Author: Keith Michael Hearit
Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Incorporated
ISBN: 0805837884
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
Crisis Management by Apology: Corporate Response to Allegations of Wrongdoing examines the role of apologia and apology in response to public attack. Author Keith Michael Hearit provides an introduction to these common components of public life, and considers a diverse list of subjects, from public figures and individuals to corporations and institutions. He explores the motivations and rationales behind apologies, and considers the ethics and legal liabilities of these actions. Hearit provides case studies throughout the volume, with many familiar examples from recent events in the United States, and includes an international apology-making case from Japan. The broad-perspective approach of this volume makes the content relevant and appealing to practitioners and scholars in public relations, business communications, and management. It is a valuable text for courses that take a discursive approach to public relations, and it also appeals to readers in business management, examining apology as a response strategy to corporate crises.
Crisis Management by Apology
Author: Keith Michael Hearit
Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Incorporated
ISBN: 0805837884
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
Crisis Management by Apology: Corporate Response to Allegations of Wrongdoing examines the role of apologia and apology in response to public attack. Author Keith Michael Hearit provides an introduction to these common components of public life, and considers a diverse list of subjects, from public figures and individuals to corporations and institutions. He explores the motivations and rationales behind apologies, and considers the ethics and legal liabilities of these actions. Hearit provides case studies throughout the volume, with many familiar examples from recent events in the United States, and includes an international apology-making case from Japan. The broad-perspective approach of this volume makes the content relevant and appealing to practitioners and scholars in public relations, business communications, and management. It is a valuable text for courses that take a discursive approach to public relations, and it also appeals to readers in business management, examining apology as a response strategy to corporate crises.
Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Incorporated
ISBN: 0805837884
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
Crisis Management by Apology: Corporate Response to Allegations of Wrongdoing examines the role of apologia and apology in response to public attack. Author Keith Michael Hearit provides an introduction to these common components of public life, and considers a diverse list of subjects, from public figures and individuals to corporations and institutions. He explores the motivations and rationales behind apologies, and considers the ethics and legal liabilities of these actions. Hearit provides case studies throughout the volume, with many familiar examples from recent events in the United States, and includes an international apology-making case from Japan. The broad-perspective approach of this volume makes the content relevant and appealing to practitioners and scholars in public relations, business communications, and management. It is a valuable text for courses that take a discursive approach to public relations, and it also appeals to readers in business management, examining apology as a response strategy to corporate crises.
Crisis Counsel
Author: Tony Jacques, Ph.D.
Publisher: Rothstein Publishing
ISBN: 1944480676
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 389
Book Description
Crisis Counsel: Navigating Legal and Communication Conflict, by Tony Jaques, Ph.D. is a new book by Rothstein Publishing. This book is designed to provide hands-on, practical guidance for senior executives, lawyers and public relations professionals to navigate crises and to balance conflicting advice from lawyers and communication professionals while promoting open communication and protecting legal liability. The book will help you to: * Balance reputation protection and legal obligation during a crisis. * Know why and how to apologize without increasing liability. * Weigh legal and communications advice when a crisis strikes. * Learn from original research which lets lawyers and communicators speak in their own words. * Draw practical everyday lessons from real-world examples of conflict between lawyers and communicators. * Navigate the legal and communication challenges of dealing with the media in a crisis. * Motivate lawyers and communicators to work better together. * Identify and avoid crucial areas of potential conflict from selected crisis case studies. * Understand the essential difference between corporate responsibility and legal liability. * Make decisions and do the right thing to protect your organization. The book includes a wide variety of global case studies and examples while analyzing how legal and communications advice was managed and the impact on reputation. Crisis Counsel also includes interviews with four of the leading global experts on crisis management and the conclusions of a focused, unique global survey of senior lawyers.
