Getting to Peace: Transforming Conflict at Home, at Work, and in the World

Rating:
Summary: A lucidly written must-read on how to contain conflict
Review: A powerful treatise on ways that human beings can live together peacefully in the new millennium. The first part of the book invites the reader to re-imagine conflict as three-sided, with those on the Third Side in the role of peacemaker. The second part revisits mankind's past and offers powerful evidence to suggest that destructive conflict may not be part of human nature. The third part invites the reader to become a Third Sider, and offers practical suggestions on how to prevent, resolve, and contain conflict. Ury brings to his work the perspectives of a meticulous anthropologist, brilliant mediator, and compassionate humanitarian. In Getting to Peace the result is a lucidly written book that I highly recommend as a thought-provoking, practical, and stimulating read.

Rating:
Summary: Conflict is not the norm, peace is!
Review: In "Getting to Peace: Transforming Conflict at Home, At Work, and In the World" William Ury, a world famous negotiator, brings his years of experience to the average person. The book takes the view that conflict always has three sides, the two opposing sides and the third side which is that of a peacemaker. Contrary to what most people might think, William Ury takes the position that conflict is not a normal part of human nature, so destructive conflict is not inevitable. He proves his point well by pointing out that while conflict and strife make news, the basic human condition is peaceful conflict resolution punctuated by periods of strife and not strife punctuated by periods of peace. Peace is the norm.

The ability to resolve conflict gives us the ability to choose peace in all aspects of our life, at home, at work, at school or anywhere else. By discovering the ten roles of the peacemaker, everyone can learn to mediate destructive conflicts. A highly recommended read.

Rating:
Summary: Conflict is not the norm, peace is!
Review: In "Getting to Peace: Transforming Conflict at Home, At Work, and In the World" William Ury, a world famous negotiator, brings his years of experience to the average person. The book takes the view that conflict always has three sides, the two opposing sides and the third side which is that of a peacemaker. Contrary to what most people might think, William Ury takes the position that conflict is not a normal part of human nature, so destructive conflict is not inevitable. He proves his point well by pointing out that while conflict and strife make news, the basic human condition is peaceful conflict resolution punctuated by periods of strife and not strife punctuated by periods of peace. Peace is the norm.

The ability to resolve conflict gives us the ability to choose peace in all aspects of our life, at home, at work, at school or anywhere else. By discovering the ten roles of the peacemaker, everyone can learn to mediate destructive conflicts. A highly recommended read.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as I expect
Review: This book gives a good introduciton to the concept of mediation, but that's probably that's all it is.

This book spells out the benfits of mediation, and reasons for it. However it does not teach one how to be a successful mediator.

For somebody who is completely new to the concept of mediation, this may be a good book to start.

To those who have read this book and want to get to know more about the subject, I recommend them to read "Getting Past No", another book by Ury.