
ANATOMY OF PEACE. The first book to come to my attention is The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute. Told as a story, the principles challenge perceptions of enemy formation and dealing with conflicts within and without. I'm glad Chris Province, an urban activist and founder of Rebuilding the Wall, Inc., recommended it. I can't imagine anyone this book would not help as it is helping me to pay close attention to how I look at conflicts small and large--and how I can respond to them differently than I have in the past.

COMMUNICATING NONVIOLENTLY. I happened on to the third book at the public library's audio books section. I have been listening to Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall Rosenberg as I drive around town in my VW or commute on my bike. Listening to Rosenberg offer alternative ways to receive and bear information in situations charged with conflict is insightful. His work in conflict resolution around the world commends him. I am listening to this volume repeatedly, it is so important to me. His approach is reasonable and practical, it seems to me.

TO LIVE NONVIOLENTLY. Yet the language of violence and anger, I have found, pervades our conversations and common thinking as much as ever. It still profoundly impacts the most basic relationships and problem-solving challenges. It is not enough simply not to not use physical or verbal violence; something greater is pointed toward. I want to bring nonviolence to fully into practice in my relationship with my spouse, children, friends, neighbors, community--especially when differences of opinion, tension and conflicts arise. Understanding and addressing violence and embracing the best practices and creative possibilities of nonviolence, community-building and peacemaking are critical at this point in my life and, I believe, in the life of the world.
John Franklin Hay
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
www.indybikehiker.com
www.twitter.com/indybikehiker
indybikehiker@gmail.com
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