Publisher: Rothstein Publishing
ISBN: 1944480676
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 389
Book Description
Crisis Counsel: Navigating Legal and Communication Conflict, by Tony Jaques, Ph.D. is a new book by Rothstein Publishing. This book is designed to provide hands-on, practical guidance for senior executives, lawyers and public relations professionals to navigate crises and to balance conflicting advice from lawyers and communication professionals while promoting open communication and protecting legal liability. The book will help you to: * Balance reputation protection and legal obligation during a crisis. * Know why and how to apologize without increasing liability. * Weigh legal and communications advice when a crisis strikes. * Learn from original research which lets lawyers and communicators speak in their own words. * Draw practical everyday lessons from real-world examples of conflict between lawyers and communicators. * Navigate the legal and communication challenges of dealing with the media in a crisis. * Motivate lawyers and communicators to work better together. * Identify and avoid crucial areas of potential conflict from selected crisis case studies. * Understand the essential difference between corporate responsibility and legal liability. * Make decisions and do the right thing to protect your organization. The book includes a wide variety of global case studies and examples while analyzing how legal and communications advice was managed and the impact on reputation. Crisis Counsel also includes interviews with four of the leading global experts on crisis management and the conclusions of a focused, unique global survey of senior lawyers.
Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication
Author: Robert L. Heath
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000153088
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 665
Book Description
The Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication explores the scope and purpose of risk, and its counterpart, crisis, to facilitate the understanding of these issues from conceptual and strategic perspectives. Recognizing that risk is a central feature of our daily lives, found in relationships, organizations, governments, the environment, and a wide variety of interactions, contributors to this volume explore such questions as "What is likely to happen, to whom, and with what consequences?" "To what extent can science and vigilance prevent or mitigate negative outcomes?" and "What obligation do some segments of local, national, and global populations have to help other segments manage risks?", shedding light on the issues in the quest for definitive answers. The Handbook offers a broad approach to the study of risk and crisis as joint concerns. Chapters explore the reach of crisis and risk communication, define and examine key constructs, and parse the contexts of these vital areas. As a whole, the volume presents a comprehensive array of studies that highlight the standard principles and theories on both topics, serving as the largest effort to date focused on engaging risk communication discussions in a comprehensive manner. Now available in paperback, the Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication can be readily used in graduate coursework and individual research programs. With perspectives from psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, and communication, the Handbook provides vital insights for all disciplines studying risk, and is required reading for scholars and researchers investigating risk and crisis in various contexts.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000153088
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 665
Book Description
The Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication explores the scope and purpose of risk, and its counterpart, crisis, to facilitate the understanding of these issues from conceptual and strategic perspectives. Recognizing that risk is a central feature of our daily lives, found in relationships, organizations, governments, the environment, and a wide variety of interactions, contributors to this volume explore such questions as "What is likely to happen, to whom, and with what consequences?" "To what extent can science and vigilance prevent or mitigate negative outcomes?" and "What obligation do some segments of local, national, and global populations have to help other segments manage risks?", shedding light on the issues in the quest for definitive answers. The Handbook offers a broad approach to the study of risk and crisis as joint concerns. Chapters explore the reach of crisis and risk communication, define and examine key constructs, and parse the contexts of these vital areas. As a whole, the volume presents a comprehensive array of studies that highlight the standard principles and theories on both topics, serving as the largest effort to date focused on engaging risk communication discussions in a comprehensive manner. Now available in paperback, the Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication can be readily used in graduate coursework and individual research programs. With perspectives from psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, and communication, the Handbook provides vital insights for all disciplines studying risk, and is required reading for scholars and researchers investigating risk and crisis in various contexts.
Effective Apology
Author: John Kador
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1609944577
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
There’s nothing easy about apology. The news is filled with examples of leaders apologizing, needing to apologize, or failing miserably at the attempt. And certainly we all have occasion to apologize ourselves—maybe more often than we realize. But we don’t need more apologies, says John Kador—we need better ones. Too many people just go through the motions, missing out on the power of apology to restore strained relationships, create possibilities for growth, and generate better outcomes for all. Effective Apology challenges you to think about the fundamental value and importance of apology as it delivers detailed advice for making an apology that truly heals and renews. Kador explores the Five Rs of apology: Recognize the wrong and the person harmed; accept moral Responsibility for your actions; express Remorse; provide meaningful Restitution; and offer assurance that the offense will not be Repeated. Making apology work in the real world—when and how to apologize, in what medium, and how to make it stick—is made clear through over seventy examples of good and bad apologies drawn from the news, popular culture, and the experiences of Kador, his clients, and his friends. The willingness to apologize signals strength, character, and integrity. Effective leadership is impossible without effective apology. John Kador shows how to craft and deliver a confident apology that will defuse resentment, reduce litigation, create goodwill, and transform a relationship ruptured by mistrust and disappointment into something stronger and more durable than it ever was before.
