Hey there bad assess!
We’ve just arrived in beautiful Buenos Aires for the final leg of our trip to South America. The plan here is to unwind a little and indulge in some Argentina steak and wine while seeing as much of this incredible place as we can!
Not much to update you on the book front - just to say that we are approaching the end of How to Know a Person by David Brooks and cannot wait to join you all for our end of month book club call next week to chat all about it!
In addition to our normal book club conversation on the current book of the month we will also be hosting a very special guest for the second half of the call. Amanda Goetz had offered to come along to chat with us about her upcoming first book: Toxic Grit.
We are really excited to have her as our guest and look forward to discussing the process a new author goes through as they write, publish and market their new book!
We hope to see you all there!
Register for this months book club call
At the end of each month, we host our book club call open to all members who have upgraded to our paid tier: Bad Ass Bookworm
Join today to unlock access to our bookclub calls, our Bad Ass Bookshelf Discord channel as well as the opportunity to vote for each month’s book club book!
﹅ Key highlights from How to Know a Person so far…
With the book nearly finished, Brooks widens the lens. It’s no longer just about how we relate to people one-to-one, but how we can bring those skills into families, teams, and communities. Here are three standout highlights from the final stretch:
Creating Cultures of Seeing
It’s one thing to illuminate another person in a conversation, but Brooks shows how powerful it can be when whole groups (e.g. workplaces, families, communities) adopt that posture. A culture that helps people feel known is one where trust and collaboration naturally thrive.
Generosity in Judgement
Brooks encourages us to see people not just for who they are in the moment, but for who they’re becoming. That shift from snap judgement to generous interpretation creates space for growth, compassion, and stronger bonds.
The Ripple Effect
When we practise illumination, curiosity, and listening consistently, it doesn’t stop with us. Others pick it up, and before long, small acts of connection ripple outward — shaping healthier, more humane communities.
Which of these takeaways from How to Know a Person will you try to put into practice most?
Join the bookclub call next week
We’ll be bringing all these ideas together in our upcoming book club call next week. It’s your chance to share what resonated most, hear how others connected with the book, and swap stories about putting these ideas into practice. We can’t wait to see you there!
● Reflection Exercise
This week, try an experiment inspired by How to Know a Person:
Choose one conversation (it could be with a colleague, friend, or family member).
Make it your mission to only ask questions. No advice, no “that reminds me of when…”.
Pay attention to how the other person responds. Do they open up more? Do you learn something unexpected?
It only takes a few minutes, but it’s a powerful way to practise illumination in everyday life.
► Join the conversation
What Bad Ass Bookshelf members are saying
We’re building an incredible community over on our Bad Ass Bookshelf Discord channel where over 110 of you have joined in the fun (it’s free BTW).
Here are some of the chats we’ve been having:
Some excellent book recommendations - for both fiction and non-fiction
How we’re getting on with reading this month’s book
Introductions from a diverse set of non-fiction book-fans like ourselves!
Upgrade to join the conversation
These comments come straight from our private Discord community, where our Bad Ass Bookworms chat all month long.
Want in? Upgrade today and join the conversation for just $7/month.
♦︎ Next book club call
We're so excited to host our next Bad Ass Bookshelf bookclub call to discuss How to Know a Person at the end of September! Call details below:
Date: Monday 29th September
Time: 17:00 GMT (12:00 EST / 09:00 PST)
Participation in our monthly bookclub calls is exclusive to our Bad Ass Bookworm members. Join today!
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