Introduction: People who need people -- Swimming through the school of hard knocks : how social bonds can rejig the outcome of chronic disease -- It takes a village to raise a centenarian : longevity as a team sport -- A thousand invisible threads : face-to-face contact and social contagion -- Who's coming to dinner : food, drink, and social bonds -- Baby chemistry : how social contact transforms infants' brains -- Digital natives : electronic devices and children's language development, school progress, and happiness -- Teens and screens : how digital technology has transformed teens' lives -- Going to the chapel : face-to-face social networks, love, and marriage -- When money really talks : social networks, business, and crime -- Conclusion: Creating the village effect.