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1609944577
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
There’s nothing easy about apology. The news is filled with examples of leaders apologizing, needing to apologize, or failing miserably at the attempt. And certainly we all have occasion to apologize ourselves—maybe more often than we realize. But we don’t need more apologies, says John Kador—we need better ones. Too many people just go through the motions, missing out on the power of apology to restore strained relationships, create possibilities for growth, and generate better outcomes for all. Effective Apology challenges you to think about the fundamental value and importance of apology as it delivers detailed advice for making an apology that truly heals and renews. Kador explores the Five Rs of apology: Recognize the wrong and the person harmed; accept moral Responsibility for your actions; express Remorse; provide meaningful Restitution; and offer assurance that the offense will not be Repeated. Making apology work in the real world—when and how to apologize, in what medium, and how to make it stick—is made clear through over seventy examples of good and bad apologies drawn from the news, popular culture, and the experiences of Kador, his clients, and his friends. The willingness to apologize signals strength, character, and integrity. Effective leadership is impossible without effective apology. John Kador shows how to craft and deliver a confident apology that will defuse resentment, reduce litigation, create goodwill, and transform a relationship ruptured by mistrust and disappointment into something stronger and more durable than it ever was before.
The Apology Impulse
Author: Cary Cooper
Publisher: Kogan Page Publishers
ISBN: 0749493216
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 361
Book Description
WINNER: American Book Fest Best Book Award 2020 - Communications/Public Relations WINNER: NYC Big Book Award 2020 - Marketing and Public Relations Saying sorry is in crisis. On one hand there are anxious PR aficionados and social media teams dishing out apologies with alarming frequency. On the other there are people and organizations who have done truly terrible things issuing much-delayed statements of mild regret. We have become addicted to apologies but immune from saying sorry. In January 2018 there were 35 public apologies from high-profile organizations and individuals. That's more than one per day. Between them, in 2017, the likes of Facebook, Mercedes Benz and United Airlines issued over 2,000 words of apologies for their transgressions. Alarmingly, the word 'sorry' didn't appear once. This perfectly timed book examines the psychology, motivations and even the economic rationale of giving an apology in the age of outrage culture and on-demand contrition. It reveals the tricks and techniques we all use to evade, reframe and divert from what we did and demonstrates how professionals do it best. Providing lessons for businesses and organizations, you'll find out how to give meaningful apologies and know when to say sorry, or not say it at all. The Apology Impulse is the perfect playbook for anyone - from social media executive through to online influencers and CEOs - who apologise way too much and say sorry far too infrequently.
Publisher: Kogan Page Publishers
ISBN: 0749493216
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 361
Book Description
WINNER: American Book Fest Best Book Award 2020 - Communications/Public Relations WINNER: NYC Big Book Award 2020 - Marketing and Public Relations Saying sorry is in crisis. On one hand there are anxious PR aficionados and social media teams dishing out apologies with alarming frequency. On the other there are people and organizations who have done truly terrible things issuing much-delayed statements of mild regret. We have become addicted to apologies but immune from saying sorry. In January 2018 there were 35 public apologies from high-profile organizations and individuals. That's more than one per day. Between them, in 2017, the likes of Facebook, Mercedes Benz and United Airlines issued over 2,000 words of apologies for their transgressions. Alarmingly, the word 'sorry' didn't appear once. This perfectly timed book examines the psychology, motivations and even the economic rationale of giving an apology in the age of outrage culture and on-demand contrition. It reveals the tricks and techniques we all use to evade, reframe and divert from what we did and demonstrates how professionals do it best. Providing lessons for businesses and organizations, you'll find out how to give meaningful apologies and know when to say sorry, or not say it at all. The Apology Impulse is the perfect playbook for anyone - from social media executive through to online influencers and CEOs - who apologise way too much and say sorry far too infrequently.
