Six Conversations We're Scared to Have

Tackles thorny, volatile issues with wit and insight * Independent, Books of the Month *Delving into everything from censorship to the so-called “trans debate”, its message is one of empathy over anger * iNews *A thought-provoking and witty exploration of the difficult, often uncomfortable conversations that many of us avoid but desperately need to have * Marie Claire *Deborah Frances-White shows us that progress lies in the imperfect spaces, where our shared humanity gives empathy the freedom to stretch out * Natasha Radmehr, The Times *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 * The Bookseller, Non-Fiction Book of the Month *An essential guide for fostering nuanced and intricate conversations in today’s polarized society * Gillian Anderson *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 * David Tennant *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 * Emma Thompson *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! * Tom Allen *Incisive and hilarious. A bold and timely manifesto for dialogue over division in an increasingly polarised world * Jemima Khan *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 * Julia Gillard *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 * Dan Schreiber *Deborah has written the exact book the world needs to read right now. Compassionate, rigorous, electric! * Travis Alabanza *A mental macchiato on every page. Stimulating, challenging, disarming, original, pithy, gritty and witty - a must read. Administer immediately * Kathy Lette *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! * Mary Ann Sieghart *Humane, rigorous and important * Bridget Christie *Where we (ideally) as a cohesive society are hoping to go–well… we really can’t get there from here. But the marvellous insights and instructions found in Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have help get us to where we need to start. Six Conversations enables more of us to sit with the discomfort of an exchange we’d rather “block”, have empathy for someone who (in good faith) disagrees with us, hold fast to our overarching goals, and leave the discussion feeling transformed rather than triggered * Desiree Burch *

Deborah Frances-White is a comedian, screenwriter, author and host of the hit podcast The Guilty Feminist. Virago published Deborah’s book The Guilty Feminist in 2018, which hit the Sunday Times bestseller charts and confirmed Deborah’s reputation as one of the most thought-provoking and accessible writers today. She is an Amnesty International Ambassador.