海角大神

Many people want to communicate better with family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances across the political spectrum. We鈥檝e put together a list of books, some suggested by Bob Stains, an expert on conflict transformation (read our Q&A with him here), and others based on Monitor reviews and interviews.

We hope you鈥檒l find the books helpful for further exploration. Please write us at books@csmonitor.com and share other titles you鈥檝e found useful.

Classics

鈥⑩�淒ifficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most鈥� by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen. Good for tough workplace conversations.

鈥⑩�淪peak Peace in a World of Conflict: What You Say Next Will Change Your World鈥� by Marshall Rosenberg. From the author of 鈥淣onviolent Communication: A Language of Life.鈥� A great resource for doing the 鈥渋nner work鈥� of constructive communication.

More recent titles

鈥⑩�淢aking Great Relationships: Simple Practices for Solving Conflicts, Building Connection, and Fostering Love鈥� by Rick Hanson. Based on insights from clinical psychology. Accessible, practical, and inspiring, according to Mr. Stains.

鈥⑩�淪eek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World鈥� by Scott Shigeoka. Gets us past the biggest barrier to connection and the most pernicious maintainer of polarization: certainty about others.

鈥⑩�淧lays Well With Others: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships Is (Mostly) Wrong鈥� by Eric Barker. His big idea: 鈥淗ow do we maintain belonging when our stories are mutually exclusive? The solution is simple: more stories.鈥�

鈥⑩�淗ow To Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen鈥� by David Brooks. Offers great examples and ideas about how to make it happen.

鈥⑩�淗igh Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out鈥� by Amanda Ripley.

鈥⑩�淭he Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles To Heal Society and Ourselves鈥� by Alexandra Hudson.

鈥�鈥淩emaking the Space Between Us: How Citizens Can Work Together To Build a Better Future for All鈥� by Diana McLain Smith.

鈥⑩�淗ow To Talk With Anyone About Anything: The Practice of Safe Conversations鈥� by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt. From the authors of 鈥淕etting the Love You Want.鈥