Book Review – The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves by Alexandra Hudson

The book “offers hope in our contentious times, a better way to confront differences. Now it’s up to us to take the advice seriously.” - Acton

Discussion

She raises questions many of us are probably asking right now: What does it mean to be a civilized nation? And if we’re not as civilized as we thought, is there a way to reform the barbarous nature that defines so many modern relationships?

After time in the political sphere of Washington, D.C., Hudson became disillusioned by the utilitarianism and underlying lack of civility that marked so much of her experience. Escaping to the Midwest, she became determined to craft the wisdom imparted by the greatest thinkers of history—from Aristotle and Socrates, to Confucius and Thomas Aquinas, to Gandhi and George Orwell—into practical steps to rebuild a strong civilization. The result is this book.

I really want to read this one.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

This sounds excellent. Adding it to my list. A good book that’s probably not all that related: The Decline of American Gentility.

Edit: The Soul of Civility is on audible FYI.

Unfortunately my “list of books I should read soon” seems to have morphed into my “list of books I don’t get around to reading.” I’m going to have to fix that. But there are a couple of months until Jan 1, so I might as well make it a resolution for 2024 at this point.

@josh p … care to write a review for us?

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

I can probabaly do that. Unfortunately I have the same list! I’ll move it to the “books from my wish list I’ll actually get around to reading soon.”

I’m looking forward to seeing your take on it.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.