7 Books That Bring Us Together

Forgot a gift? Don’t panic. These books from our Movement Partners are about unity, understanding, and coming together—which feels like a pretty solid way to do the holidays.

Beyond the Politics of Contempt by Doug Teschner and Beth Malow, 2025

In addition to working for our partner organization, Braver Angels, these authors boast an impressive resume of bridge-building. Teschner served as a GOP state legislator and led the Peace Corps in Ukraine. Malow is a neurologist, science communicator, and TEDx speaker with a focus on public health. Together, they offer nourishment for America’s hungry soul. While many are fearful about our nation’s future, Beyond features personal stories and useful ways to better our lives, our relationships, and our country.

The Certainty Trap by Ilana Redstone, 2024

Sociologist Ilana Redstone explores a feeling most of us know too well: the moment when disagreement turns into moral outrage and everyone else suddenly seems clueless. Redstone argues that our fiercest debates—from politics to culture—are rarely simple, even when certainty makes them feel that way. By unpacking how overconfidence distorts our thinking, she makes a case for clearer values, better questions, and more trust across divides.

Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness by Jamil Zaki, 2024

Stanford psychologist Dr. Jamil Zaki digs into why cynicism feels so justified right now—and why it’s quietly making us more anxious, isolated, and wrong about other people. Blending sharp science with real-world stories, he shows that humans are far kinder than we give them credit for, and that expecting the worst often makes things worse. Zaki’s antidote isn’t blind optimism, but what he calls hopeful skepticism: staying clear-eyed and humane at the same time. It’s a surprisingly practical guide to trusting again without being naïve.

Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World by Scott Shigeoka, 2023

A roadmap for anyone who’s tired of feeling disconnected from the world around them. Scott Shigeoka, an internationally recognized curiosity expert and bridge builder, argues that our real problem isn’t disagreement, it’s a lack of deep curiosity. Blending research with candid personal stories, he introduces the DIVE model—a practical way to drop assumptions, prepare your mindset, recognize everyone’s dignity, and stay open even when things get uncomfortable. This isn’t about winning arguments or fixing people. It’s about relearning how to be genuinely curious again—and using that skill to heal relationships, workplaces, and communities that feel stuck or broken.

Breaking the Social Media Prism: How to Make Our Platforms Less Polarizing by Chris Bail, 2021 

The book that gently (and scientifically) explains why scrolling Twitter doesn’t actually help you “understand the other side.” Sociologist Chris Bail shows that social media doesn’t just reflect who we are—it warps it, amplifying the loudest extremists while quietly sidelining the exhausted middle. Using real experiments, interviews, and some genuinely surprising findings, Bail explains why leaving your echo chamber can sometimes make polarization worse, not better. The good news: you don’t have to delete your accounts or move to a cabin. Bail offers practical, research-backed ways to engage online more sanely—and a glimpse of what social media could look like if we redesigned it to bring people together instead of tearing them apart.

The Call to Unite by Tim Shriver and Tom Rosshirt, 2021

Born out of the early days of the pandemic, this book collects prayers, poems, reflections, and hard-won wisdom from an unexpectedly wide range of voices—faith leaders, artists, activists, doctors, and people who’ve lived through real loss. Edited by Tim Shriver and Tom Rosshirt, it’s less about fixing everything and more about reminding us how to be human together. When the news feels overwhelming, this is the book you open to steady your breathing and remember you’re not alone.

Become America by Eric Liu, 2019

A pep talk for democracy—minus the shouting and with way more heart. In 19 short, sermon-style essays, Eric Liu asks a deceptively simple question: What if loving America meant actually showing up for it? He writes about citizenship, equal justice, and responsibility in plain English, with warmth and urgency, reminding us that democracy isn’t something we spectate—it’s something we practice. Liu, a longtime civic advocate and former White House speechwriter, offers hope without ignoring the mess, and makes getting involved feel possible, not preachy.

—Alex Buscemi (abuscemi@buildersmovement.org)