Named one of the Best Popular Science Books of the Year by New Scientist

"A radical new view of life. . . . Togetherness manages to be both hugely ambitious in scope and also very enjoyable."
—New Scientist

"There’s a specific joy in a scientific book that manages to convey the absolute wonder of the natural world. . . . Hooper has formidable narrative chops, and this one is a total joy to read. Togetherness feels—maybe, possibly?—hopeful? At the very least, it will inspire you to step outside and really look."
—Literary Hub

"This corrective to our habitual emphasis on competition had me writing ‘wow’ in the margins again and again. . . . Written with immense charm and passion, and packed with eye-popping facts, [Togetherness] is also a paean to the wonders of nature and the value and urgency of preserving them."
—The Guardian

"Present[s] the picture of a radically interconnected world, in which the border between one life and another cannot be easily drawn. . . draws grand implications from our growing knowledge of the importance of symbiosis."
—Nature

"As Rowan Hooper shows in his eye-opening book Togetherness, symbiosis is everywhere you’d care to look. . . . Lively and engaging. . . . We see life entangled in ways that are far more complex than they first appear."
—The Observer

"Readers will find a wealth of provocative ideas and memorable natural histories on offer here."
—Publishers Weekly

"This beautifully written and meticulously-researched book makes a vivid and powerful case for symbiotic cooperation in evolution."
—Richard Dawkins

"Absolutely enthralling. I was hooked from the first sentence."
—Bill Bryson, author of A Short History of Nearly Everything 

"I think this may be one of those rare books that's a classic upon its publication. It calmly and comprehensively helps you see the world in a very new and hopeful way, and I think the insights apply to our social and political life. We were, all of us, built for contact."
—Bill McKibben, author of Here Comes the Sun

"[Togetherness] has both scientific chops and beautiful storytelling as it unpacks case after case of symbiosis in the natural world as well as what symbiosis is and does and why it matters. I wish this synthesis of so much knowledge had been available when I wrote my last book, but I’m glad it’s available now for me and for anyone who finds joy, meaning, and possibility in our new understandings of nature."
—Rebecca Solnit

"A clarion call for cooperation, at a time when competition, chaos, and cruelty seem to rule the day. In the symbiotic relationships of lichens, orchids and fig wasps, Rowan Hooper provides an antidote for division and distrust. Written by one of our finest science communicators, this is a joyful book, of hope and wonder, which celebrates community as the true key to success in nature."
—Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh paleontologist and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

"By weaving scientific evidence with personal experiences from around the world, Rowan Hooper takes us on an awe-inspiring journey that challenges long-held assumptions about individual competition as the single dominant force in nature. Recognizing the interconnectedness among all organisms, including ourselves, is not a question of curiosity but survival. This book should herald the end of individualism: it is an exposé of our unbreakable connections with all life on Earth."
—Alexandre Antonelli, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

"Tremendous—a panorama, or cyclorama, or cosmorama of life."
—Philip Pullman

"Togetherness is the most important book I’ve read for years. Richly-layered, thrilling, intellectually wide-ranging and so fascinating with evocative imagery and warm prose which brings the science and the world to vivid life and offers a crucial and urgent intervention on our mistaken and inadequate understanding of life and its entangled, enmeshed, webby, netty, symbiotic togetherness. A book that could solve the problem of ecological illiteracy in Western capitalist society and its catastrophic impacts. Utterly stunning and awe-inspiring. Everyone needs to read this book, now!"
—Lucy Jones, author of Losing Eden

"From fascinating micro details to massive big picture thinking, [Togetherness] reshapes our ideas about science, nature, and ourselves. The revelations in this book made me re-think the world. A clever, compelling and challenging book which demands an exciting re-think about life and its future. From figs, to fungi, to the FTSE, how connections have shaped life and its demise."
—Chris Packham, broadcaster, writer, and naturalist

"Who would have thought that so much of life depends on mutual interaction between species? This fascinating story of Togetherness takes us through multiple forms of symbiosis in the natural world. From gut bacteria to fungi, algal bloom, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and ourselves, Hooper brings co-operation and teamwork to the fore in an upbeat and friendly narrative, rich in history and biological knowledge. A super book."
—Janet Browne, author of Darwin: A Biography