I Never Thought of It That Way

How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times

By: Mónica Guzmán

Narrated by: Mónica Guzmán

We think we have the answers, but we need to be asking a lot more questions.

Journalist Mónica Guzmán is the loving liberal daughter of Mexican immigrants who voted - twice - for Donald Trump. When the country could no longer see straight across the political divide, Mónica set out to find what was blinding us and discovered the most eye-opening tool we’re not using: our own built-in curiosity.

Partisanship is up, trust is down, and our social media feeds make us sure we’re right and everyone else is ignorant (or worse). But avoiding one another is hurting our relationships and our society.

In this timely, personal guide, Mónica, the chief storyteller for the national cross-partisan depolarization organization Braver Angels, takes you to the real front lines of a crisis that threatens to grind America to a halt - broken conversations among confounded people. She shows you how to overcome the fear and certainty that surround us to finally do what only seems impossible: understand and even learn from people in your life whose whole worldview is different from or even opposed to yours.

Drawing from cross-partisan conversations she’s had, organized, or witnessed everywhere from the echo chambers on social media to the wheat fields in Oregon to raw, unfiltered fights with her own family on election night, Mónica shows how you can put your natural sense of wonder to work for you immediately, finding the answers you need by talking with people - rather than about them - and asking the questions you want, curiously.

Here, you’ll learn:

• How to ask what you really want to know (even if you’re afraid to)
• How to grow smarter from even the most tense interactions, online or off
• How to cross boundaries and find common ground - with anyone

Whether you’re left, right, center, or not a fan of labels: If you’re ready to fight back against the confusion, heartbreak, and madness of our dangerously divided times - in your own life, at least - Mónica’s got the tools and fresh, surprising insights to prove that seeing where people are coming from isn’t just possible. It’s easier than you think.

©2022 Mónica Guzmán (P)2022 BenBella Books

Great read!

I really enjoyed the book. it definitely helped me think about things differently. Great discussion and thoughts. i loved the exampkes and can defintiely see myself rereading. Great stuff

Universal must-read

She is prescient, compassionate and deeply curious. I have a hard time imagining anyone who could read this and not imagine a better world for us all.

useful for a 72-year-old woman

serious subject with a light-hearted tone. easy to listen to. great illustrative stories. useful for multiple arenas of talking with others.

great tips

good book, well written and good tips! I enjoyed the book and definitely recommend.

The art of conversation is lost

I loved this book because I hate written rules. In today's world we want a law for everything, because we don't really speak about anything, instead digging in our heels.
Monica lays out a road map back to conversation without (trying to ) offend the "other". I hope I can remember the tips laid out here when I'm in the heat of the moment.
The art of conversation is lost.....no more.