How to Know a Person by David BrooksHow to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
Burn Book by Kara SwisherThe Burn Book

High Conflict

High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley

When we are baffled by the insanity of the “other side”—in our politics, at work, or at home—it’s because we aren’t seeing how the conflict itself has taken over.That’s what “high conflict” does. It’s the invisible hand of our time. And it’s different from the useful friction of healthy conflict. That’s good conflict, and it’s a necessary force that pushes us to be better people.High conflict, by contrast, is what happens when discord distills into a good-versus-evil kind of feud, the kind with an us and a them. In this state, the normal rules of engagement no longer apply. The brain behaves differently. We feel increasingly certain of our own superiority and, at the same time, more and more mystified by the other side.New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist Amanda Ripley investigates how good people get captured by high conflict—and how they break free.

More Adult Books

  • These perspectival, character-driven stories center on the margins and are deeply rooted in New Orleanian culture.
  • In The Other Valley, sixteen-year-old Odile navigates the complexities of time and choice as she vies for a position on the Conseil, which controls the borders of her town. When she discovers that the parents of her friend Edme have crossed into her present from the future, she must confront her feelings for him while grappling with the immense responsibility of preserving the timeline.
  • The Queen of Sugar Hill tells the poignant story of Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award, as she navigates the complexities of fame and identity after her historic win. Facing both adoration and scorn, she struggles to find her place in a divided society while remaining committed to paving the way for future Black actors. ReShonda Tate masterfully captures Hattie's resilience and determination in this unforgettable tale of ambition and equality.
  • In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, Jack and Mabel build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone -- but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.