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From neighbors whose faces we sort of recognize to baristas who know our order by heart to work friends to significant others, our lives are defined by social interactions — many of which we may not even be consciously aware of. Most of us know the benefits of the deepest relationships — close friends, romantic partners, and immediate family. But what about the momentary interactions we share with people whose names we hardly know?

In Let’s Hang Out: Making (and Keeping) Friends, Acquaintances, and Other Nonromantic Relationships, comedian, writer, and podcast host of How to Be a Better Human Chris Duffy shares why these types of connections deserve more recognition than they get and can change our lives. Diving in with extensive research while also analyzing both local and global views of community, Duffy shows readers that while an acquaintance may pack less of a punch on its own compared to a more intimate relationship, when we add the acquaintanceships together, they can have a profound effect on us (and even enhance our longevity and physical health).

In recent years, people have experienced increasing loneliness, so much so that the U.S. Surgeon General declared an “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” as Duffy highlights in the book. After feeling this himself, Duffy began investing more time into expanding his connections with others — including stopping for brief chats with neighbors while out on walks, becoming a regular at a public pool, and joining a beloved local breakfast club. What he found was that when people take the time to get to know those around them and tend to these — often daily — budding relationships, they sow the seeds that can grow into a garden of potentially lifelong partnerships (which, if nothing else, add a whole lot of niceness to our day).

As a “passionate fan of acquaintances, a devoted social butterfly, a man whose entire week is made by even the faintest hint of recognition or familiarity from a stranger,” Duffy swings open the door in Let’s Hang Out to show us the value of community for all of the big (and little) ways we shape each other’s lives.

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