What We Are Reading Today

FROM AROUND THE WEB & IN PRINT Let’s Talk About Hard Things

In Let’s Talk About Hard Things, Anna Sale uses the best of what she’s learned from her awardwinning podcast to reveal that when we have the courage to talk about hard things, we learn about ourselves, others, and the world that we make together.

Diving into five of the most fraught conversation topics — death, sex, money, family, and identity — she moves between memoir, fascinating snapshots of a variety of Americans opening up about their lives, and expert opinions to show why having tough conversations is important and how to do them in a thoughtful and generous way. She argues that we all experience these hard things, and by not talking to one another, we cut ourselves off, leading us to feel isolated and disconnected.

She uncovers that listening may be the most important part of a conversation, and that the end goal should be understanding without the pressure of reconciliation.

The book is a profound meditation on why communication can connect us instead of divide us and how we can all do

it better.