Thursday, October 12, 2017

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
By Brené Brown
Random House, 2017. 194 pgs. Nonfiction

I have read (and loved) all of Brené Brown's books and her latest is no exception! This summer I was had a front row seat to see Brené speak when I attended the American Library Association Annual Conference. It was exhilarating to hear her talk about this book before it came out. Like her other books this book focuses on her research. This time on the topic is courage.

Brené describes the four elements of true belonging in detail and explains that  once we live according to these principles we will belong truly to ourselves. The  four elements:
People are hard to hate close-up. Move in.
Speak truth to bullshit. Be civil.
Hold hands. With Strangers.
Strong Back. Soft Front. Wild Heart.

I loved this book so much that I listened to it twice in a row before returning it. I would recommend listening because there's nothing like hearing Brené read her own words. She has such great storytelling along with the research elements and this book is an incredibly interesting one to listen to. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

AMM

1 comment:

AG said...

Brené Brown's book, "Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone" is a brave book that talks about how to approach the divisive environment that social media and politics have created. Her four principles help readers have the courage to speak up about their authentic values in a way that is civil and respectful, and also helps them deal with lonely fallout of having those values misunderstood. This books is exceptionally written, easy to understand, and has the potential to change the current "you're either with us, or against us" culture. I loved her four principles, especially the section on holding hands with strangers. The idea of coming together as a people over shared grief and joy really appealed to me. Maybe it is because she talks about having an almost spiritual experience at a Garth Brooks concert, but I have also felt the power of singing with a group of thousands and feeling belonging and love. This is a great book for practical advice on how to deal with people who don't understand your values.