On Being Nice

Many books that seek to change us aspire to make us richer or thinner. This new book wants to help us to be nicer: less irritable, more patient, readier to listen, warmer, less prickly. Niceness may not have the immediate allure of money or fame, but it is a hugely important quality nevertheless, and one that we neglect at our peril. Opening with an exploration of why we don’t really want to be nice, the book goes on to demonstrate the power of being nice, and how we can all benefit from being a little nicer.

We learn how to be charitable, how to forgive, how to be natural and how to reassure. We learn that niceness is compatible with strength and is no indicator of naivety. Being nice deserves to be rediscovered as one of the highest of all human achievements.

Chapters include:

• Why We Don’t Really Want to be Nice
• Charity
• Politeness
• Losers and Tragic Heroes
• What is the Purpose of Friendship?
• Why Flirting Matters