It’s easy to feel that we are alone in feeling alone. Not only do we suffer, but we also destroy our self-confidence with repeated convictions that we are the only ones who are so confused and at sea, the only ones without a partner and who will be alone (again) on Saturday night.

This transformative book examines loneliness through fifty heartfelt interviews and captivating portraits by the talented photographer Julia Hawkins. We hear from a diverse array of individuals whose lives have been shaped by isolation – those who feel invisible, misunderstood and alienated, as well as those who have found unexpected paths to understanding and connection.

We are left feeling enlightened and consoled that we are not unique in our solitude; indeed, it’s the most universal of emotions. And so, we have every reason to hold out a hand to our similarly complicated, kind and lonely neighbours.

This is a book for anyone who has ever felt alone – that is, for anyone who has ever been human.