Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How ‘Small’ Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life
Dr Gillian Sandstrom
Apr 2026 · Yellow Kite · Narrated by Nan McNamara
headphones
Audiobook
8 hr 32 min
Unabridged
family_home
Eligible
info
Want a free 51 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.
Add
About this audiobook
'If you've ever wondered about, worried about, and avoided talking to strangers, this book might change your mind. ' Angela Duckworth, author of Grit.
Gillian Sandstrom, 'one of the world's experts...on conversational canapes.' The Times
In an age when we live head down in our phones, working remotely and wary of strangers, interacting with our fellow human beings feels increasingly uncomfortable. And the result - an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in a polarised society. Over 80% of people say they have experienced loneliness with the old and young suffering the most.
In Say Hello to Strangers, Professor in the Psychology of Kindness and a self-confessed introvert Gillian Sandstrom, draws on her own experiences as well as the latest scientific research to show the life-transforming potential of a tiny everyday exchange with a stranger. For Gillian, such moments led to an entirely new career, a move to a new country and meeting her life partner.
Not every exchange that you have, whether it's with the person who makes your coffee or the one you stand next to in a lift, will lead to such momentous events but they will give you a tiny moment of joy, a spark of connection, the recognition of a fellow human. Just start small...look up, and say hello - you never know where the conversation will lead.
Gillian Sandstrom, 'one of the world's experts...on conversational canapes.' The Times
In an age when we live head down in our phones, working remotely and wary of strangers, interacting with our fellow human beings feels increasingly uncomfortable. And the result - an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in a polarised society. Over 80% of people say they have experienced loneliness with the old and young suffering the most.
In Say Hello to Strangers, Professor in the Psychology of Kindness and a self-confessed introvert Gillian Sandstrom, draws on her own experiences as well as the latest scientific research to show the life-transforming potential of a tiny everyday exchange with a stranger. For Gillian, such moments led to an entirely new career, a move to a new country and meeting her life partner.
Not every exchange that you have, whether it's with the person who makes your coffee or the one you stand next to in a lift, will lead to such momentous events but they will give you a tiny moment of joy, a spark of connection, the recognition of a fellow human. Just start small...look up, and say hello - you never know where the conversation will lead.
'If you've ever wondered about, worried about, and avoided talking to strangers, this book might change your mind. ' Angela Duckworth, author of Grit.
Gillian Sandstrom, 'one of the world's experts...on conversational canapes.' The Times
In an age when we live head down in our phones, working r...
Discover more
About the author
Gillian Sandstrom is a Professor in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex. Her research has been has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and The Atlantic, as well as other outlets around the world. She has been interviewed for major podcasts and radio shows, including Hidden Brain, NPR's Life Kit, and Claudia Hammond's All in the Mind.
Gillian Sandstrom is a Professor in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex. Her research has been has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and The Atlantic, as well as other outlets around the world. She has been interviewed for major podcasts...
Rate this audiobook
Tell us what you think.
Listening information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
