Read by the author, "Where Did Everybody Go?" is a short walk into the social silos of today and the interactions of yesteryears.

As someone with a sociology minor, I love reading about human connections and was eager to read Don Martin's take on this major epidemic.

The book brought up some interesting points I didn't think about when it comes to loneliness and some actionable steps to help point readers in a more connected direction. Would love to listen to other audiobooks by this author! He has such a fun personality and does a great job of weaving research in his work.

Am I lonely?.. not really but I guess maybe sometimes...
That's where my head was when I dove into this book. I came away with a deeper understanding of what loneliness means to me and a new outlook on what building a broader community might look like for me.

Don shares a fresh perspective on what loneliness, community, third spaces, and social connection mean in 2025. I really enjoyed the way he presented significant data/studies (with accessible language and a dash of humor) and that he shared practical tips for the reader to grow personally and within their greater community. I think that this book is a great tool to help people both understand and lean back into authentic connections with others.

Overall, I found this non-fiction read to be insightful and engaging. It got me thinking about how to put myself out there and forge new connections. While I can honestly answer that I'm not often lonely, Don touched on an area of connection that I didn't recognize as something I craved (missed?) until he spoke on it (for me, that's the concept of a third space). This is an excellent book from a brilliant mind, and I definitely recommend it!

Big thanks to the publisher Simon & Schuster Audio, Don Martin, and Netgalley for the ALC of this audiobook! 💖

I didn't realize I knew of this author prior to downloading until I heard his voice. One Google search later and I was gleeful at having found someone I already consider interesting and engaging. The audiobook is read like slam poetry lite, which felt soothing and warm. (He also kind of sounds like Veneer - ya know, the Betty spaghetti looking doll from Trolls - so much of the time I was picturing a Veneer's TedTalk.)

I listened to the whole thing over the course of an afternoon/evening, and never once was it dry or boring. Martin's commentary is engaging and often funny, and I greatly appreciate the near constant references to completed studies and research. At only 3 1/2 hours, I could've done with even more. 👏

One note: the cover is a bit young looking. I had to double check that I wasn't requesting a book for kids/teens. Would love to see a more mature cover that still holds a bit of the whimsy.

⭐️: 4.5

Thank you to NetGalley, Don Martin and Simon & Schuster Audio for gifting me an ALC!

First, Don Martin is an auto-buy author for me. I’ve been following him on social media for years and always find his content intriguing, entertaining and educational. So when I heard he was writing a book about the loneliness epidemic, I was incredibly curious as to what he would find. (As a note, I am not talking about the fictional “male loneliness epidemic” that is purely made up due to men not taking the time to be decent human beings and rising to meet the already incredibly low bar…but I digress.)

The book is laid out similar to a research paper which itched a part of my brain in a very nice way. It starts with a thesis statement, followed by existing research & data, calls to action and then a well tied up conclusion. While that may sound like it could be dry to consume, Don sprinkles magic in through out with his witty commentary and easy to follow connections.

I would highly suggest doing this as an immersive read because the audio book is lovely (Don narrates it himself and his inflections/tone really makes the information more engaging) but I would have liked to see the facts/figures in front of me to fully retain then information. But I’m a visual learner so that’s just my experience.

The book is well researched and pulls from a variety of historical to modern sources. I loved his exploration of third places, what defines them according to previous researchers and how they have evolved (or disappeared completely) over time.

All in all, this is an informative, engaging, pretty quick read with lots of calls to action that I highly recommend.

I got to know Don Martin from TikTok. Since then, I've read his poetry, his novels, listened to his podcast...he's amazing. This book was a great balance of informative without being scary. I got some really good take aways that I'm going to work into my life!

Loneliness and the attendant need for community -- for every reason from it gets jobs done faster to you're honestly statistically way less likely to get terminally ill or kill yourself if you're not constantly alone inside or out -- is a really important topic, and I'm glad he tackled it with some research and stories from real life to back it up. Don is insightful, funny, reflective and smart, and I think he did a great job discussing what are, essentially, the origins of "modern loneliness" at a time when it's at a critical mass -- and elucidating that it's a feature of late capitalism. As a non-academic touchpoint book that gently and humorously informs the reader that "no, you're not crazy, burn those bootstraps, baby, you really do need community, like it or not" it serves a very important purpose in this 2025 hellscape. I hope he continues to delve into the topic -- you could literally talk about it forever (and not just to yourself in the mirror.)

This was the first nonfiction book I have listened to. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it as I'm not much of a nonfiction reader, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book! It explored every aspect of loneliness: why it occurs, what is worsening it, and how to listen to it and reach out for connection.

I also liked how I didn't walk away from my listening sessions feeling lonely or depressed. Instead, I felt hopeful and interested to find out more. There was also humor woven into every chapter, which I really appreciated as the author and I share a VERY similar sense of humor. The last chapter was a call to action that actually felt plausible to follow.

The cherry on top was the fact that the narrator (who is also the author) did a PHENOMENAL job! His inflections made it such an enjoyable audiobook, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if I had read it. Like seriously.... Don Martin, if you're reading this: please narrate more books!

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Audio, Don Martin for the eARC to honestly review.

This was very good. This is a well-researched little book about loneliness that is actually fun to read. It points to but doesn't get mired down in lots of research on the subject. It also takes on historical and societal norms that influence the way we think about loneliness, and it's somehow...funny. It sort of reads like a well-done podcast on the topic. In fact, the author has done a podcast, and several other books, which I'll be checking out. Nothing about this should have worked, but it really does.

This was really compelling, and Don Martin is SUCH a good narrator. To be clear, this book is not a guide to ending loneliness, but more of contextualization around how we all got to be so lonely. It was a really helpful way to understand this issue and I will definitely continue to think about it.

It's a quick and effective read and I highly recommend it!

This book was a 5 star for me as an audiobook trying to give us some data behind the loneliness that so many suffer from in our world. The real star is the author who reads the book. He reads it like he is talking to us. I enjoyed that the most. This is also a short book, so I didn't tire of the topic. I definitely heard information that was helpful--as in how important social interaction is. As someone who lives alone and am temporarily not working, this made me more mindful that I make sure I talk to people and have healthy conversations and interactions IRL.
Thank you to #netgalley and #Simon&SchusterAudio for an arc of this audiobook