Braving the Wilderness
by Brené Brown
View on GoodreadsBrown's 2017 book on belonging in polarized times — drawing partly on her own experience of being targeted by both political left and right after Daring Greatly — and the "true belonging" thesis that requires standing alone rather than affiliating for protection.
Core ideas
- The "BRAVING" framework for trust (Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault [confidentiality], Integrity, Non-judgment, Generosity) is the book's operational tool — used both for self-evaluation and for assessing relationships.
- The "true belonging" thesis: belonging requires being yourself wherever you are, including in the face of hostile audiences — fitting in (changing yourself to be acceptable) is the opposite of belonging, not its cousin.
- The book was timely and is now slightly time-bound — it was written in the early-Trump era when the cross-pressure on tribally-aligned audiences felt new; subsequent years have intensified the dynamics Brown was describing.
Published2017
Pages197
ISBN9780812995848
ReadDec 2020
