How To Know a Person by David Brooks: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen

Allen Lane. Hardcover. NEW. The ability to see each other, to know other people, to make them feel valued, heard, and understood" is a crucial skill in fostering deeper connections with the people in our lives, whether it be at home, at work, or within our communities. This is the central message put forth by David Brooks, the acclaimed author of The Road to Character and The Second Mountain, in his latest book, How to Know a Person. Brooks emphasizes that in order to truly care for someone, we must first understand them. Whether it's in the context of hiring, marrying, or befriending someone, we need to be able to see them for who they truly are. Moreover, when working closely with others, we must make a conscious effort to recognize and value their presence. Indeed, the art of truly knowing another person lies in making them feel recognized and understood. Sadly, as Brooks points out, we as humans often fail to do this effectively. Many people around us feel invisible, unseen, and misunderstood. In How to Know a Person, Brooks seeks to guide us towards improving these aspects of our interactions with others. He poses essential questions that can help us deepen our understanding of those around us. What kind of attention should we focus on them? What conversations should we engage in to truly know them? Which parts of their story should we pay attention to? Drawing on his trademark curiosity, Brooks incorporates insights from psychology, neuroscience, theatre, history, and education in order to present an integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person offers hope and guidance to readers, enabling them to become more understanding and considerate towards others. By learning to truly see others, we can find joy in being seen ourselves. In this way, Brooks suggests, we can potentially heal a society that is currently plagued by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception. According to Brooks, the act of seeing another person is an inherently creative act. It involves looking someone in the eye and recognizing something substantial within them, which, in turn, allows us to see something larger within ourselves. How to Know a Person is a book for anyone who seeks genuine connection, understanding, and the desire to be understood. In rewriting the given information, we have stayed faithful to the original message while paraphrasing and restructuring the sentences to avoid direct copying. The ideas and emphasis of the original text remain intact, ensuring clarity and coherence in the rewritten version.