Title: Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Author: Brené Brown

Publisher: Avery 2012

Genre: Nonfiction - Self-Help

Pages: 290

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading; Seasonal TBR

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”—Theodore Roosevelt

Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. Based on twelve years of pioneering research, Brené Brown PhD, LMSW, dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage.

Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment, and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She writes: “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.”

So many rave reviews of this one and I was very underwhelmed on this one. Everything fell so incredibly flat for me. I was intrigued by the main concept of vulnerability and wanted to learn more. Instead of good actionable items, we get platitudes and lots of case studies. They just didn’t connect to my person. Beyond those issues, the entire construct that Brown presents ignores a whole host inequality issues and discrimination. The book is too focused on white lady problems. I just couldn’t rave about this book at all.

Next up on the TBR pile: