Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

by Brené Brown

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown writes, “If we want to find the way back to ourselves and one another, we need language and the grounded confidence to both tell our stories and be stewards of the stories that we hear. This is the framework for meaningful connection.”Don’t miss the five-part Max docuseries Brené Atlas of the Heart!In Atlas of the Heart, Brown takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances—a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection. Over the past two decades, Brown’s extensive research into the experiences that make us who we are has shaped the cultural conversation and helped define what it means to be courageous with our lives. Atlas of the Heart draws on this research, as well as on Brown’s singular skills as a storyteller, to show us how accurately naming an experience doesn’t give the experience more power—it gives us the power of understanding, meaning, and choice. Brown shares, “I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that, with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Audiobook, Personal Development, Mental Health, Relationships

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2021

About the author

Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds
the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She
also holds the position of visiting professor in management at The University of Texas at
Austin McCombs School of Business.

Brené has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and
empathy. She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and is the host of two
award-winning podcasts, Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead.

Brené’s books have been translated into more than 30 languages, and her titles
include Atlas of the Heart, Dare to Lead, Braving the Wilderness, Rising Strong,
Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection. With Tarana Burke, she co-edited the
bestselling anthology You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and
the Black Experience.

Brené’s TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability is one of the top five most-viewed TED
talks in the world, with over 60 million views. She spends most of her time working in
organizations around the world, helping develop braver leaders and more courageous
cultures. In 2024, she was named as the executive director of The Center for Daring
Leadership at BetterUp.

She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and
Charlie, and a weird Bichon named Lucy.

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atlas of the Heart is a beautiful reference book that would look lovely on a coffee table or guestroom night stand. It’s full of images and diagrams and the like, which make it quite different from Brené Brown’s previous publications. When I first saw it in stores I was a little bummed, because I always listen to her read her own audiobooks and thought there’s no way Atlas could be translated to that format.

But she did it! In the audiobook, she re-reads passages that were written in bold in the book to really emphasize them, describes illustrations so listeners can easily picture them, and also includes a PDF for reference. Her narration style is casual and conversational. She’s a pro at engaging listeners.

If you’re still with me but are like, cool, who the heck is Brené Brown, I got you. Dr. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she studies courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her TED talk – The Power of Vulnerability – is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world.

Her books are often shelved as “self help,” but that never feels right to me. Now self AWARENESS on the other hand is perfectly apt. Her research illuminates the commonality of the human existence, especially the parts people don’t really want to talk about.

Atlas of the Heart can be best described as a dictionary of emotional terms, such as illuminating the differences between envy and jealousy. If etymology and semantics don’t interest you, boredom will likely set in. I will always read (listen to) every book Dr. Brown writes, but her latest is possibly too advanced for those new to her and her work. It’s a great road map for emotional nuances, but not the best on-ramp to the Brené Brown journey of self awareness.

Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm about 100 pages into Atlas of the Heart so far and there are already a gazillion sticky notes all over it. This is an incredible compilation of not just Brene Brown's research findings, but an integration of research and data points from the world's top thought leaders on the human social/emotional experience.
I love that the book is laid out as an "atlas", as we are all adventurers and travelers through our emotional world. The book itself is so beautiful--incredible illustrations, glossy pages, brilliant colors, and helpful graphics to help the reader better understand complex ideas.
This is not necessarily a cover-to-cover read through, but rather I've been enjoying jumping around to a chapter that I find that I'm needing most. I anticipate that this will be a book that my family references often and we navigate through life's ups & downs of emotions, and one that I will reference often in my professional realm as well.

[Liong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Nonfiction (2022)

I gave 3.5 stars for this book tends to repeat certain phrases and ideas throughout the book, which can become tiresome for me.

This book explores the meaning of human connection and the language we use to describe our experiences of it.

The author, Brené Brown, draws on her extensive research in social science and psychology to map out the different ways that people connect.

Overall, I find that this book is not particularly actionable, as it focuses more on describing concepts than on providing concrete solutions.

[Ron Giddings · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would consider myself top 1% of Brown's devotees. I teach several of her works in my classroom and have followed her since the initial TED talk. This was a huge disappointment and made me sad to think that it felt like a money grab. Sure it's gorgeous and well done, as expected, but it feels recycled, which is so disappointing after anticipating this book since its announcement. It could be because I'm so deep into her work, but this didn't feel like anything new or actionable, which is what I'm looking for in these times, which are ripe for Brown's lens.

