The Argument Culture: Stopping America's War Of Words

In her #1 bestseller You Just Don't Understand, Deborah Tannen showed why talking to someone of the opposite sex can be like talking to someone from another world. Now Tannen is back with another groundbreaking book, this time widening her lens to examine how we communicate in the major institutions of American society -- the mass media, local and national politics, the legal system, and higher education -- once again letting us see in a new way forces that powerfully shape our lives.

The war on drugs, the battle of the sexes, politicians' turf battles -- in the argument culture, war metaphors pervade our talk and affect our thinking. We approach anything we need to accomplish as a fight between two opposing sides. In this fascinating book, Tannen shows how deeply entrenched this cultural phenomenon is, the forms it takes, and how it affects us every day -- sometimes in useful ways, but often causing damage.

The Argument Culture is a remarkable book that will change forever the way you perceive -- and communicate with -- the world.