Six Conversations We're Scared to Have

How to change minds, including your own - 'The book we need right now' (David Tennant)

By: Deborah Frances-White

Narrated by: Deborah Frances-White

From the bestselling author of The Guilty Feminist, a book about how to change minds - including your own

'An essential guide for fostering nuanced and intricate conversations in today's polarized society' GILLIAN ANDERSON
'Tackles thorny, volatile issues with wit and insight' INDEPENDENT, BOOKS OF THE MONTH
'The book we need right now' DAVID TENNANT
'Thought-provoking and witty' MARIE CLAIRE
'If you have ever felt shut down, this book is a godsend' EMMA THOMPSON
'Shows us that progress lies in the imperfect spaces, where our shared humanity gives empathy the freedom to stretch out' THE TIMES
'Finally! A book to succinctly express the complexity of our age' TOM ALLEN

***


We are understandably scared to have difficult conversations right now. But comedian and bestselling writer Deborah Frances-White is even more scared of not having them.

Having grown up in a cult which shut down any dissent, Deborah sees the same tactics being used in our rapidly changing society. She knows the value of freedom of speech, critical thinking and the ability to argue well. And as the host of hit podcast The Guilty Feminist, she has been having difficult conversations in public for almost a decade.

In her new, urgent page-turner Deborah examines how the world has come to this and what we can actually do about it. Most importantly, she explores how to change minds, including our own. Deborah invites us to boldly meet this moment in history with hope, clarity and courage. She has written, as Desiree Burch says, 'a book to leave you transformed.'

Are you ready to talk?

Critic reviews

Tackles thorny, volatile issues with wit and insight

Delving into everything from censorship to the so-called "trans debate", its message is one of empathy over anger

A thought-provoking and witty exploration of the difficult, often uncomfortable conversations that many of us avoid but desperately need to have

Deborah Frances-White shows us that progress lies in the imperfect spaces, where our shared humanity gives empathy the freedom to stretch out

A truly excellent primer about how we might talk about the thorniest of current issues, encouraging us to ask difficult questions, and properly listen to the answers

Urgent and compassionate ... Timely and timeless

An essential guide for fostering nuanced and intricate conversations in today's polarized society

Deborah Frances-White writes with the clear sightedness that we need right now. She gives us hope that some of the most intractable dilemmas of today might just might be manageable if we can all connect with each other. In this book Deborah's insight and clarity gives us all something to aspire to

Nothing feels worse than not being able to talk, to ask questions, to engage, to disagree, to agree, to enjoy one another's often divergent views and to accept one another in the spirit of human oddness. If you have ever felt shut down, this book is a godsend. The greatest thing about it is it invites you to disagree just as much as it invites you to re-consider. Writing it was an act of profound philosophical compassion

Finally! A book to succinctly express the complexity of our age. Fiercely intellectual, thought provoking and inspiring. The world would be a better place if we all had a conversation with Deborah Frances-White. I love a chat but this is a conversation actually worth having!

Incisive and hilarious. A bold and timely manifesto for dialogue over division in an increasingly polarised world

A must read that will leave you agreeing in part, disagreeing in part and still thinking, which is exactly the point. In a world full of noise and confusion, but lacking in hope, this book illuminates a pathway to real debate, enriched by deep thinking and calm reasoning

I can't believe that the best conversation I've ever had about some of the most heated topics of today, was with this book

Deborah has written the exact book the world needs to read right now. Compassionate, rigorous, electric!

A mental macchiato on every page. Stimulating, challenging, disarming, original, pithy, gritty and witty - a must read. Administer immediately

This book is a wonderful invitation to open your mind, open your heart and let some nuance and compassion in. You won't agree with everything Deborah writes, but that's the whole point!

Humane, rigorous and important (Bridget Christie)

Fascinating, amazing and necessary!!

This book really is a clear illustration of the reason that we need to have conversations with people from all sides, really listen, ask questions to understand and then challenge in a gentle way to understand our differences and lean into the discomfort that might bring.

Deborah has an amazing voice, has done a huge amount of research and clearly wants everyone to have conversations to help narrow the divide and create a deeper understanding on all sides.