[Lauren Linscott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t get a lot out of this. I became incredibly bored reading the definitions of 80+ emotions. I really enjoy her podcast and other books and was expecting more. Visually it’s a beautiful book. I don’t need another book for my coffee table though and didn’t realize that’s what I was pre-ordering.

[Jenny Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven't I already read this? Why does it show as unread? Ah, the mysteries of Goodreads.

[Chantel Schieffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of approachable descriptions of human emotions and experiences, a must for emotional literacy work related to leadership.

[Theresa Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this illuminating and thought-provoking in a way I wasn’t expecting. In this nonfiction book, Brown examines 87 emotions that define us as a human. For example, she has some interesting thoughts on perfectionism. “Perfectionism is not striving to be our best or working toward excellence. Healthy striving is internally driven. Perfectionism is externally driven by a simple but potentially all-consuming question: What will people think? . . . Perfectionism kills curiosity by telling us we have to know everything or we risk looking ‘less than.’”

I’ve spent my entire life thinking that empathy was doing my best to see things from another person’s perspective, the walk a mile in another person’s shoe definition. In Atlas, Brown says, “Rather than walking in your shoes, I need to learn how to listen to the story you tell about what it’s like in your shoes and believe you even when it doesn’t match my experiences.”

On loneliness: “When we feel isolated, disconnected, and lonely, we try to protect ourselves. In that mode, we want to connect, but our brain is attempting to override connection with self-protection. That mean less empathy, more defensiveness, more numbing, and less sleeping. Unchecked loneliness fuels continued loneliness by keeping us afraid to reach out.”

This has suggestions for ways to better communicate with others and be gentle toward ourselves. It helped me think of things I thought I knew in a new way.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kinda wish I had read the physical copy, instead of the audiobook. 🤓 It would be a great reference guide to use during said emotions. 🫣

[Maede · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."

Ludwig Wittgenstein

محدودیت زبان شما، محدودیت دنیای شماست

از وقتی انگلیسی زبان دوم من شد، متوجه شدم که خیلی وقت‌ها موقع صحبت کردن مخصوصاً در مورد احساساتم انگلیسی حرف زدن برام راحت‌تر از زبان مادریمه! سال‌ها طول کشید که متوجه بشم دلیل اصلی این قضیه اینه که انگلیسی به من کلماتی برای توصیف حالم میده که در فارسی وجود ندارند و یا اون معنی دقیق رو ندارند

جدا از مسئله‌ی وجود خود کلمه‌ها، توانایی ترجمه‌ی احساسات پیچیده‌ی انسانی به کلمه‌ها و جمله‌ها یک مهارته. مهارتی که ما فکر می‌کنیم که همه باهاش به دنیا میان ولی اصلاً اینطور نیست. اکثر آدم‌ها برای بیان احساساتشون در همون رنگ‌های اصلی گیر می‌کنند: خوشحال، ناراحت، عصبانی. در صورتی که احساسات بیشتر شبیه یک رنگین کمانند

این کتاب همون‌طور که اسمش میگه اطلس قلبه. مثل یک نقشه‌ی راهنما بهت میگه که هر حسی دقیقاً چیه و کلمه‌ی مربوط بهش چیه. گاهی وقت‌ها حتی انگلیسی هم برای بیان این مسئله واژه کم میاره و باید از زبان‌های دیگه مثل آلمانی قرض گرفت. «برن براون» نویسنده‌ی کتاب به تحقیقات مختلفی که در این زمینه شده ارجاع میده و جوانب مختلف یک حس خاص رو بررسی می‌کنه

نقطه ضعف این کتاب برای من پراکندگیشه که درکش رو برام سخت می‌کنه، ولی خب نمیشه این رو ایراد کتاب در نظر گرفت. مثل این میمونه که بگی دیکشنری چرا کلمات مختلفی داره

