Book
Can I Ask A Question?
Following your curiosity to shift the paradigm of communication, conflict, and change
“If you were hoping this book might fit into a labeled box or fit a certain narrative you should walk — no, run — in the other direction! You will find you can’t easily label boxes or narratives here, instead you will find yourself immersed into the lives of people who have gone through life-altering changes in perspectives.”
Do you feel a sense of peacelessness?
Are you happy with the way conflict and disagreements tend to play out these days?
Do you feel like you’re in an inescapable vortex of misunderstandings, cancel culture, and polarization?
These struggles are very real, but there is a path to overcome them.
It just runs counter to everything you’ve been taught about conflict.
I began my journey in 2020 as I set out to answer a question that tugged at my heart: Are we as divided as we appear to be?
As a former journalist, I did what I knew how to do best: I asked a lot of questions.
The result was this book: “Can I Ask A Question? Following your curiosity to shift the paradigm of communication, conflict, and change.”
Within the pages, I offer the stories of real people I interviewed who have navigated hostility to co-create new solutions to big problems.
I present my ASK and SEE approach to conflict communication crafted out of years of my own experience and interviews with people from all different walks of life as I sought to answer another question: Can people change?
My goal is to equip you to become a better thinker, communicator, and conversationalist, with the hope that we might be able to shift our disagreements into peace.
Featuring inspiring stories and perspectives from:
Daryl Davis
Musician and race reconciliator
Nisha Anand
Activist and CEO of Dream.org
Justine Lee
Founder of Living Room Conversations and Make America Dinner Again
Jeff Schoep
Former leader of the National Socialist Movement and deradicalizer
Nealin Parker
Executive Director of Common Ground USA
James Parker
Documentary Filmmaker
Mónica Guzmán
Author of “I Never Though of It That Way”
Corey “Doc” Yeager
Researcher, author, and therapist
Andy Norman
Philosopher
and many more!
What people are saying about “Can I A Question?”
“Michael has talked to some of the most interesting people in the world - their stories are fascinating. This book is a great insight into how to live a curious life!”
“This book had me doing some introspection and helped to open my perspective on how I viewed the world.”
“Michael’s book is a masterpiece that combines storytelling with profound insights. It’s a must-read for anyone on a journey of self-discovery and growth.”
“This book helped me examine my assumptions and formulate questions as I work with people. This is an insightful book!”
About the author, Michael Ashford
Hi, my name is Michael.
I’m a former award-winning journalist, and I believe everyone has a story to tell. When I started my journey to uncover how we find common ground, I went forward led by curiosity rather than certainty, and I definitely didn’t consider myself an expert.
What I’ve found along the way led to this book, as well as the two TEDx Talks I’ve delivered (watch Talk 1 and Talk 2).
I don’t believe we were taught to communicate well through our formal education, and this book is my attempt to bridge that gap.
