About the book
Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki argues that empathy is a skill that can be strengthened with effort rather than a fixed trait people either have or lack. Studies show that people are less caring than thirty years ago, and Barack Obama warned in 2006 of an empathy deficit. Zaki draws on classic and recent research, including experiments from his own lab, to show how empathy can bridge toxic cultural divides. He profiles people practicing kindness in hard circumstances: Washington police officers working to curb violence in their ranks, a former neo-Nazi who helps others leave hate groups, NICU nurses managing their empathy to avoid burnout, and ex-prisoners discussing novels alongside the judge who had sentenced them.
Angela Duckworth endorsed it for combining the latest science with stories that stay with readers, Amanda Palmer praised its case that cultivating empathy is both possible and necessary, and Adam Grant put it on his list of 19 new leadership books to read in 2019.
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This book has 5 recommendations
Adam Grant (Author)
In a time when it seems empathy is a lost cause and compassion is a dying art, it may not be too late to revive the better angels of our nature. Jamil Zaki is one of the bright lights in psychology, and in this gripping book he shows that kindness is not a sign of weakness but a source of strength.
Angela Duckworth (Author)
In this masterpiece, Jamil Zaki weaves together the very latest science with stories that will stay in your heart forever. If you'd like the world to be a kinder place, starting with your own capacity for empathy, read The War for Kindness. You'll never be the same.
Carol S. Dweck (Author)
In this landmark book, Jamil Zaki gives us a revolutionary perspective on empathy: Empathy can be developed, and, when it is, people, relationships, organizations, and cultures are changed.
Daniel Gilbert (Author)
Beautifully written and deeply felt, The War for Kindness is an outstanding scientific analysis of our species’ best and last hope for survival—our unique ability to care about each other.
Amanda Palmer (Singer, Author)
Seamlessly stitching together his own experiences with fascinating stories and research from around the globe, Jamil lays out the irrefutable evidence for what we may already instinctively be sensing... that in these uncertain times, our ability to cultivate empathy for one another is not only possible, it’s necessary. A must read for anyone willing to peek under the hood of the human heart.
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