SHSU Common Reader 2025: I Never Thought of It That Way

The New York Times
Book Review

"Guzmán writes of getting happily lost in interviews with people she has little in common with, seeing their different opinions as invitations to learn instead of direct threats to her beliefs. I would have liked more cathartic stories of connection, more direct examples of what that looks like; I didn't have as many INTOIT moments reading it as I'd hoped. I was drawn to the title because, as a frequent op-ed writer, that's the reaction I hope to elicit. Not ''You're right,'' so much as ''Interesting point.'' But while I am professionally bound to consider points of view that depart from my own, and love the emotional and mental workout this can provide, interpersonally I'm often intractable, demanding that close friends see things my way.

Guzmán's lesson seems to be that I should give up the need to be right and focus on the need to stay connected. The book's greatest offering, I think, is permission to reclaim people we might have dumped for ideological reasons; such connections won't sully us but may in fact enrich us. I can see this book helping estranged parties who are equally invested in bridging a gap -- it could be assigned reading for fractured families aspiring to a harmonious Thanksgiving dinner."

Sounds News
Book Review

"This book bills itself as a timely guide for creating and maintaining civil and curious conversations. A guide on how to make debates, ‘debates’ again, rather than fights to the death for one side or the other. It’s very personal. Guzmán writes in the first-person, and it feels like she’s talking to you rather than to a general group or audience. It’s light in tone, often being rather humorous, positive, and in some points upbeat.

I’ve found this book to be enlightening, and I have nothing but high praises for it. It helped me walk through why certain groups think the way they do. It challenged me to ask questions I’d never thought to ask, and I really liked how she discussed how social media isolates and “Silos” people into “echo chambers.” Her personal and casual writing style makes the concepts she introduces incredibly easy to understand and digest."

Manhattan Book Review
Book Review

"With sociopolitical divides among Americans continuing to intensify, Mónica Guzmán offers solutions to building bridges with those who disagree with our closely held beliefs and values. Not only does she have first-hand experience in this work as a journalist, she also has a very personal connection to it. Based in Seattle, Guzmán identifies as “very liberal,” while her Mexican immigrants voted for Trump. She shares personal anecdotes and research on cross-partisan differences, emphasizing curiosity, listening for shared values and sharing one’s stories with honesty and respect for differing perspectives.

This book appears to be written for liberal-leaning readers, especially those who are struggling to maintain mutually respectful connections with family, friends and colleagues with more conservative views. Not all relationships as dispensable, especially in an age where misinformation is leading loved ones to deny facts and science to dangerous ends. It’s even more crucial to engage those with different points of view to open up, rather than turning away.

Like all skills, these techniques take practice. But anyone who sincerely wants to bridge the gaps in understanding will appreciate this book. Guzmán is emphatic about making an effort to work on difficult conversations. When we understand where people are coming from, the path to understanding becomes clearer."