در مورد کتاب صوتیش بگم که محشره. خود نویسنده کتاب رو خونده اما اصلاً شبیه یک کتاب صوتی نیست. کاملاً مثل یک پادکست طولانیه و انگار نویسنده داره بیشتر کتاب رو براتون تعریف می‌کنه تا از روش بخونه. مثلاً بخش‌هایی رو دوبار می‌خونه یا حس خودش رو به اون بخش میگه. البته که توصیه می‌کنم مثل من از هر دو نسخه صوتی و اصلی استفاده کنید. خود کتاب هم تصویرگری‌های زیبایی داره که درک یک سری از احساسات رو آسان‌تر کنه


در کل این کتاب قدم اول برای بالا بردن سواد احساسیه. اولین تأثیرش روی من این بود وقتی تحت فشار بودم تونستم بین
Anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and worry
تشخیص بدم که دقیقاً چه حسی دارم و این حل کردن مسئله رو برام راحت‌تر کرد

کانال تلگرامم که کتاب‌ها و صوتیشون رو آپلود می‌کنم
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۲/۲/۱۳

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT.... a dose of support examining the study of emotional psychology.

Audiobook, 8 hours and 29 minutes -- read by Brene Brown -- [a PDF is included]

........Brene Brown continues to teach, explore, and inspire......
......about what makes us human.... and ways we react to certain stimuli. She supports building healthy relationships....[with self and others]
She teaches emotional awareness [presents research]...
Brene offers language tools for talking about feelings more clearly -- ways to avoid or resolve conflicts better --
She teachers how emotions play an important role and how we think and behave.

For me, Brene Brown is a wonderful walking companion.... the 'real deal' when it comes to exploring our humanity authentically - open discussion style .... Plus, she is fun to hang out with!

The study of social science, emotional learning, well being, is a lifetime journey.
A wide range of topics and themes are explored --
.....connections, shame, vulnerability, boundaries, guilt, humiliation, embarrassment, judgment, violence, social pain, self awareness, love, loneliness, depression, blame, safety, stress, happiness, overwhelmed, anxiety, fear, the difference between fitting in and belonging, worry, dread, diversity, exclusion, jealousy, envy, feeling invisible, sacrificing, pain, perfection, addictions, insecurity, resentment, disappointment, regret, boredom, the cost of comparison, compassion, relationships to our behavior, stereotyping, admiration, social isolation, things people will do to avoid pain, healing.....etc.

....In this packed-filled-book, Brene offers valuable support and understandings....
....She offers language tools for healthy behaviors and conversations.... by examining the roles emotions play in our lives....
......about the ways we behave in response to emotion.

"If we can't articulate our emotions, we feel hopeless. Language is our portal to meaningful connections".

Personally -- I don't think this is a book needing recommendations ....[its one of those self-select types]....
But I do recommend it. I like Brene Brown!

In the same way I value healthy physical care - diet, sleep, exercise, good hygiene, etc.
I value healthy emotional care, love, connections, community, .....
....and given that learning about ourselves and others never stops -- I'm willing to indulge in a little Brene Brown.

I enjoyed my time with "Atlas of the Heart" >> and I'm thankful for her work!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I typically don't write reviews unless the book is really great or it's just crap. I spent time reading people's reviews and I found many that went something like, " It's just a book with a list of emotions" or something to that effect. I want to encourage you (if you believe that to be true) to gather a few trusted, intelligent, brave friends and talk about this book. If you only have yourself as a guide then I think you're missing the point. The point of the book is how language creates meaningful connections. CONNECTIONS. In order to fully grasp the premise of this book it's critical to discuss the book. Happy reading.

[Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After my less-than-favourable experience with Brown's first book, Gifts of Imperfection, I went into Atlas of the Heart with trepidation. The early sections seemed to reinforce my impression of Brown, with the inclusion of many unnecessary, personal anecdotes, a casual tone, and simplicity that gave the book a draft-like feel.

Luckily, around the halfway point, I began to see glimmers of what I'd hoped this book would be. The sections on grief, compassion, and empathy were especially insightful. The concept of "near enemies" was new for me and (in my opinion) worth reading the book for, regardless of the other content. I also began to appreciate the exploration of some of the more complicated or less frequently explored emotions.

I think where this book shines is in the tiny, minute details—distinguishing between emotions that are often used interchangeably or misunderstood. Clearly defining emotions that are pieces of a whole, similar, yet distinct, and those that are near enemies – often seem to be in the former category but actually in opposition.

