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Brené Brown Books

7 books·~70 min total read

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, known for her studies on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of several bestselling books and a popular TED speaker whose work has influenced leadership and personal development worldwide.

Known for: Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Making the Journey from 'What Will People Think?' to 'I Am Enough', The Power of Vulnerability, You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience

Books by Brené Brown

Daring Greatly

Daring Greatly

psychology · 10 min

In this groundbreaking work, Brené Brown explores the power of vulnerability as a source of courage, connection, and creativity. Drawing on years of research, she challenges the cultural myth that vul...

Rising Strong

Rising Strong

self_awareness · 10 min

In 'Rising Strong', Brené Brown explores the process of recovering from failure and disappointment through vulnerability, courage, and emotional honesty. Drawing on her research in social work and hum...

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

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

psychology · 10 min

In 'Atlas of the Heart', Brené Brown explores eighty-seven emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. Drawing on two decades of research, she maps the language of emotion and conn...

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

self_awareness · 10 min

In this book, Brené Brown explores the concept of true belonging in an age of increasing polarization and disconnection. She argues that belonging is not about fitting in but about having the courage ...

I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Making the Journey from 'What Will People Think?' to 'I Am Enough'

I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Making the Journey from 'What Will People Think?' to 'I Am Enough'

psychology · 10 min

In this groundbreaking work, Brené Brown explores the concept of shame and its pervasive impact on women’s lives. Drawing on extensive research and personal stories, she reveals how shame thrives on s...

The Power of Vulnerability

The Power of Vulnerability

positive_psych · 10 min

In this work, Brené Brown explores the concept of vulnerability as the foundation of courage, creativity, and meaningful connection. She challenges cultural myths that equate vulnerability with weakne...

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience

sociology · 10 min

An anthology curated by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown that brings together Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures to explore vulnerability, shame resilience, and the fullne...

Key Insights from Brené Brown

1

The Vulnerability Myth

When society tells us to toughen up, to hide our emotions, or to avoid risk, it’s telling us a half-truth. The greatest myth about vulnerability is that it’s weakness. Yet, if you think about any act of true courage—whether in love, innovation, or leadership—it demands exposure and uncertainty. Cour...

From Daring Greatly

2

Understanding Shame

Shame is the silent force that convinces us we are unworthy of love or belonging. Unlike guilt, which says 'I did something bad,' shame whispers 'I am bad.' It thrives in secrecy and silence, making us hide our perceived flaws. My research reveals that shame is universal—everyone has experienced it—...

From Daring Greatly

3

Reckoning: Recognizing and Naming Our Emotions

The first act of rising strong — the Reckoning — begins when something doesn’t go the way we hoped. Maybe a project fails, a relationship ends, or someone’s feedback pierces us. Our instinct is often to deny, avoid, or rationalize our feelings. But what I found in my research is that emotional avoid...

From Rising Strong

4

Rumble: The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Once we’ve recognized our feelings, the next step is the Rumble — the often uncomfortable, deeply transformative process of exploring the stories we create to make sense of our emotions. Our brains are wired for story; we fill in blanks, create motives, and assign meaning, usually to protect ourselv...

From Rising Strong

5

Defining the Language of Emotion

Language shapes how we experience life. When we have words to describe our internal world, we can engage with it, communicate it, and share it. Without these words, emotions become undifferentiated noise—confusing, overwhelming, and isolating. My research led to one clear conclusion: emotional liter...

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

6

Places We Go When Things Are Uncertain or Too Much

Uncertainty and overwhelm are some of the most common emotional landscapes we navigate. In my research, I learned that moments of stress, vulnerability, and anxiety are not signs of weakness—they are signals from our emotional systems asking for care and curiosity. When life feels 'too much,' we oft...

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

About Brené Brown

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, known for her studies on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of several bestselling books and a popular TED speaker whose work has influenced leadership and personal development worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, known for her studies on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of several bestselling books and a popular TED speaker whose work has influenced leadership and personal development worldwide.

Read Brené Brown's books in 15 minutes

Get AI-powered summaries with key insights from 7 books by Brené Brown.