Friends are good for your health. The strength of your social relationships is a remarkably good predictor of how long you will live. Strong social connections also make communities more resilient, efficient and satisfying. But today Australians have fewer close friends and local connections than in the past, and more of us say we have no-one to turn to in tough times.

In Reconnected, Andrew Leigh and Nick Terrell look at how we can turn this trend around. Organisations such as parkrun and Greening Australia are mobilising thousands of people to stay fit and improve their local neighbourhoods. Technology is providing new ways to raise funds and to volunteer. And from the popular ‘No Lights No Lycra’ dance nights to the atheist ‘Sunday Assembly’ movement, Australians are finding new ways to connect in the twenty-first century.

With optimism and intelligence, Leigh and Terrell show what works and what doesn’t when it comes to community-building, and introduce us to some remarkable and inspirational people. Reconnected is an essential guide to for anyone interested in strengthening social ties.