100 Must Read Australian novels https://www.bookpeople.org.au/readingguides/100-must-read-australian-novels

Book People.org.au –  back with the ultimate guide to the best Australian reads. Every title in this year’s guide is guaranteed to be a book you can’t put down.

Latest Book Review

Who listens to you?

A New York Times contributor Kate Murphy, asked people on five continents this question, and the response was typically a long, awkward pause. People struggled to come up with someone, anyone, who truly listened to them without glazing over, glancing down at a phone, or jumping in to offer an opinion. Many admitted that they, themselves, weren’t very good listeners, and most couldn’t even describe what it meant to be a good listener.

I consider myself a ‘good listener’, but I still learnt ‘Really Listening‘ is something we do or don’t do every day. While we might take listening for granted, how well we listen, to whom, and under what circumstances determines who we are and the paths we take in life.

Murphy explains why we’re not listening, what it’s doing to us, and how we can reverse the trend. She makes accessible the psychology, neuroscience, and sociology of listening while also introducing us to some of the best listeners out there (including a CIA agent, focus-group moderator, bartender, radio producer, and top furniture salesman).

I read this book from our Buderim library back in 2020. Then I bought my own copy. Murphy has a  wonderful way of explaining complex subjects, particularly the science behind them, helping you to understand why people behave the way they do.

Everyone should read this book. We need MORE sincere listeners in the world.

Loraine Chapman 2024