Overall, it was a mixed bag, including mostly ideas and concepts I already knew, with some gems and new insights that I was glad to discover. If I had stopped halfway through, I likely would have given the book two stars, but by the end, I felt I had absorbed enough thought-provoking ideas and concepts to bump my rating up to around three and a half stars, which I have rounded up to four.

While I'm glad I read it, I do think this book could have been so much more and fell short of its potential. It is telling that every quote or passage I marked as incredibly insightful was itself a quote from another researcher or author. Very little of Brown's original text elicited aha moments for me. And while I'm glad she did the work of compiling all of these ideas into one place, I do wonder what this book could have been in another's hands.



You can watch me review this book & all of the other 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Winners here: https://youtu.be/fFKXJ1gsZA8

You can watch me talk about all the books I read in February as I set up my reading journal here: https://youtu.be/NY7bgSmoggM

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[Amina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first Brene' Brown read. It's nominated in Goodreads nonfiction. Unfortunately, Atlas of the Heart taught me nothing. As a person who's spent a good portion of their life studying psychology, I was looking for fresh ideas. This book read like a dictionary of emotions for people looking for concrete definitions of everyday words.

Brown defined words like empathy, grief, resentment, etc. but never shared how they connected to the human experience. I didn't walk away from this book more informed. Perhaps, I learned to use a different word instead of angry, because angry isn't an emotion.

If someone asked me what this book was about, I would say, it's about human emotion defined through the finite lens of Brown's own life. She uses acolytes of movies and experiences to define 80 some emotions.

While the emotions are relevant and important, isn't the most imperative element to surround yourself with people that help build these emotions, help connect to your heart? Humans are well aware of emotional variances, simplistic ones like surprise, disgust, and loneliness--but I wanted more. How do we work around these emotions, given the stresses of life?

It's not an on/off switch.

In my mind, the book reads like a scientific research assignment that I would be tested on. I imagined Brown and her colleagues in a lab dissecting emotions under a microscope, but emotions are expressions of each individuals' experiences, aren’t they? We can’t scientifically define emotions, wrap them in a box and say hey, use this not that. It’s not always that easy. Humans, generally, need time to manage and define their emotions. Sometimes, it doesn’t come easily.

Maybe I'm not the right audience for this book, many seemed to like it (update: won best nonfiction Goodreads award) It was too preachy and loaded for me.

2.5 /5 stars.

[Jacob Cooperstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear. Coherent. Necessary.

This is my favorite Brené Brown book yet. Which is saying something, since I’ve read and reread most of her books. This book is strange and powerful. She literally goes through 87 important human emotions and experiences and defines them one at a time. It’s an invitation into greater connection with and understanding of our lived experiences and those of others.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 38%. I've read (listened to) other books by her and have always enjoyed them, but her Covid sheepbrain was far too much for me in this book. I understand that her husband is a doctor so clearly the indoctrination runs deep, but to go so far as to be angry with antivaxxers for "endangering her family"?? If her family is vaxxed and she believes it's effective, then they should be safe, shouldn't they? LOL. The lack of logic is humorous. I even let that pass and continued on, until she started talking about the "anti science movement" suffering from cognitive dissonance. What a twist! Even the government and WHO can no longer claim that the covid shots are safe and effective. Anyways, on to better books and she has definitely lost a fan in me. There are plenty more audiobooks in the world for me to listen to!

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atlas of the Heart was my first Brene Brown book, and I can see why she and her work are well-liked. Atlas of the Heart digs into emotions – 87 of them to be exact, explaining what each one of means and experiences related to many of them. Even when our experiences vary, which, naturally, they do, we benefit from sharing them with others, it helps us form and sometimes deepen human connections.

There is a lot to take in from this book – Did you know envy and jealousy aren’t synonymous? Did you know there’s a difference between awe and wonder? Did you know joy has been found to be the most vulnerable of all emotions? Many people experience foreboding joy, in which they lose joy in the moment because they’re waiting for the other shoe to drop (#SoGuilty). These are just a few of the things I learned from Atlas of the Heart.

