🌟 Books to Help Us Bridge Divides and Resolve Conflict

📚 Reading for peace, change, and understanding

I’ve opposed war since my college years—1968–72 during the Vietnam War—and have since supported peace advocacy, nuclear arms control, and nonviolent conflict resolution.

Whether on a global scale or in everyday life, we need more effective ways to handle disagreements, find common ground, and build a more peaceful world. I realize how difficult that can be, and I have more to learn.

So, especially these days—and for a writing project of mine—I’ve been thinking about how to have better conversations, resolve conflicts, and work together, whether in our personal lives, in our communities, or on the national and global stage.

Here are some books I’ve read and been reading that offer great insights:

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Conflict Resolution and Understanding Division

• Possible—William Ury (2023)
  A world-renowned negotiator, Ury shares powerful lessons on finding common ground, even in challenging situations. He reminds us that solutions are possible if we listen and look for shared interests.

• Why We Fight—Christopher Blattman (2022)
  A fascinating look at why conflicts escalate and, more importantly, how they can be prevented. Whether it’s war, politics, or a personal dispute, this book sheds light on what pushes people toward violence—and what can stop it.

• How Civil Wars Start—Barbara F. Walter (2022)
  Sounds dramatic, but this book explains the warning signs of serious division and how we can prevent things from getting worse. It’s an eye-opener about what keeps communities and democracies strong.

• I Never Thought of It That Way—Mónica Guzmán (2022)
  A fantastic guide to having real conversations with people we disagree with. Instead of arguing, Guzmán shows how curiosity and better questions can lead to more understanding.

• Indivisible—Denise Hamilton (2022)
  I’m still exploring this hopeful and practical book on how we can come together, even when we see the world differently.

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Clear Thinking and Openness to Change

• Think Again—Adam Grant (2021)
  We all like to think we’re right, but Grant challenges us to rethink our opinions and stay open to new ideas. Great for anyone who wants to be a better thinker, debater, or problem-solver.

• The Scout Mindset—Julia Galef (2021)
  Encourages us to adopt the mindset of a scout: to see the world as it is, not as we wish it were. Emphasizes intellectual humility and clarity over defensiveness.

• A Thousand Small Sanities—Adam Gopnik (2019)
  A defense of liberal values in divided times. Gopnik argues for practical optimism, compromise, and conversation as tools to resist authoritarian impulses.

• Falling Upward—Richard Rohr (2011)
  Rooted in a Christian spiritual tradition, this book offers insights on how adversity, aging, and second chances can help us grow beyond ego and toward deeper compassion.

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Grassroots Power and Local Change

• The Revolution Where You Live—Sarah van Gelder (2017)
  A reminder that significant change doesn’t just happen in Washington, D.C., or corporate boardrooms. It starts in small towns and local communities, where people roll up their sleeves and make things happen.

• Democracy Awakening—Heather Cox Richardson (2023)
  A historian’s take on how the struggles we’re facing today fit into a bigger picture—and how we can learn from the past to make better choices now.

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Tools for Activism and Social Change

• Micro Activism—Omkari L. Williams (2023)
  You don’t have to lead a protest to make change. This book is for the quiet doers—showing how small, steady actions rooted in your values can build a better world, one conversation or connection at a time.

• Rules for Radicals—Saul Alinsky (1971)
  A classic guide to grassroots activism. Offers lessons in strategy, humor, and community organizing that still resonate today.

• You're More Powerful than You Think—Eric Liu (2017)
  A compelling guide to civic power, showing how ordinary people can influence politics and institutions by understanding and using the levers of change.

• This Is an Uprising—Mark Engler & Paul Engler (2016)
  Explores the theory and practice of nonviolent resistance movements and how momentum-driven organizing can reshape political landscapes.

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Democracy, Freedom, and Civic Courage

• On Freedom—Timothy Snyder (2024)
  What does it really mean to be free? Snyder shows how freedom isn’t just a slogan—it’s a responsibility. And it depends on truth, courage, and action.

• On Tyranny—Timothy Snyder (2017)
  Twenty lessons from the 20th century on how democracies can fall—and what ordinary citizens can do to stop authoritarianism.

• The Death of Truth—Steven Brill (2018)
  A journalist’s sharp critique of how misinformation, broken media systems, and partisan attacks on truth undermine democracy—and how that decay impacts the justice system and civic life.

• The View from Here—Lewis Raven Wallace (2019)
  A queer, Southern, radical take on journalism, identity, and speaking truth to power. A deeply personal and political look at who gets to tell the story.

• The Paradox of Democracy—Zac Gershberg & Sean Illing (2022)
  Examines how free expression and communication technologies can both strengthen and undermine democracy—and what we can do about it.

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Imagination, Identity, and Possibility

• Imagination: A Manifesto—Ruha Benjamin (2024)
  I’m still digging into Benjamin’s book. She makes the case that imagination is a tool for justice, inviting us to reimagine what communities, systems, and futures could be when we break free from what’s always been.

• The Flag, The Cross, and the Station Wagon—Bill McKibben (2022)
  A reflection on growing up in a liberal suburb in the 1960s–70s—and what changed. Explores how identity, faith, and privilege have shaped America’s moral direction.

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Storytelling, Leadership, and Moral Vision

• The Soul of America—Jon Meacham (2018)
  Draws on history to show how moral leadership has guided the country through past crises—and how it can again.

• Bobby Kennedy—Chris Matthews (2017)
  A biography of RFK that captures his evolution into a bold voice for social justice, bridging divides of race, class, and party.

• Between the World and Me—Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015)
  A powerful letter from a father to his son, exploring the meaning of being Black in America, systemic racism, and the struggle for hope and dignity.

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Also See at Plainly, Garbl

• Conflict Resolution & Community Healing
  Tools and support for navigating inner tension, interpersonal friction, and group conflict

• Resources for Activist Resilience and Emotional Support
  Stay grounded, connected, and well while working for change

• Library of Advocacy Resources
  A curated collection of guides, groups, and tools to help you speak out, stand strong, and stay informed.

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