Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

How to Stop Monopolizing Conversations (and Stop Others, Too)

Are you a conversation monopolizer? Or, do you fall victim to this and hardly get a word in edgewise? One-sided conversations aren’t really conversations; they’re monologues. Good conversationalists give each other space to talk. This requires both skill and thoughtfulness. Social interaction specialist Patrick King shows you how to cultivate these traits in his book Better Small Talk. Continue reading to learn how to stop monopolizing conversations and keep others from doing the same.

Insecure Attachment in Relationships: Tips to Get You on Track

What are the primary attachment styles? How can insecure attachment in relationships be managed? One essential element of maintaining a happy relationship is to understand both your needs and your partner’s. Specifically, relationship experts recommend understanding your attachment styles and using strategies to maintain secure attachment and negate the effects of insecure attachment. Continue reading to learn about attachment styles in romantic relationships and ways to move toward relationship health.

How Is a Cell Made? Reverse-Engineering the First Cell

How is a cell made? What does this knowledge tell us about life’s origins? To deduce how life began, biologists like Nick Lane have to reverse-engineer our primordial single-celled ancestors. Working backward through time, it’s possible to hypothesize the traits of the very first microbial life. Keep reading to understand what we know about how cells are made.

3 Eras of Right Hemisphere Dominance: A Fresh Look at History

What can we learn about the brain by studying history? What do the Classical period, the Renaissance, and the Romantic era have in common? Contrary to popular opinion, Iain McGilchrist contends that the left brain hemisphere should be subservient to the right. He contends that three historical eras embody the primacy of the right hemisphere: classical antiquity, the Renaissance, and Romanticism. Read on to get a new perspective on history by seeing it through the lens of right hemisphere dominance.

How to Know Your Partner’s Love Language (and Speak It)

What love language does your partner primarily speak? How can you tell when you’ve identified it correctly? If you want to build and maintain a healthy relationship, you must understand your own needs and your partner’s needs. One way to do this is to understand the various love languages, identify which ones you and your partner speak the most, and then communicate accordingly. Read more to learn Gary Chapman’s advice on how to know your partner’s love language and use it well.

How to Compliment People: Make Them Feel Validated & Seen

What kind of compliments do you appreciate most? How can you compliment others in a way that’s received especially well? Some compliments feel better than others. That’s because they come in different categories. Social interaction expert Patrick King draws vital distinctions among categories of compliments and shows why some go a lot further than others when it comes to making people feel validated, seen, and appreciated. Keep reading for King’s advice on how to compliment people in meaningful ways.

International Trade Geography: Why Trade Routes Matter

Why do Latin American countries struggle to grow and connect with each other? Why do superpowers want close relations with Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia? According to Tim Marshall in Prisoners of Geography, the answer to these questions lies in geography, specifically the geography related to trade routes. He explains how trade routes shape development and why nations compete to secure these routes. Read more to learn the basics of international trade geography with some examples to illustrate the ideas.

How Does Life Work? Nick Lane Answers the Vital Question

What is life? How does life work? Can organization and complexity arise from chaos? Biochemist Nick Lane answers these questions as a starting point in his exploration of life’s origins. He says that, to explain the origin of life, we have to understand how cells process energy and the physical conditions that gave rise to the peculiar mechanisms that all life uses to power itself. Read more for Lane’s explanation of how life works.

3 Eras of Left Hemisphere Dominance: A Unique View of History

Why was some religious art destroyed during the Reformation? What’s the evidence that Descartes was left brain dominant? What can we learn from the instances of mental illness in the modern era? Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist thinks the right brain hemisphere belongs in control. He points to several historical eras that he says illustrate power imbalances between the hemispheres. Continue reading to understand how, according to McGilchrist, left hemisphere dominance defined certain eras in history.

The Geography of Energy: How Nations Compete for Fuel

What was behind Imperial Japan’s ambitions? Why are some European nations reluctant to oppose Russia? Journalist Tim Marshall explains how geography shapes how nations interact with one another in his book Prisoners of Geography. He shows how, based on its geography, a nation might need to focus on securing energy resources. Read on to learn about the fascinating geography of energy.