The Handbook of Crisis Communication
Author: W. Timothy Coombs
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444361902
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 770
Book Description
Written as a tool for both researchers and communication managers, the Handbook of Crisis Communication is a comprehensive examination of the latest research, methods, and critical issues in crisis communication. Includes in-depth analyses of well-known case studies in crisis communication, from terrorist attacks to Hurricane Katrina Explores the key emerging areas of new technology and global crisis communication Provides a starting point for developing crisis communication as a distinctive field research rather than as a sub-discipline of public relations or corporate communication
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444361902
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 770
Book Description
Written as a tool for both researchers and communication managers, the Handbook of Crisis Communication is a comprehensive examination of the latest research, methods, and critical issues in crisis communication. Includes in-depth analyses of well-known case studies in crisis communication, from terrorist attacks to Hurricane Katrina Explores the key emerging areas of new technology and global crisis communication Provides a starting point for developing crisis communication as a distinctive field research rather than as a sub-discipline of public relations or corporate communication
Executing Crisis
Author: Jo Robertson
Publisher: Rothstein Publishing
ISBN: 1944480641
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
Business leaders would be better served by understanding key crisis concepts and applying them to their own situation rather than relying on crisis advisors to swoop in to take care of a problem once it has become a crisis. Loaded with Case Studies! How leaders deal with crisis can clarify character and strengthen reputation. On the other hand, the wrong words and actions from the C-Suite can worsen the crisis spiral. Crisis management does not begin on the day the fire erupts, the hurricane barrels through, or the accident happens. Dr. Jo Robertson, a leading expert in heading off and containing crisis, lays out the key concepts that business leaders need to apply to their own organizations so they don’t have to rely on outside crisis advisors to swoop in and save the day.
Publisher: Rothstein Publishing
ISBN: 1944480641
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
Business leaders would be better served by understanding key crisis concepts and applying them to their own situation rather than relying on crisis advisors to swoop in to take care of a problem once it has become a crisis. Loaded with Case Studies! How leaders deal with crisis can clarify character and strengthen reputation. On the other hand, the wrong words and actions from the C-Suite can worsen the crisis spiral. Crisis management does not begin on the day the fire erupts, the hurricane barrels through, or the accident happens. Dr. Jo Robertson, a leading expert in heading off and containing crisis, lays out the key concepts that business leaders need to apply to their own organizations so they don’t have to rely on outside crisis advisors to swoop in and save the day.
Lukaszewski on Crisis Communication
Author: James Lukaszewski
Publisher: Rothstein Publishing
ISBN: 1931332649
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 422
Book Description
Masterwork on Crisis Communication and Reputation Risk Selected as One of "30 Best Business Books of 2013" Jim Lukaszewski -- nationally recognized PR expert, executive coach, often called America's Crisis Guru, and noted by Corporate Legal Times as one of "28 experts to call when all hell breaks loose" -- advises exactly what to do, what to say, when to say it, and when to do it, while the whole world is watching.The book is endorsed by the Business Continuity Institute. In this industry-defining book on crisis management and leadership recovery, Lukaszewski jump-starts the discussion by clearly differentiating a crisis from other business interruptions and introduces a concept rarely dealt with in crisis communication and operational response planning: managing the victim dimension of crisis. Delivered in his straight-talking style and backed with compelling case studies, Lukaszewski On Crisis Communication is your guide to preparing for a crisis and the explosive visibility that comes with it. Using case studies, examples and templates, he explains how to build a crisis management plan and how to put it into action in the real world of media scrutiny, social media, activists, and litigation. Lukaszewski distills four decades of experience into 10 chapters of field-tested how-to's, practical tools, tips, charts, checklists, forms, and templates and teaches you:How crises create victims;To avoid the toxicity of silence;To overcome the abusive, intrusive and coercive behavior of bloviators, bellyachers, back-bench bitchers, the media, activists and critics;To drive attorneys to settle instead of litigate;Apology is the atomic energy of empathy;Simple, sensible, sincere, constructive, positive techniques to reduce contention and to succeed!Chapter learning objectives; discussion questions; case studies; real-life examples; and glossary facilitate college and professional development classroom use.
