Incredibly useful and insightful - I wish this was required reading for everyone, especially in today's social and political climate. While the steps in the book outline what you yourself can do to have better, more civil, and more productive conversations about difficult topics - examine your values, culture and motivations; recognize how your communication style, reactions and body language affect how your words are received; ways of grounding yourself to take the immediacy out of your emotions - these also transfer over to how to understand the person you're having a conversation with as well. Although you have no control over their thoughts, words, or behavior, by trying to understand their values, culture, motivations, reactions, body language, emotions, etc. you are better able to get to the root of the issue you're trying to discuss and approach them in a calmer, better way. Tough work, but so important.

Great book to challenge yourself. I, for one, seem to be repeatedly saying something that upsets someone else. I don't mean to, but it happens just the same. I then spend hours laying in bed at night, thinking "what did I say?" and ruminating on what I should have done different. Or, on the other hand, there are times that someone will say something that is upsetting to me, or to others around me. And I will sit there and not say anything, to not provoke an argument. Then, again, I will lay in bed that night thinking about "if I had only said....".
This book helps give you insight into how to handle these situations. I wish that I had read it years ago, when I was early in my career. Oh, all the trouble I could have avoided!
I can highly recommend this book to everyone.

This is a great guide for anyone that puts their foot in their mouth when discussing issues that can be polarizing or controversial. The author's advice is easy to utilize. This was a great read!

Reading this book made me want to sit down and talk to someone, just ask questions and really get to hear what they have to say about things I'd normally not ask, like their political views and thoughts of life and the afterlife. It's an interesting guide simple, feels basic but nonetheless very important and timely.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.