Nicholas A. Christakis - Connected

Copyright 2009 by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler

Reading group guide copyright 2011 by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler and Little, Brown and Company

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Second eBook Edition: January 2011

ISBN: 978-0-316-07134-5

Christakis and Fowler have written the book on the exciting new science of social networks. With passion and precision, these two internationally renowned scientists expose the invisible webs that connect each of us to the other, and in so doing cast our lives here together in an astonishing new light. We think we are individuals who control our own fates, but as Christakis and Fowler demonstrate, we are merely cells in the nervous system of a much greater beast. If someone you barely know reads Connected, it could change your life forever. How? Read it yourself and find out.

Daniel Gilbert, bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness

The findings of Christakis and Fowler suggest invisible connectors that run through a whole society. If their research holds up, think about the implications. Social contagion is making news because we all like to rely on data, but the possibility that we all participate in one mind challenges religion, philosophy, and the meaning of life itself.

Deepak Chopra, San Francisco Chronicle

Brilliant. In their writing, Christakis and Fowler are endearingly excitable, ranging enthusiastically across science and culture to find gee-whiz insights and unexpected results that support their arguments.

Clive Thompson, New York Times Book Review

A Gods-eye view of social relationships that may make you dizzy. Every business leader, teacher, and parent should see their life from this vantage.

Chip Heath, author of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die and Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Extraordinarily rich in insights.

Ben Rogers, Guardian

An illuminating account of the pervasive and often bizarre qualities of social networks. Much of what is covered in Connected sounds obvious at first. Dig a little deeper, though, and things are anything but obvious. Why, for example, are emotional states so much more contagious when passed on by friends and relatives of the same gender? Why do men married to white women suffer a significant decline in physical and psychological health when their spouse dies while men married to black women do not? The authors excel at drawing out the devil in the detail: their explanations of how the architecture of networks dictates their dynamics are compelling. All this has profound implications, both for our ideas about autonomy and free will and for public policy.

Michael Bond, New Scientist

Groundbreaking discoveries. Say good-bye to the idea of individual choice. Using examples of the widower effect, the spread of STDs, elections, dating circles, and more, Christakis and Fowler explore the vast interconnectedness of humanity and its direct correlation to who we are in everyday life.

Kirkus Reviews

Mind-blowing.

Elle

A clever, cogent, and enjoyable look at the latest thinking about humans in community. It provides a swath of important research in one place for readers and makes it a stimulating read.

Michael Fitzgerald, Boston Globe

What makes us humanfor good and badis our social nature. Nowhere is this complex, wonderful, and sometimes dark part of us more clearly revealed than in Connected. In a social world exploding with new ways to interact, Connected is a users guide for ourselves in the twenty-first century.

Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics, Duke University, and author of Predictably Irrational

An intellectual but accessible approach. The authors make a persuasive case for the power of social networks to affect everything and everyone.

BusinessWeek

The book has all sorts of interesting information about how our friends influence our lives, for better and for worse.

Maura Kelly, MarieClaire.com

Intriguing.

Robert J. Hughes, SmartMoney.com

Connected argues convincingly that its not enough to understand how individuals behave. The book details examples of how individual behaviors affect other members of a social network. In short, you are your brothers keeper. And your mothers best friends brothers keeper, too.

Rachel Zelkowitz, ScienceNews.org

Connected explores the startling intricacies of social networks.

Cathleen Medwick, O, The Oprah Magazine

A thorough but popular take on a complex phenomenon. An entertaining guide to the mechanics and importance of human networking.

Publishers Weekly

Fascinating and well written. Connected is an important book, a scientific look at the ties that bind us together. Well worth reading.

Laura Vanderkam, City Journal

From health and happiness to fads and financial markets, Christakis and Fowler take us on a dazzling tour of the world of social networks. And in showing how these networks matter in our individual lives, the authors also make the deeper point that network thinking is the key to understanding how all our lives fit together.

Duncan J. Watts, author of Six Degrees

Fascinating. This book reveals unexpected patterns in our everyday lives.

Doug Childers, Richmond Times-Dispatch

An old adage tells us, You cant choose your family. After reading Connected, you will find that you cant choose many things in your life. Others choose them for you! Christakis and Fowler take a fresh look at an old idea: that who we know matters. Connected is a lively, well-written account of social networks and their power to shape our lives. Complicated ideas become easy to understand and the mysteries of science unfold in front of your eyes. The world becomes smaller and more meaningful after reading this engaging book.

Sudhir Venkatesh, author of Gang Leader for a Day

This wonderful book by Christakis and Fowler could well be one of the most important works of the decade. In a clear and engaging way, the authors apply their creative and provocative findings on social networks to understanding not only our social relationships but also the forces that shape our world. Full of fascinating stories and examples, this book is essential in understanding our very nature. A must-read.

Ed Diener, Joseph Smiley Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois, and author of Happiness

Engaging and insightful. Connected succeeds in connecting with its audience.