Six Conversations We're Scared to Have: 'The book we need right now' (David Tennant) - How to change minds, including your own - Softcover

Frances-White, Deborah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0349015821 ISBN 13: 9780349015828

Publisher: Virago, 2025

Synopsis

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' NATASHA RADMEHR, THE TIMES
'Finally! A book to succinctly express the complexity of our age' TOM ALLEN
'A truly excellent primer' THE BOOKSELLER, NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
'Compassionate, rigorous, electric!'' TRAVIS ALABANZA

***
Are you ready to talk?

Why have disagreements become so flammable?
Why are progressive people calling for censorship in comedy?
How has the so-called 'transgender debate' become so toxic and what can we do to help?
How is our empathy being manipulated by the internet?
How does AI operate like a psychopath?
How do we achieve progress in today's, y'know, screaming hellscape?

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.'


***

'A bold and timely manifesto for dialogue over division' JEMIMA KHAN
'Delving into everything from censorship to the so-called "trans debate", its message is one of empathy over anger' iNEWS
'A wonderful invitation to open your mind, open your heart and let some nuance and compassion in' MARY ANN SIEGHART
'A must read. In a world full of noise and confusion, this book illuminates a pathway to real debate' JULIA GILLARD
'Humane, rigorous and important' BRIDGET CHRISTIE
''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
'Stimulating, challenging, disarming, original, pithy, gritty and witty - a must read' KATHY LETTE

Praise for Deborah Frances-White and THE GUILTY FEMINIST:
'Quite possibly the defining feminist of our generation' ELIZABETH DAY
'Very funny, very clever, very thoughtful and very relevant' DOLLY ALDERTON
'Breathes life into conversations about feminism' PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE

About this title

About the Author

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.

From the Back Cover

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


Why have divisive conversations become so flammable?
Is there any value in cancelling historical figures?
How has the so-called 'transgender debate' become so toxic and what can we do to genuinely help?
Why are the most progressive people calling for censorship in comedy?
Is cancel culture real and, if so, can shaming and shunning really work?
How do we achieve progress in today's, y'know, screaming hellscape?

We are understandably scared to have some of these conversations. But Deborah Frances-White is even more scared of not having them.

Having grown up in a cult, she knows the value of freedom of speech, critical thinking and the ability to disagree while really fighting for change. In her new book, she encourages us to ask difficult questions, really listen and know when to negotiate and when to resist. Most importantly, she explores how to change minds, including our own. And she argues that we don't need to agree on everything in order to find a way out and a way forward on some of the biggest issues in today's world.


Are you ready to talk?

Edition details

• Publisher: Virago
• Publication date: 2025
• ISBN 10: 0349015821
• ISBN 13: 9780349015828
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 368