Publisher: Rothstein Publishing
ISBN: 1931332649
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 422
Book Description
Masterwork on Crisis Communication and Reputation Risk Selected as One of "30 Best Business Books of 2013" Jim Lukaszewski -- nationally recognized PR expert, executive coach, often called America's Crisis Guru, and noted by Corporate Legal Times as one of "28 experts to call when all hell breaks loose" -- advises exactly what to do, what to say, when to say it, and when to do it, while the whole world is watching.The book is endorsed by the Business Continuity Institute. In this industry-defining book on crisis management and leadership recovery, Lukaszewski jump-starts the discussion by clearly differentiating a crisis from other business interruptions and introduces a concept rarely dealt with in crisis communication and operational response planning: managing the victim dimension of crisis. Delivered in his straight-talking style and backed with compelling case studies, Lukaszewski On Crisis Communication is your guide to preparing for a crisis and the explosive visibility that comes with it. Using case studies, examples and templates, he explains how to build a crisis management plan and how to put it into action in the real world of media scrutiny, social media, activists, and litigation. Lukaszewski distills four decades of experience into 10 chapters of field-tested how-to's, practical tools, tips, charts, checklists, forms, and templates and teaches you:How crises create victims;To avoid the toxicity of silence;To overcome the abusive, intrusive and coercive behavior of bloviators, bellyachers, back-bench bitchers, the media, activists and critics;To drive attorneys to settle instead of litigate;Apology is the atomic energy of empathy;Simple, sensible, sincere, constructive, positive techniques to reduce contention and to succeed!Chapter learning objectives; discussion questions; case studies; real-life examples; and glossary facilitate college and professional development classroom use.
Damage Control (Revised & Updated)
Author: Eric Dezenhall
Publisher: Easton Studio Press, LLC
ISBN: 1935212257
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
No one knows this better than Eric Dezenhall and John Weber, who help companies, politicians, and celebrities get out of various kinds of trouble. In this brutally honest and eye-opening guide, they take you behind the scenes of some of the biggest public relations successes—and debacles—of modern business, politics, and entertainment. You’ll discover: • Why the 1982 Tylenol cyanide-poisoning case is always cited as the best model for damage control, when in fact it has no relevance to the typical corporate crisis. • Why Audi never fully recovered from driver accusations of “sudden acceleration”—despite evidence that nothing was wrong with their cars. • What the crises faced by George W. Bush, Jim McGreevey, Sammy Sosa, Lance Armstrong, Martha Stewart, Coca-Cola, and the Catholic Church have in common . . . and what they don’t. This new revised edition includes an additional chapter "Our Permanent Leakocracy" including information about WikiLeaks and what that notorious case means for business.
Publisher: Easton Studio Press, LLC
ISBN: 1935212257
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
No one knows this better than Eric Dezenhall and John Weber, who help companies, politicians, and celebrities get out of various kinds of trouble. In this brutally honest and eye-opening guide, they take you behind the scenes of some of the biggest public relations successes—and debacles—of modern business, politics, and entertainment. You’ll discover: • Why the 1982 Tylenol cyanide-poisoning case is always cited as the best model for damage control, when in fact it has no relevance to the typical corporate crisis. • Why Audi never fully recovered from driver accusations of “sudden acceleration”—despite evidence that nothing was wrong with their cars. • What the crises faced by George W. Bush, Jim McGreevey, Sammy Sosa, Lance Armstrong, Martha Stewart, Coca-Cola, and the Catholic Church have in common . . . and what they don’t. This new revised edition includes an additional chapter "Our Permanent Leakocracy" including information about WikiLeaks and what that notorious case means for business.