A friend kindly gifted this book to me recently — The timing to read, and to listen, was perfect. The physical book is beautiful, with illustrations and photos throughout. I enjoyed simultaneously listening to the audiobook, which Brown narrates herself. She is clearly a subject matter pro and relays the information well, while also keeping a friendly, more informal tone which I enjoyed — 4.5 stars

[Michelle Beaulieu-Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Friends, I don't have the energy to write a real review so here is a cut-n-paste of my thoughts that I put in a note on my phone as I was listening.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS AS AN AUDIO BOOK.

****

Affected speaking style, rereading points TOO FREQUENTLY (that is what the rewind 15 sec button is for); reminds me of someone like Paltrow and Goop and is probably a monster to work for; went in with an open mind but really it’s for wine o’clock mommies who haven’t had therapy. Really would like to dig into each of the feelings separately (Anger Becomes Her did this; it’s not sufficient to have 87 feelings esp if say you’re going to take about disappointment and regret and then just glide through others you say you’re going to cover). Glib, disingenuous, she’s totally enamored with herself/thinks she’s really clever.

There are things I liked- the difference between jealousy and envy was useful but then the conversation about Schadenfreude was not- it’s not something that has a 1:1 translation into English and her Pollyanna attitude about it did it a disservice. Same re: citing studies on jealousy and it’s relationship to violence- I would bet my last dollar that those studies are mostly about men and intimate partner violence and to somehow suggest to a largely female readership that it might be otherwise seems fucked up. “Oh I let my kids be bored bc then they would do things like write and illustrate an entire book about rocks” and “Steve needs two hours of waterpolo on Sundays and communicates those expectations to me” just… humblebragging class weirdness. I also wish she’d acknowledge how much of the guidance is a repackaging of AA- staying in your own (swim) lane, the problems with resentments and how they come from expectations of people/places/institutions; etc.

My wife is begging me to stop doing this to myself with this particular brand of pop mom psychology.

Pretends to trust her readers “there is xyz thread in this chapter and I think you’ll get that” but then overemphasizes and repeats things like we didn’t or couldn’t understand them the first time.

Her examples aren’t good. For example: her example of paradox: we are drawn to vulnerability in others first (authenticity) but will protect our own vulnerability at all costs. She wonders how both of these things can be true; if is a paradox because one cannot exist without the other. But that’s not a paradox when it comes to vulnerability. It's a condition of its existence. There is a difference between something being a paradox and two things not being mutually exclusive; the ability to have two truths coexist side by side is not necessarily analogous to two things that seem opposite actually proving one another (I can see why this would be confusing for something like vulnerability, which would seem to seek out another’s perceived weakness in other to shore up my own position as superior or less weak, but this is maybe only true for animals living in a prey situation and not for human beings in a complex social ecology). The example of vulnerability that Brown uses here isn’t contradictory at all.

Leadership blah blah makes me skeptical. Where is the emotion “skepticism?”

Needed to not listen to this book. She raises her pitch at the ends of sentences so everything sounds like a question. She also pauses in the middle of sentences like she's thinking, which is fine if you're on a podcast talking offhand and actually thinking but not when you're reading something. just read the fucking book you wrote it for god's sake.

She’s a liar. I don’t believe her claims about memories and things she laughed at. Also I don’t believe she’s an introvert.

The chapters just end abruptly

“Grounded theory research” isn’t earth shattering. It’s all research. Mega eyeroll.

This book is a Tumblr account
Not as funny as she thinks —> cringe
Utterly individualist approach to systemic issues. Lean In Queen

[Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just don't understand why someone who has a lot of wisdom to share decides to go political thus turning off half of your readers. And honestly it's a miracle that I continued listening after in the beginning she admitted that she had such contempt for people who refuse to get vaccinated that she wish them to get covid. She said she fought against those feelings but was so wrapped up in herself that all she could see is how they might hurt her. Honestly at this point I hope she's embarrassed by having ever had those feelings because that is literally sickening to assume that you know why any individual might make that choice. It goes against everything that she sat there and talked about for 9 hours.

[Melly · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟
Brene Brown is an inspiration. Reading this book felt like a deep dive into a wide range of emotions and insights. For me, it prompted a lot of reflection and learning.

This book aims to be a guide to emotions, to help us expand our language and understanding of our emotional experience. This book was fantastic in clearly articulating and exploring our common human experience. Brene Brown’s wisdom and knowledge were felt on every page. She has such a special quality in her ability to validate our experiences and help remind us that we are not alone. She highlights that suffering is an essential component of growth and that healing is possible if we connect with our experience rather than fight it or avoid it. I highlighted and/or tabbed something on every page. I can’t wait to read more of her work.

