A review by unwall
High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley

hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

A walkthrough of the causes of high conflict, with clear, detailed descriptions and nuanced analysis of several examples. The stories of conflict seem carefully selected — a conflict between the lawyer who invented divorce mediation and his neighbors, for example, or a political dispute between a Rabbi and his congregation. Ripley seems to have thoroughly researched each conflict through interviews with all parties, both directly and indirectly involved or impacted. The “how we get out” part seems less clear — it’s more learn-by-example  than step-by-step guide to conflict resolution, but the few specific changes in mindset and action that Ripley promotes are proven to shift the outcomes of conflict dramatically.