Virtual Nonfiction Book Club: Together by Vivek Murthy, M.D.

Join us on Zoom to discuss this month's Virtual Non-Fiction Book Club selection, Together by Vivek Murthy, M.D.  Books will be available to check out at the Adult Help Desk.  If you need help acquiring a book, please reach out to Kelly Kuningas at kkuningas@wauclib.org.  

You will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to join the discussion, which will be re-sent to you 24 hours before the program.  We look forward to reading and discussing with you!

The book we need now to avoid a social recession, Murthy’s prescient message is about the importance of human connection, the hidden impact of loneliness on our health, and the social power of community. 

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. Loneliness, he argues, is affecting not only our health, but also how our children experience school, how we perform in the workplace, and the sense of division and polarization in our society.

But, at the center of our loneliness is our innate desire to connect. We have evolved to participate in community, to forge lasting bonds with others, to help one another, and to share life experiences. We are, simply, better together.

The lessons in Together have immediate relevance and application. These four key strategies will help us not only to weather this crisis, but also to heal our social world far into the future.

Spend time each day with those you love. Devote at least 15 minutes each day to connecting with those you most care about.

Focus on each other. Forget about multitasking and give the other person the gift of your full attention, making eye contact, if possible, and genuinely listening.

Embrace solitude. The first step toward building stronger connections with others is to build a stronger connection with oneself. Meditation, prayer, art, music, and time spent outdoors can all be sources of solitary comfort and joy.

Help and be helped. Service is a form of human connection that reminds us of our value and purpose in life. Checking on a neighbor, seeking advice, even just offering a smile to a stranger six feet away, all can make us stronger.