A literary cure for loneliness

Put your iPad down, ditch the phone and pick up a book. It could boost your circle of sympathyFortunate owners of working fireplaces in my neighbourhood have their chimneys swept by a father-and-son team of great kindliness and charm. Once every couple of years is enough, they say, unless you keep a fire burning every day. So they were surprised when a new customer called them back after only a month. Had they done something wrong? No, not at all. Eventually they realised that she wanted company