The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society by Frans de Waal presents scientific evidence demonstrating that animals are preprogrammed to be empathetic and kind to each other. He also makes a plea for humans to expand their range of feelings to include others and outsiders.

The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life's Most Essential Skill by Karla McLaren is a thought-provoking overview of ways to cultivate empathy as a social and emotional skill that increases our capacities for getting in sync with others. She delves into six essential aspects of this art: emotional contagion, empathetic accuracy, emotional regulation, perspective taking, concern for others, and perceptive engagement.

Design for an Empathetic World: Reconnecting to People, Nature, and Self by Sim Van der Ryn revolves around an architect's spiritual quest to accentuate human use, empathy for nature, and the common good. This emphasis opens the door to intimacy with others.

Destructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them? — A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama by Daniel Goleman covers the proceedings at the Seventh Mind and Life Conference that took place in March 2000. The Dalai Lama and other Buddhist scholars met with Western scientists and philosophers to discuss mastering emotional skills, cultivating compassion, brain science, the role of consciousness, and reasons for optimism.

Empathy: A Handbook for Revolution by Roman Krznaric is a masterful and edifying book that presents the practice of empathy as a transformative virtue that can change individuals and the world. Stepping into the shoes of another person is much more than "a fuzzy, feel good emotion."

The Empathetic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World of Crisis by Jeremy Rifkin shows how entropy is the enemy of empathy. To respond to the climate crisis, he suggests an increase in altruism and development of a "biosphere consciousness."

The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison reveals the author's keen interest in entering into another person's pain and assessing the ways it can expand and soften the heart. Eleven essays display her exquisite writing style, wedded to an impressive spiritual sensitivity.

Listening With Empathy: Creating Genuine Connections with Customers and Colleagues by John Selby presents a four-step mood-management program that can be used in a variety of work settings and encounters with others. Selby includes insights on serving the customer and engaging more than just the body, beating his drum for empathetic communication emanating from the heart.

The Power of Empathy: A Practical Guide to Creating Intimacy, Self-Understanding, and Lasting Love by Arthur P. Ciaramicoli and Katherine Ketcham examines the attitudes and actions that contribute to empathy, which they see as a teachable skill, leading to tolerance. In these uncivil times, it can serve as a lubricant in the nasty, aggressive, and narcissistic push-and-shove of life.

Roots of Empathy: Changing the World Child by Child by Mary Gordon strongly advocates empathy as a spur to conflict resolution, altruism, and peace. The author shares from her experience with Roots of Empathy, an organization she founded in Canada to grow the seeds of empathy, civility, and citizenship in students.

Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About Me World by Michelle Borba shares nine essential habits that provide "an empathetic advantage." This resource also contains ideas on diminishing anxiety and switching your attention from "me to we."

Why Empathy Matters: The Science and Psychology of Better Judgment by J.D. Trout emphasizes the societal need for nurturing empathy in our hearts and minds. The author shows how many political issues can be dealt with by feeling another's feelings.