# Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler

2 Hacker News commenters recommended Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a good place to start on handling difficult conversations, with attention to the role emotions play in dialogue.

## Why people recommend it

- Good place to start (1 comments): ""Crucial Conversations" is a good place to start." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49344058))
- Emphasizes emotions in dialogue (1 comments): "All of these will emphasize the role emotions play in dialogue" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46268965))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cuckoo-s-egg.md): 40 recommend
- [Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/amusing-ourselves-to-death.md): 36 recommend
- [The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt](https://hackerapproved.com/p/anxious-generation.md): 24 recommend
- [Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bullshit-jobs.md): 20 recommend
- [Enshittification by Cory Doctorow](https://hackerapproved.com/p/enshittification.md): 19 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071771328?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780071771320) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler", https://hackerapproved.com/p/crucial-conversations/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).