"If you care about what really matters in life, read this fantastic natural history of human friendship."

—Nicholas A. Christakis, author of Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society

NOW AVAILABLE

Praise for Friendship

  • A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Nonfiction Book of Winter 2020

  • Named one of best books of 2020 by Real Simple

  • Named one of 20 best leadership books for 2020 by organizational psychologist and best-selling author Adam Grant

  • Named one of the “best reviewed books” of January by BookMarks based on reviews in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and more

  • Named one of the “most anticipated books of Winter 2020” by Apple Books

  • A Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal winner

Photo Credit: Jessica Barthel

About Lydia

I am a science journalist who investigates everything from Alzheimer’s to zebrafish. How do we think, learn, and connect? How do we stay healthy—mentally and physically? What’s really going on in the brains of toddlers and teenagers? And what can we learn about ourselves from the behavior of other animals?  I explore the cutting-edge science behind these kinds of questions in my books and articles. I am a contributing editor for Scientific American, write the Brain Waves blog for Psychology Today and have contributed to many other publications. My work is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Latest

Read my latest article from The Atlantic: How the Pandemic Has Shaped Babies’ Development

The first two years of life are a time of astonishing brain growth. What has that meant for the toddlers who have only known a world with COVID?

The Swell x Stripes - The New Pause Symposium

I was honored to be part of the symposium about rethinking midlife and menopause!

Watch and Listen

Onstage at TED NYC.

Talked friendship with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman on Armchair Expert.

Praise for Lydia's Books

Toxic Truth . . . make[s] the process of scientific research riveting . . . The problem [of lead] has not been totally solved, but it has been shrunken and contained, and Denworth’s fascinating historical, biographical, scientific and political saga shows how we got even this far.”

—Sharon Begley, Newsweek

I Can Hear You Whisper is a triptych of reportage, popular science, and memoir. As reportage . . . it’s both timely and rigorous . . . As popular science, it’s enthralling . . . As a memoir it is tender and involving.”

The New York Review of Books

“The power of friendship—in many ways the most essential of our relationships—has long been underestimated. It's an absolute pleasure to see Lydia Denworth do it justice in this lovely, insightful, and important book.”

—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Poison Squad (on Friendship)

Psychology Today Blog

Neuroscientists learn a little bit more about how we think, learn and connect all the time. In my Brain Waves blog for Psychology Today, I cover the latest developments, reporting on whatever new findings intrigue me most. SEE ALL POSTS. The latest post is "Let's Call it Physical Distancing."

Connect With Me

Stay in touch! In Connections, my monthly newsletter, I share updates on my work, open up my reporter’s notebook, and tell you what I’m reading, listening to and watching. I’d love to connect with you. Sign up and receive these bonuses:

1. Friendship: The Playbook.

2. 36 Questions That Lead to . . . Friendship.