In Critical Connections, renowned sociologist and author Dr. Tracy Brower delivers inspiration and pragmatic new insights on community and connection that you can use in your own life to build belonging, find and make friends, and create a happier life. The author explains how you can avoid bad friendships, reconnect with old friends, deepen existing friendships, and start a new friend group.

You’ll learn how to navigate a new reality that includes artificial intelligence, technology, and social media. You’ll also discover how to improve your happiness, wellbeing, and success—in work and in life—by prioritizing quality relationships with human beings, online and offline.

An accessible and hands-on combination of the latest  research and practical connection strategies that work in the real world, Critical Connections is a must-read for everyone interested in improving their outlook, relationships, wellbeing, and fulfillment.

The author recently took time to answer seven questions from Porchlight about her new book, and some other books you might want to check out. 

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Porchlight Book Company: Writing a book is no small undertaking. What compelled you to write this one?

Tracy Brower: I was struck by the significance of our loneliness epidemic, mental health issues and the extent of our dissatisfaction and disconnection. I wanted to share insights about how we got here as well as the incredible power of relationships. And I wanted to recommend pragmatic ways for us to refresh relationships, create community and build belonging. Most of all, I wanted to expand our global conversation on these important issues.

PBC: What is one unanswered question you encountered as you wrote the book that you are most interested in answering now?

TB: I think a critical question that is yet unanswered is how we can more effectively manage our digital diet and ensure we shift behaviors toward real life with real people driving real meaning. We’re seeing that AI is replacing relationships in some cases, and we know time our on devices also increases the incidence of loneliness, disconnection and mental health issues. We are beginning to understand the implications, but shifting our behavior is the next frontier. We are up against systems that affect our brain chemistry and reward systems, so shifting behavior will require intention, investment and shared effort.

PBC: If there is only one thing a reader takes away from reading this book, what would you hope it to be?

TB: I want readers to feel empowered to create community. With the extent of overwhelm and malaise today (physically, cognitively, emotionally), it can be tough to know where to start in terms of shifting our experience. I hope we can embrace our power to make our own best choices and to realize the extent to which each of us has influence on our own lives, each other and the broader systems; so we can reconnect as individuals, teams, organizations and society.

PBC: One of the great things about books is that they tend to lead readers to other books. What book[s] related to this topic would you recommend people read after (or perhaps even before) reading your book? 

TB: Well of course I’d recommend reading my books, Bring Work to Life about ways to go beyond work-life balance to fulfillment in work and life and The Secrets to Happiness at Work about how to create the conditions for joy in our work and life. But I’m also a voracious reader, and there are so many great authors and thinkers. I really appreciated Collective Illusions by Todd Rose. I was struck by how much we assume about each other and the extent to which we’re more aligned than we think on our values and desires for society. I also really liked Stolen Focus by Johann Hari about how our attention is being undermined by social and technological forces. And Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick is also excellent. It argues that AI is best understood as a collaborator that can augment human gifts and contributions, rather than replace them.

PBC: What is your favorite book? 

TB: I learn a ton by reading fiction and Stephen King is my favorite. He’s known for horror, but so many of his books are just rich stories with important themes. I also really appreciate Japanese fiction. Yoko Ogawa is one of my favorites and her Memory Police is not to be missed.

PBC: What are you reading now?

TB: I just finished The Power Paradox by Dacher Keltner and Chatter by Ethan Kross. I’m currently reading People From My Neighborhood by Hiromi Kawakami and The Hunger Code by Jason Fung. You can see the full list of what I’ve read an what I’m reading next on Goodreads.

PBC: Do you have any future projects in the works that we can look forward to? 

TB: Yes, I’m continuing my senior contributor role for Forbes and Fast Company, writing on so many topics related to community, happiness and the future of work. But I’m also digging into AI and how we lean in, learn and adapt at the same time we maintain, sustain and protect meaning in our relationships.

About the Author

Dr. Tracy Brower is a PhD sociologist studying community, happiness and the future of work-life. She is a Global 50 Thinker and a Top 101 Experience Influencer as well as the award-winning author of three books: Critical Connections, The Secrets to Happiness at Work, and Bring Work to Life. She is the vice president of workplace insights with Steelcase and a senior contributor to Forbes and Fast Company. Tracy’s work has been translated into 25 languages and her TEDx talk has been viewed 8.6 million times. You can find her on LinkedIn, X, TikTok, and Instagram, and sign up for Tracy's mailing list and Tracy’s LinkedIn Newsletter.