
Once Upon a Stranger
The Science of How 'Small' Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life
Dr Gillian Sandstrom(Author)
Yellow Kite (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 9. April 2026
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-3997-3443-1 (ISBN)
Description
In an age when we live head down in our phones, working remotely and wary of strangers, interacting with our fellow human beings feels increasingly uncomfortable. And the result - an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in a polarised society. Over 80% of people say they have experienced loneliness with the old and young suffering the most.
In Say Hello to Strangers, Professor in the Psychology of Kindness and a self-confessed introvert Gillian Sandstrom, draws on her own experiences as well as the latest scientific research to show the life-transforming potential of a tiny everyday exchange with a stranger. For Gillian, such moments led to an entirely new career, a move to a new country and meeting her life partner.
Not every exchange that you have, whether it's with the person who makes your coffee or the one you stand next to in a lift, will lead to such momentous events but they will give you a tiny moment of joy, a spark of connection, the recognition of a fellow human. Just start small...look up, and say hello - you never know where the conversation will lead.
In Say Hello to Strangers, Professor in the Psychology of Kindness and a self-confessed introvert Gillian Sandstrom, draws on her own experiences as well as the latest scientific research to show the life-transforming potential of a tiny everyday exchange with a stranger. For Gillian, such moments led to an entirely new career, a move to a new country and meeting her life partner.
Not every exchange that you have, whether it's with the person who makes your coffee or the one you stand next to in a lift, will lead to such momentous events but they will give you a tiny moment of joy, a spark of connection, the recognition of a fellow human. Just start small...look up, and say hello - you never know where the conversation will lead.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
N/A
Dimensions
Height: 220 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
470 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3997-3443-1 (9781399734431)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2026
Hodder & Stoughton
€13.99
Available for download
Person
Gillian Sandstrom is a Professor in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex. Her research has been has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and The Atlantic, as well as other outlets around the world. She has been interviewed for major podcasts and radio shows, including Hidden Brain, NPR's Life Kit, and Claudia Hammond's All in the Mind.