# Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton and Heen

2 Hacker News commenters recommended Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton and Heen and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for getting along with others outside work and for expanding their awareness of conversations.

## Why people recommend it

- Helps people get along (2 comments): "I recommend the book "difficult conversations" for getting along outside of work." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47871101)) "There are ways to communicate with others that will be constructive." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47928148))
- Builds understanding of conversations (3 comments): "Some books I've read that made it easier to understand all of this" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46268965)) "for instance: all difficult conversations are about feelings." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48757239)) "expanded my conversational awareness." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49368771))

## 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/0241992478?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780241992470) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton and Heen", https://hackerapproved.com/p/difficult-conversations/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).