Some favourite quotes:

“Language is our portal to meaning-making, connection, healing, learning, and self-awareness. Having access to the right words can open up entire universes … Language shows us that naming an experience doesn’t give the experience more power, it gives us the power of understanding and meaning”.

“I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves. Even when we don’t know where we are”.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been learning from various people throughout the last few years how important it is to be able to name my pain, to be able to know what my feeling is called in order to grapple with it or even to enjoy it. I was suffering from what psychologists call complicated grief over the last two years. I’m finally in a better place mentally, but it took a lot of work to get here. I’ll be holding onto this book as a reference book for whenever I have an emotion I’m not sure how to name.

[My_Strange_Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. BB did it again, y’all.

I listened to this on audible, but my cousin gave me the physical copy for Christmas, and I’m so glad I had it as a reference point, so I could go back and dig in, look at the pieces of art and images that are in it, and just absorb it some more.

Goodness. It’s definitely an atlas in the sense that it orients us and helps us map out the various emotions we have experienced in our lives. It shows us when we have been using words incorrectly, and gives us a tool box for how to understand these emotions more.

A friend of mine said she felt like she was reading a textbook, and maybe it’s because I listened to the audio and Brené talked to me like we were having a conversation about her findings, I didn’t have the same experience. Because when I tell you I was weeping while driving my car, I am not exaggerating. She open my eyes to all these vast emotions we feel through story, comparison and research. It was an amazing journey and I will definitely be returning to this book again and again to keep exploring and learn about the complexities of the emotions we experience as humans.

[Poiema · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brené Brown is certainly well known as a cultural voice, having gained repute in 2010 when her TED talk on vulnerability went viral. In this book, she seeks to give people the language needed for expressing emotion. According to her research, most people have only enough emotional awareness to lump their feelings into three categories. To counter that severe over-simplification, she seeks in this book to define and catalog the wide range of emotions, along with their subcategories. The formula: define, share research, tell a story as an example. Because there were 87 emotions addressed, the book became a bit tedious. Ironically, the methodical treatment of each emotion in scientific manner felt cold and sterile to me.

I do concur with her premise that "language matters," and that it can be transformative to be able to communicate accurately our feelings. Doing so has the potential to bring us into a mutual understanding with others, to enhance and deepen our relationships. But there was an almost indefinable "something" that made me resistant, uncomfortable even. Was it the buzzwords she sprinkled liberally throughout? Was it the emphasis on excavating our "truest self"?

Here are a few snippets I can quote as examples:

"To form meaningful connections with others, we must first connect with ourselves. "

"that solid ground is within us."

"owning our sadness is courageous, and is a necessary step in finding our way back to ourselves."

"We need to belong to ourselves as much as we need to belong to others."

SELF, SELF, SELF

I came of age in the era of hippies, when the term "naval gazing" became popular. This feels like naval gazing recycled.

Don't get me wrong; Brown's definitions of emotions are spot-on. Some of the illustrative stories were engaging and touching. But as a Christian, my source and resource lies outside of me. There's no good thing, no "solid ground within" ME, apart from Christ. Though we can agree on the definitions, though we may aspire to many of the same things (such as connection), I cannot embrace the doctrine of self. I know enough about myself to realize that I must do better than to analyze and discuss emotions. I must tap into the love of a Living God, to seek to grow in expressing that love, and to be perfected in it. That is emotional intelligence, that is emotional maturity: to be perfected in love.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

My first (and last) Brene Brown book and I feel like reading it was a waste of time. It’s barely more than a dictionary of emotions under the guise of deeper understanding and meaning. But nothing was well developed and it’s full of propaganda for her other books — she even added political rhetoric. Very distasteful.

[Monica Kim | Musings of Monica]

I cannot wait to read it! I have read all of Brene Brown’s books and use it as guide for my life, especially when things get challenging & tough. Her books have given me hope, inspiration, and strength. And look at that cover! ❤️ — mo✌️

[Blaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, kind of disappointed. Maybe I'm just not in the right mind set for it. But reading emotion after emotion was not doing it for me. DNF -23%

[La Crosse County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars
*Spoilers warning!*

“Choosing to be curious is choosing to be vulnerable because it requires us to surrender to uncertainty. We have to ask questions, admit to not knowing, risk being told that we shouldn't be asking, and, sometimes, make discoveries that lead to discomfort.”

