This Book Will Make You Kinder

“I have been a fan of Henry’s work for a long time and I’m excited for more people to see it.” —Jameela Jamil

From the creator of Drawings of Dogs, a warmly illustrated and thoughtful examination of empathy and the necessity of being kinder

The kindness we owe one another goes far beyond the everyday gestures of feeding someone else’s parking meter–although it’s important not to downplay those small acts. Kindness can also mean much more. In this timely, insightful guide, Henry James Garrett lays out the case for developing a strong, courageous, moral kindness, one that will help you fight cruelty and make the world a more empathetic place.

So, how could a book possibly make you kinder? It would need to answer two questions:

• Why are you kind at all? and, • Why aren’t you kinder?

In these pages, building on his academic studies in metaethics and using his signature-sweet animal cartoons, Henry James Garrett sets out to do just that, exploring the sources and the limitations of human empathy and the many ways, big and small, that we can work toward being our best and kindest selves for the people around us and the society we need to build.

About the Author

Henry James Garrett is a writer, illustrator, and creator of the wildly popular Instagram account formerly known as Drawings of Dogs, now @HenryJGarrett. Before that, he pursued a PhD in philosophy on the subject of empathy and metaethics but dropped out due to anxiety. Instead, he decided to focus on what he enjoyed most: using his warm drawings of all kinds of animals to express thoughtful ideas about wellness, social justice, equality, LGBT identity, and more. Since then, he’s written and illustrated a piece on empathy for The New York Times; created alternative Valentine’s cards for The Fawcett Society; provided Meghan Markle with a feminist drawing of her dog; cartooned for the i newspaper, BuzzFeed, and London Pride; and presented solo exhibitions in London and a beautiful phone box in Brighton. He lives in Brighton, England, with his partner, Kitty.