1 way to resolve differences in a democracy

Talking to Strangers: Anxieties of Citizenship Since Brown v. Board of Education

More Top Picks Best Red Light Therapy Lamps For Home Use

By Danielle S. Allen

University of Chicago Press, 231 pages, $25

This muscular, well-argued book by University of Chicago professor and MacArthur Foundation genius grant winner Danielle Allen is perfect to read on the eve of an election. Democracy, Allen writes, “depends on trustful talk among strangers and, properly conducted, should dissolve any divisions that block it.” A smart, but simple, message: Talk.