The Lonely Century

British economist Noreena Hertz says that people living in busy cities, Trump voters, and children allowed excessive screen time reported more unhappiness and isolation and less interest in social interactions than those in normative groups. She is a gifted writer whose vivid examples and concise research summaries reveal how contemporary society lures people into minimizing the value of interactions with others, thus diminishing their ability to connect and work with them. Though she narrates with the emotional reserve of an academic, her tone is authentic and altruistic. These qualities and her engagement with her field of study make this a fast-moving and informative audio lesson. The solutions she offers will not be easy to sell or implement, but her solid thinking and sincere reading make them sound worth considering. T.W. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine