Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (June, 2026)

 

Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (June, 2026)

Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How “Small” Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life, by Dr. Gillian Sandstrom (2026)

My take:

Ever feel like you want to chat, but everyone you know is busy? Why not venture down to your local coffee shop and strike up a conversation with the cashier, barista, or even the person standing in line? In Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How Small Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life, Sandstrom explains the benefits of talking to strangers. If you’re anything like me, you may be thinking, “I’m not comfortable talking to strangers!”. But by the end of the book, you may be ready to give it a try.

Sandstrom has made it her mission to understand why we feel anxious even thinking about talking to strangers and how pushing through our fears may give us massive well-being benefits and may even change our life. As Sandstrom demonstrates talking to strangers is a skill that can be learned and developed. The more conversations you have with strangers, the easier it gets.

Every day we have opportunities to create moments of connection with people we may never see again. Talking to strangers decreases loneliness, increases connectedness and adds spontaneity and novelty to your life. Talking to strangers is an opportunity for a laugh, learning, and connection. A quick chat – or even a simple, “good morning” or a smile - creates a moment of connection where both people feel seen and that they matter (think our previous pick, Mattering by Jennifer Breheny Wallace).

Sandstrom’s goal with this book is to remind all of us why it’s meaningful and healthy to talk to strangers. If you are feeling a little apprehensive or not sure where to start, Sandstrom provides several tips and strategies in the Appendix.

I will admit that this book is a bit out of my comfort zone but I am willing to give it a try the next time I am waiting for my latte. The well-being benefits are worth it!

How often do you talk to strangers? Have you tried any strategies to increase your conversations with people you don’t know? Check in with yourself after these brief chats to notice how it makes you feel.

Comments

Post a Comment

You are able to comment in one of three ways, 1) through your google account, 2) anonymously, or 3) using your name and URL (you can just comment with your name if you leave the URL blank). If you have trouble submitting a comment, try clearing your computer's browsing data (i.e., clearing cookies and cached images and files) or using incognito mode.

Popular posts from this blog

Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (July, 2025)

Image
  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (July, 2025) Get it Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation , Ayelet Fishbach (2022, published by Little, Brown Spark) My take: Have you ever experienced that excitement to embark on a new goal (you’ll start Monday!), only to find that part way through to reaching your goal, that you lost interest, your motivation wanes. In Get it Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation , Fishbach (2022) explores the complex construct of motivation. You’ll discover barriers to motivation and how to deal with them so you can reach your goals. Fishbach provides a fulsome examination of the science of motivation. She explores orientations such as cup half full or empty and what motivates under these different perspectives. Intriguingly, which part of the glass motivates you will depend on context and the importance of your goal. At the end of each chapter, a series of questions allow you to reflect to better understand the science and strategi...
Read more

Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (October, 2025)

Image
  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (October, 2025) Smartphone Nation: Why We're All Addicted to Our Screens and What You and Your Family Can Do About It , by Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr (2025, published by Knopf Canada) My take: Although smartphones seem ubiquitous, managing them so that your well-being isn’t negatively impacted can be challenging. In Smartphone Nation, Regehr (2025) provides a powerful, behind the scenes view of how tech firms control our screen time. She provides a practical guide on how to take back control and educate those who may be vulnerable. Regehr asks (and answers) several critical questions around “screen consumption”— what is our screen consumption doing to how we think and understand the world? She provides several strategies on how to take action so that the information coming at us is what we want rather than what the tech firms want to give us. Regehr also provides tips on spotting misinformation. This book is an education on technology, social media, and screen ti...
Read more

Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (September, 2025)

Image
  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (September, 2025) Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth (2016, published by Scribner) My take: Some people seem to get back up no matter how many times they get knocked down while others struggle and hold on to setbacks. The difference between these two conditions may be something called “grit”. In Grit, The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Duckworth (2016), explores what it means to have grit, how to develop it, and why it is important. Duckworth also provides several evidence-based strategies on how to become “grittier”. Are successful people simply more talented? More intelligent? According to Duckworth, having grit is more important. (Agreed!) So, what is grit? Grit is the “passion and perseverance for long-term goals that involves a sustained effort to achieve a future objective despite setbacks”. Duckworth discusses four essentials of grit 1) interest - being genuinely interested/having a passion, 2) practice –practicing...
Read more