The Civility Book

A guide to maintaining respectful relationships across America's political, cultural, and racial divide.

Once pitted as adversarial counterparts as the opinion editors of Detroit's right- and left-leaning newspapers, veteran journalists Nolan Finley and Stephen Henderson join forces in this groundbreaking work to champion a novel approach to political discourse. Finley, a resolute conservative, and Henderson, a committed progressive, defy expectations by demonstrating that civil conversation is not only possible but also richly rewarding, even across colossal ideological divides. In 2020, they launched the Civility Project with journalist and author Lynne Golodner, beginning their journey to teach Americans how to engage in respectful dialogue and maintain relationships despite political differences. The Civility Book is an extension of that mission, offering practical tools and strategies for fostering civility in everyday interactions. At the core of this work, the authors position their four pillars of civility to explain what civility is, why it matters, and how individuals can use it to overcome the antagonistic rhetoric that threatens our society today, one conversation at a time. This conversational, no-nonsense guide provides valuable lessons, a detailed curriculum, probing questions for consideration, and an extensive appendix of resources outlining ongoing efforts to curb unproductive contention and advance a more harmonious society.