"The Soul of Civility" by Alexandra Hudson
Alexandra Hudson, daughter of the "Manners Lady," was raised to respect others. But as she grew up, Hudson discovered a difference between politeness—a superficial appearance of good manners—and true civility. In this timely book, Hudson sheds light on how civility can help bridge our political divide.
From classical philosophers like Epictetus, to great twentieth-century thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr., to her own experience working in the federal government during one of the most politically fraught eras in our nation's history, Hudson examines how civility—a respect for the personhood and dignity of others—transcends political disagreements. Respecting someone means valuing them enough to tell them when you think they are wrong.
It’s easy to look at the divided state of the world and blame our leaders, the media, or our education system. Instead, we should focus on what we can control: ourselves. The Soul of Civility empowers readers to live tolerantly with others despite deep differences, and to rigorously protest wrongs and debate issues rather than silencing disagreements. A robust public discourse is essential to a truly civil society, and respecting others means telling hard truths. If enough of us decide to change ourselves, we might be able to change the world we live in, too.
Provocative, personal, and acutely relevant, The Soul of Civility is an essential book for our era.
Author
ALEXANDRA HUDSON is a writer, popular speaker, and the founder of Civic Renaissance, a publication and intellectual community dedicated to beauty, goodness and truth. She was named the 2020 Novak Journalism Fellow, and contributes to Fox News, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, TIME Magazine, POLITICO Magazine, and Newsweek. She earned a master's degree in public policy at the London School of Economics as a Rotary Scholar, and is an adjunct professor at the Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy. She is also the creator of a series for The Teaching Company called Storytelling and The Human Condition, now available for streaming. She lives in Indianapolis, IN with her husband and children.
Praise
"Journalist Hudson debuts with an illuminating ode to civility … Hudson mines a wide range of sources, from Socrates to the epic of Gilgamesh to explore civility’s nuances and then calls for its revival in modern society … an enlightening reexamination of an often-overlooked virtue.” —Publishers Weekly
“Alexandra Hudson has written a remarkable book. The Soul of Civility unpacks the critical concept of civility, distinguishing it from mere politeness and explaining how it is as the core of our social life. It provides insight into writers and civilizations across time and space, and the ways that they are linked through this single idea. A worthwhile read.”—Francis Fukuyama, Stanford University
"Civility has become one of the most underrated ideas in contemporary America. Alexandra Hudson, in her elegant and articulate The Soul of Civility, is here to push it over the top once again."—Tyler Cowen, public intellectual, bestselling author, and founder of Marginal Revolution
