Tom Feiling

Tom Feiling is a British journalist and author known for his deeply immersive, rigorously reported non-fiction that explores cultures, subcultures, and social phenomena with curiosity, empathy, and intellectual honesty. His book Alone in Japan is a captivating exploration of solitude, social isolation, and the unique cultural dynamics of a country that is simultaneously one of the most densely populated and one of the loneliest societies on Earth. Feiling examines the phenomenon of hikikomori, the millions of Japanese people who have withdrawn from social life, alongside broader cultural factors including work culture, demographic change, and the relationship between technology and human connection. His previous books include The Candy Machine, an acclaimed investigation into the global drugs trade, and Short Walks from Bogotá, an exploration of contemporary Colombia. Feiling's writing is characterised by thorough reporting, narrative skill, and a genuine desire to understand the people and cultures he writes about on their own terms rather than through the lens of Western assumptions. Alone in Japan is available as an audiobook, offering listeners a thoughtful, deeply reported exploration of loneliness, connection, and the social challenges facing one of the world's most fascinating societies.