrated by: Kelli Harding
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Columbia University doctor Kelli Harding began her clinical practice, she never intended to explore the invisible factors behind our health. But then there were the rabbits. In 1978, a seemingly straightforward experiment designed to establish the relationship between high blood cholesterol and heart health in rabbits discovered that kindness — in the form of a particularly nurturing post-doc who pet and spoke to the lab rabbits as she fed them — made the difference between a heart attack and a healthy heart.
-
-
Content vs Delivery
- By Joyce Goodale on 09-15-19
-
The Scout Mindset
- Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't
- By: Julia Galef
- Narrated by: Julia Galef
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When it comes to what we believe, humans see what they want to see. In other words, we have what Julia Galef calls a "soldier" mindset. From tribalism and wishful thinking, to rationalizing in our personal lives and everything in between, we are driven to defend the ideas we most want to believe - and shoot down those we don't.
-
-
An Excellent Book,
- By E&J on 04-16-21
By: Julia Galef
-
The WEIRDest People in the World
- How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous
- By: Joseph Henrich
- Narrated by: Korey Jackson
- Length: 19 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The WEIRDest People in the World, Joseph Henrich draws on cutting-edge research in anthropology, psychology, economics, and evolutionary biology to explore these questions and more. He illuminates the origins and evolution of family structures, marriage, and religion, and the profound impact these cultural transformations had on human psychology. Mapping these shifts through ancient history and late antiquity, Henrich reveals that the most fundamental institutions of kinship and marriage changed dramatically under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church.
-
-
Lots of mispronounced words
- By Phil F on 10-24-20
By: Joseph Henrich
-
Your Brain on Art
- How the Arts Transform Us
- By: Susan Magsamen, Ivy Ross
- Narrated by: Ellyn Jameson
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is art? Many of us think of the arts as entertainment—a luxury of some kind. In Your Brain on Art, authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross show how activities from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture, and more are essential to our lives.
-
-
Practical, even utilitarian ways of leveraging art
- By Lucy A. Pithecus on 04-07-23
By: Susan Magsamen, and others
-
Leaders Eat Last
- Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't
- By: Simon Sinek
- Narrated by: Simon Sinek
- Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Too many workplaces are driven by cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But the best ones foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a "Circle of Safety" that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside. Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories that range from the military to big business, from government to investment banking.
-
-
Very Disappointed
- By Jackson F. on 10-16-20
By: Simon Sinek
-
The Boy Crisis
- By: Warren Farrell PhD, John Gray PhD
- Narrated by: Warren Farrell PhD, John Gray PhD
- Length: 15 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is the boy crisis? It's a crisis of education. For the first time in American history, our sons will have less education than their dads. It's a crisis of mental health. As boys become young men, their suicide rates go from equal to girls to six times that of young women. It's a crisis of sexuality. Sex is a minefield for our sons. They're bombarded with mixed messages, afraid of being either too sensitive or not sensitive enough.
-
-
Good points ruined by social justice interlogs
- By ckayc on 01-18-19
By: Warren Farrell PhD, and others
-
Stolen Focus
- Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again
- By: Johann Hari
- Narrated by: Johann Hari
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the United States, teenagers can focus on one task for only sixty-five seconds at a time, and office workers average only three minutes. Like so many of us, Johann Hari was finding that constantly switching from device to device and tab to tab was a diminishing and depressing way to live. He tried all sorts of self-help solutions—even abandoning his phone for three months—but nothing seemed to work. So Hari went on an epic journey across the world to interview the leading experts on human attention—and he discovered that everything we think we know about this crisis is wrong.
-
-
Needs a little sharpening
- By LEE on 02-01-22
By: Johann Hari
-
Of Boys and Men
- Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It
- By: Richard V. Reeves
- Narrated by: Richard V. Reeves
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The father of three sons, a journalist, and a Brookings Institution scholar, Richard V. Reeves has spent twenty-five years worrying about boys both at home and work. His new book, Of Boys and Men, tackles the complex and urgent crisis of boyhood and manhood. Reeves looks at the structural challenges that face boys and men and offers fresh and innovative solutions that turn the page on the corrosive narrative that plagues this issue. Of Boys and Men argues that helping the other half of society does not mean giving up on the ideal of gender equality.
-
-
Regretful of My Knee-jerk Reaction To This Title 😔
- By Hazel Winters on 10-13-22
-
Do Nothing
- How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving
- By: Celeste Headlee
- Narrated by: Celeste Headlee
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Do Nothing, award-winning journalist Celeste Headlee illuminates a new path ahead, seeking to institute a global shift in our thinking so we can stop sabotaging our well-being, put work aside, and start living instead of doing. As it turns out, we’re searching for external solutions to an internal problem. We won’t find what we’re searching for in punishing diets, productivity apps, or the latest self-improvement schemes. Yet all is not lost - we just need to learn how to take time for ourselves, without agenda or profit, and redefine what is truly worthwhile.
-
-
I almost never leave reviews
- By keli wolfe on 03-03-22
By: Celeste Headlee
Critic reviews
“Evokes and updates Robert D. Putnam’s 2000 classic, Bowling Alone.” (The Boston Globe)
“A crucial call to arms.” (The Guardian)
“The Lonely Century is causing a deserved stir.” (Financial Times)
What listeners say about The Lonely Century
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- chris boutte
- 02-13-21
Great book that doesn't demonize technology
Before I dive into the review, I think it's important that I qualify myself. I'm an introverted millennial, and had it not been for technology like AOL Instant Messenger and social media apps in the following years, I wouldn't have nearly as many connections as I have now. The ability to connect through technology was huge in my life, so I'm always skeptical about books like this that discuss the loneliness epidemic. But as a mental health advocate and recovering drug addict, I know that we have a mental health crisis, and deaths of despair are on the rise. As I talk with people, I see that loneliness is a major source of our problems, so I try to keep an open mind going into books like this one from Noreena Hertz.
With that being said, this book from Noreena Hertz was absolutely phenomenal. I'm always concerned that authors of these books are going to demonize technology, but Hertz didn't do that. Throughout the book, Hertz did an excellent job backing her arguments with research and empathy while also pointing out the issues we face as a society. Aside from discussing some of the problems with technology, she dove into topics such as political polarization and the rise of AI, and I learned a ton. Best of all, her closing chapter provides a wide range of solutions. Although I definitely agree with her solutions, I can see how some would disagree with that type of government paternalism. But as someone who loves the work of Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, I think these solutions could work. So definitely grab a copy of this book, and I'd love to know your thoughts.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bella
- 04-27-24
Very Partisan
Came across this book because of Book Club. The writer appears to be deluded in her “we should, we should” her last chapter driving to more taxation.
You cannot tax a nation into prosperity. I can already imagine where she lives and the exclusivity she enjoys that she gripes so much about in her book that others in lower socio economic status cant. I could go on but even thinking about my thoughts in this book gives me a headache
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- tom
- 06-26-24
entire chapter proselytizing
this book started out interesting, but why an entire chapter was needed to fear mongering and proselytizing is beyond me, I'm not even conservative and the amount people rag on, or lie about trump is unreal and unbearable. There was even a quick, virtue signaling shout out to the Biden administration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful