Love Brene Brown? Check out these books from "Unlocking Us"
Not only is Brene Brown an amazing author, she’s also the host of one of my favorite podcasts, “Unlocking Us”. In each episode she unpacks and explores the ideas, stories, books, films, and music that reflect the universal experiences of being human, from the bravest moments to the most brokenhearted.
Highlighting women’s stories and women authors feature prominently in a number of Brene’s episodes. I’ve pulled some of my favorites below, with short descriptions about each episode and the book that inspired it.
In the November 25, 2020 episode, Brene interviewed Priya Parker - a master facilitator, strategic advisor, and the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters. Together they explore what it means to come together, why connection requires intention, and the often-invisible structures inside our most meaningful gatherings.
In The Art of Gathering, Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive--which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.
In the November 18, 2020, episode Brene talks to Dolly Parton about love, empathy, and the power of truth-telling. They talk about her new book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, songwriting, and the challenges of leading organizations (and Burt Reynolds!).
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a landmark celebration of the remarkable life and career of a country music and pop culture legend. As told by Dolly Parton in her own inimitable words, explore the songs that have defined her journey. Illustrated throughout with previously unpublished images from her personal and business archives. Mining over 60 years of songwriting, Dolly Parton highlights 175 of her songs and brings readers behind the lyrics.
In the November 11, 2020 episode, Brene talks with Gabby Rivera about superheroes, storytelling, and joy as resistance. Rivera, the first Latina to write for Marvel Comics, penned the solo series “America” about America Chavez, a portal-punching queer Latina powerhouse. She is also the author of the novel Juliet Takes a Breath.
In Juliet Takes a Breath, Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she's not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer--what's sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet's coming out crashes and burns, she's not sure her mom will ever speak to her again. In a summer bursting with queer brown dance parties, a sexy fling with a motorcycling librarian, and intense explorations of race and identity, Juliet learns what it means to come out--to the world, to her family, to herself.
In the October 28, 2020 episode, Brene speaks with Elizabeth Lesser, bestselling author and cofounder of Omega Institute, about her newest book Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes.
What story would Eve have told about picking the apple? Why is Pandora blamed for opening the box? And what about the fate of Cassandra who was blessed with knowing the future but cursed so that no one believed her? What if women had been the storytellers? Cassandra Speaks is a beautifully balanced synthesis of storytelling, memoir, and cultural observation. Women, men and all people will find themselves in the pages of this book, and will come away strengthened, opened, and ready to work together to create a better world for all people.
In the October 14, 2020 episode Brene talks to Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski about what causes burnout, what it does to our bodies, and how we can move through the emotional exhaustion.
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle is a groundbreaking book that explains why women experience burnout differently than men—and provides a simple, science-based plan to help women minimize stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful life.
In the September 16, 2020 episode, Brene and Sonya Renee Taylor talk about body shame, radical self-love, social justice, and understanding the connection between how we think about our bodies and oppression.
Humans are a varied and divergent bunch with all manner of beliefs, morals, and bodies. Systems of oppression thrive off our inability to make peace with difference and injure the relationship we have with our own bodies. The Body Is Not an Apology offers radical self-love as the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by these violent systems. World-renowned activist and poet Sonya Renee Taylor invites us to reconnect with the radical origins of our minds and bodies and celebrate our collective, enduring strength.
In the June 10, 2020 episode Brene talks with Austin Channing Brown about how her anti-racism work is critical to changing our world – and how her ability to talk about what is good and true about love, about our faith, and about loving each other is transformative.
In I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, Austin Channing Brown’s shares that her first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when she discovered her parents named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. Growing up in majority-white schools and churches, Austin writes, “I had to learn what it means to love blackness.” This book shares her journey that led to a lifetime spent navigating America’s racial divide as a writer, speaker, and expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion.
In the May 26, 2020 episode, Brene is in conversation with Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere. They discuss the writing process, the stories that we tell, and the stories that define us. They also cover how our hometowns shape us, how parenting is a shame minefield, and how we all have the power to mourn moments even while we’re in them.
Little Fires Everywhere takes place in In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, where everything is planned—from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. It explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood—and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
In the May 6, 2020 episode, Brene talks with Harriet Lerner, author of the groundbreaking book, Why Won’t You Apologize? Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts. They discuss making mistakes, healing hurts, being brave and why - during this time of deep uncertainty and anxiety - apologizing has never been more important.
Why Won’t You Apologize? Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts sheds new light on the two most important words in the English language—I’m sorry—and offers a unique perspective on the challenge of healing broken connections and restoring trust. Lerner offers compelling stories and solid theory that bring home how much the simple apology matters and what is required for healing when the hurt we’ve inflicted (or received) is far from simple.
In the April 7, 2020 episode, Brene interviews singer and songwriter Alicia Keyes. They discuss the quiet, subtle experiences that fuel our need to armor up and self-protect, and the courage behind owning our worth, listening to our own voice, and living with our own "girl on fire" energy.
As one of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe with her heartfelt lyrics, extraordinary vocal range, and soul-stirring piano compositions. Yet away from the spotlight, Alicia has grappled with private heartache―over the challenging and complex relationship with her father, the people-pleasing nature that characterized her early career, the loss of privacy surrounding her romantic relationships, and the oppressive expectations of female perfection. More Myself is an intimate, revealing look at her journey from self-censosrhip to free expression.
In the March 24, 2020 episode, Brene talks to Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed, sharing an honest conversation about walking away from the lifelong training that keeps us small, quiet, and afraid, and embracing our wild, brave hearts.
There is a voice of longing inside each woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees, and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent—even from ourselves. Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call.
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