Lakeland Public Library discussion

Let's face it. Civil discourse seems in short supply these days. Whether we're looking at the national stage or in our own backyards, we've never felt so divided. But, if you're searching for ways to have real, productive conversations about important topics, then we have some books that can help. Because if we can't talk to each other (and listen in turn) about the things that concern us, then we will never find solutions to those problems.

Talking Across the Divide : How to Communicate with People You Disagree With and Maybe Even Change the World by Justin Lee
A guide to learning how to communicate with people who have diametrically opposed opinions from you, how to empathize with them, and how to possibly change their minds.
 
I Love You But I Hate Your Politics : How to Protect Your Intimate Relationships in a Poisonous Partisan World by Jeanne Safter
Provides advice for salvaging and strengthening bonds with friends, family, and spouses who may have different political views and shares insight from interviews with a diverse group of politically mixed couples.

The War for Kindness : Building Empathy in a Fractured World by Jamil Zaki
A Stanford psychologist outlines a revolutionary new understanding of empathy that demonstrates how it is an acquired skill and not a fixed trait, sharing science-based stories that demonstrate how to promote empathy in today's racially charged world.

Why Are We Yelling? : The Art of Productive Disagreement by Buster Benson
This book will alter your assumptions about what makes arguments productive. You'll find yourself having fewer repetitive, predictable fights once you're empowered to identify your biases, listen with an open mind, and communicate well.

You're Not Listening : What You're Missing and Why It Matters by Kate Murphy
Despite living in a world where technology allows constant digital communication and opportunities to connect, it seems no one is really listening or even knows how. And it’s making us lonelier, more isolated, and less tolerant than ever before. A listener by trade, New York Times contributor Kate Murphy describes how to re-learn this important skill.

I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening) : A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations by Sarah Stewart Holland
Two friends on opposite sides of the aisle provide a practical guide to grace-filled political conversation while challenging readers to put relationship before policy and understanding before argument.

and for the kiddos:
We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia
Mouse likes figs. Squirrel prefers twigs. Mouse likes blue and polka dots. Squirrel likes red and does not like spots. It seems that they disagree on everything! Is there any way they can be friends, despite their differences? This timely story will show young readers that they don't have to like all the same things as someone to get along with fast-moving, rhyming text that will make this book a read-aloud favorite.