Atlas of the Heart is a 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards winner in the category of nonfiction. Upon it winning the category, I was curious as to why it had received the most votes, and now I know why!

In a time of climate crisis, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and economic woes, society has made talking about mental health somewhat mainstream. Although much stigma remains for those who suffer mental health conditions, I think perhaps that we might be in a time where we want to explore the domains of emotional and mental health. As in, I think we all want to rediscover how to connect with people, after a few years of being physically isolated from one another.

"I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that, with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves."

After all, no matter if you're extroverted or introverted (raises hand) or somewhere in between, humanity is a social species. Personally, I find myself re-evaluating the relationships in my own life, and I think that was part of what I really liked about Atlas of the Heart. I could use some more emotional intelligence, and I genuinely learned a great deal from the book.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book, and the author I think did a great job, making sure to repeat passages that she thought were key. As I was listening, I was often doing chores and sometimes my mind can wonder during that process (because I often find chores just so boring and mind-numbing), so that repeating and emphasis was very helpful and much appreciated.

She did her best to bring psychological terminology down to earth, but I admit I really needed the repeats and the asides, so that I really understood what she was saying before moving on to the next chapter, because they definitely built on each other.

So, there are 87 emotions that humans experience. I think I know of at least 10 emotions, so this large number surprised me. However, the 87 emotions are grouped together into categories by how similar they are, with unexpected nuances in related emotions, such as envy and jealousy, or empathy and compassion.



Brown puts names to experiences I have had that mix a variety of emotions. Names and language in general provide useful anchors, and I think Brown recognizes this and puts it to great use. I also think that language intercedes to make the mysterious less scary, and there's nothing more scary for me than peering at the dark side of my emotional life. Emotions like anger, contempt, and disgust that I tend to shove down. But bringing them to the table and examining them makes them less scary and alien, and they are good indicators of when you need to make some sort of change.



This whole discussion was made more relevant and relatable by talking about her own process of learning as she conducted research over the years in topics such as empathy and connection. It made me feel less alone in my learning journey, as there were places where I got overwhelmed by the scope of emotional experiences covered here. Brown is a gentle, patient, and understanding guide as we navigate uncharted waters.



I think this may be a book that I will end up buying in its print edition, because of how good a reference this is. I also have heard how good the illustrations are in the regular book, and I wish to experience those as well.

Happy reading!

-Cora

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[Luckshina · Rating 1 out of 5]

everyone in the reviews is a major dick rider, the book isn't even good its literally shit you can search up online about what an emotion means and dumb, useless stories explaining those emotions. i'm returning this book, it's already packed up in its box. $40 is outrageous for a book that doesn't even help with personal development or teach you something valuable in the end. the book is so uninteresting, i can't even explain how useless and boring it is. it feels like a sociology textbook for a uni course but even that would be more interesting. it gives no actual insight on human emotions and how to handle them, it's literally definitions from the internet and random pictures. this book is just a decoration at most for someone's coffee table. IM PIRATING HER OTHER BOOKS FUCK THIS.

[Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING. Required reading for good human-ing. As a therapist, I live and navigate in the emotions world constantly and yet I learned SO SO much from this book. I will reference it often, and it’s going on my “keep forever” shelf. Can’t recommend highly enough.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I have my own "coffee table" book of support at my finger-tips whenever I need it.

I can always count on Brene Brown to teach how to tap into our inner self to embrace our emotions and honor our experiences to build connections with others. This is the essence of this book.

In any Brown book be prepared to be empowered. But, also be prepared to do the work.

In this book there are great pictures, maps, out loud pages with quotes and sayings to remind readers how to address such things as: stress, overwhelm, anxiety, worry, avoidance, excitement, dread, fear, and vulnerability. All those things we face day in and day out in our lives. And usually don't like to admit.

For anyone looking for support and connection, this is a great book to provide it.

Key: find ground within yourself.

Books like this can be added to anybody's personal self-help toolbox.