The Forgiveness Tour
Author: Susan Shapiro
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1510766154
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
How Apologies Can Help You Move Forward With Your Life “To err is human; to forgive divine.” But what if the person who hurt you most refuses to apologize or express any regret? That’s the question haunting Manhattan journalist Susan Shapiro when her trusted advisor of fifteen years repeatedly lies to her. Stunned by the betrayal, she can barely eat or sleep. She’s always seen herself as big-hearted and benevolent, someone who will forgive anyone anything —as long as they’re remorseful. Yet the addiction specialist who helped her quit smoking, drinking, and drugs after decades of self-destruction won’t explain—or stop—his ongoing deceit, leaving her blindsided. Her crisis management strategy is becoming her crisis. To protect her sanity and sobriety, Shapiro ends their relationship and vows they’ll never speak again. Yet ghosting him doesn’t end her distress. She has screaming arguments with him in her mind, relives their fallout in panicked nightmares and even lights a candle, chanting a secret Yiddish curse to exact revenge. In her entrancing, heartfelt new memoir The Forgiveness Tour: How to Find the Perfect Apology, Shapiro wrestles with how to exonerate someone who can’t cough up a measly “my bad” or mumble “mea culpa.” Seeking wisdom, she explores the billion-dollar forgiveness industry touting the personal benefits of absolution, where the only choice on every channel is: radical forgiveness. She fears it’s all bullshit. Desperate for enlightenment, she surveys her old rabbis, as well as religious leaders from every denomination. Unable to reconcile all the confusing abstractions, she embarks on a cross country journey where she interviews people who suffered unforgivable wrongs that were never atoned: victims of genocides, sexual assault, infidelity, cruelty and racism. A Holocaust survivor in D.C. admits he’s thrived from spite. A Michigan man meets with the drunk driver who killed his wife and children. A daughter in Seattle grapples with her mother—who stayed married to the father who raped her. Knowing their estrangement isn’t her fault, a Florida mom spends eight years apologizing to her son anyway—with surprising results. Does love mean forever having to say you’re sorry? Critics praised Shapiro’s previous memoir Lighting Up: How I Stopped Smoking, Drinking and Everything Else I Loved in Life Except Sex as fiercely honest, fascinating, funny and “a mind-bendingly good read.” Now the bestselling author and popular writing professor returns with a darker, wiser follow-up, addressing the universal enigma of blind forgiving. Shapiro’s brilliant new gurus sooth her broken psyche and answer her burning mystery: How can you forgive someone without an apology? Does she? Should you?
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1510766154
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
How Apologies Can Help You Move Forward With Your Life “To err is human; to forgive divine.” But what if the person who hurt you most refuses to apologize or express any regret? That’s the question haunting Manhattan journalist Susan Shapiro when her trusted advisor of fifteen years repeatedly lies to her. Stunned by the betrayal, she can barely eat or sleep. She’s always seen herself as big-hearted and benevolent, someone who will forgive anyone anything —as long as they’re remorseful. Yet the addiction specialist who helped her quit smoking, drinking, and drugs after decades of self-destruction won’t explain—or stop—his ongoing deceit, leaving her blindsided. Her crisis management strategy is becoming her crisis. To protect her sanity and sobriety, Shapiro ends their relationship and vows they’ll never speak again. Yet ghosting him doesn’t end her distress. She has screaming arguments with him in her mind, relives their fallout in panicked nightmares and even lights a candle, chanting a secret Yiddish curse to exact revenge. In her entrancing, heartfelt new memoir The Forgiveness Tour: How to Find the Perfect Apology, Shapiro wrestles with how to exonerate someone who can’t cough up a measly “my bad” or mumble “mea culpa.” Seeking wisdom, she explores the billion-dollar forgiveness industry touting the personal benefits of absolution, where the only choice on every channel is: radical forgiveness. She fears it’s all bullshit. Desperate for enlightenment, she surveys her old rabbis, as well as religious leaders from every denomination. Unable to reconcile all the confusing abstractions, she embarks on a cross country journey where she interviews people who suffered unforgivable wrongs that were never atoned: victims of genocides, sexual assault, infidelity, cruelty and racism. A Holocaust survivor in D.C. admits he’s thrived from spite. A Michigan man meets with the drunk driver who killed his wife and children. A daughter in Seattle grapples with her mother—who stayed married to the father who raped her. Knowing their estrangement isn’t her fault, a Florida mom spends eight years apologizing to her son anyway—with surprising results. Does love mean forever having to say you’re sorry? Critics praised Shapiro’s previous memoir Lighting Up: How I Stopped Smoking, Drinking and Everything Else I Loved in Life Except Sex as fiercely honest, fascinating, funny and “a mind-bendingly good read.” Now the bestselling author and popular writing professor returns with a darker, wiser follow-up, addressing the universal enigma of blind forgiving. Shapiro’s brilliant new gurus sooth her broken psyche and answer her burning mystery: How can you forgive someone without an apology? Does she? Should you?