Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
Written and Narrated By: Brené Brown
Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
Apparently ‘tis either a Yea or Nay… for me a Yea… -BUT-
Oh gosh, Atlas of the Heart is touted as either a 5-star Listen or is roundly Booooo-ed. I get it, I hear what people are saying, but lemme give ya my own pet peeves about the Boos.
First, Brown distinguishes herself by acknowledging that there’s a huuuuge difference between a print book that has charts and diagrams and even a cartoon or two, and she affirms that yikes, that’s sooo NOT to be had in an audiobook. -SO- she begins by pointing the purchaser of the audiobook to the downloadable PDF to have on hand for reference, plus? She walks the listener through the various diagrams. This frustrates many a Listener who might be further exasperated by her speaking the text where she adds emphasis to concepts that knocked her socks off, data that was so unexpected that it altered a fundamental belief. In short, she has the apparently not to be BORNE temerity to rePEAt many a line. This UNHINGED a certain element, but I, as a frequent Listener who putters around on foot, appreciated it as I am usually, at the time, unable to pause m’ gait to hit the 30-second rewind. Thus, I, dear Accomplice, truly LOVED that she did that (In addition to this apparent failing on my part, I haaaate hitting the Bookmark function as it just irks me… I KNOW!).
Then too, Brown makes some black and white statements about what she once thought but comPLETEly does NOT believe any longer. Example? That she doesn’t think we can ever be able to judge what another person is feeling. Yup, ticked people off, dunno why, but I read many a review that were all in CAPS!!!! Hmmm, as a highly-sensitive, uber hyper vigilant creature, this was pretty much a No-Duh for me. I’ve spent m’ LIFE (Oops, caps there!) misunderstanding facial cues. Brown posits that we, as a terrrrribly flawed species with truuuuly poor linguistic skills, have a desperate lack of understanding/recognition to the plethora of emotions of the human experience. Happy, mad, sad.
Yikes, is that it?! Yesss, and Atlas of the Heart is her team’s effort to give us a larger language for our own experiences. Emotions/feelings that we lump together might actually be highly nuanced and different. She has the Old Brown Stand-By of Guilt v. Shame, so if you’ve heard her other books, you’ll find it again here. But there’s soooo much more. I live with a gentleman (Read: Husband who sometimes drives me nuts) who often counters my sharing with: Well those are feelings. Feelings aren’t Facts!
Nooo, dear hubby o’ mine. NOW I know I’ve a valid right to own my emotions and get ready, bud, cuz NOW I’ve the finely-honed distinctions to properly get at exACTly what I wanna say! Yay meeeee!!!
Next Boo: Audiobook reviewers were onboard until she Brought Her Politics Into It. Man, are you kidding me? Just cuz she highlighted that Blacks were further marginalized when their experiences, their attempts to focus on historical injustice and violence done to their communities, were met with All Lives Matter. Jiminy H. Freaking Cricket, soooo listen to what she’s saying! When will we STOP discounting others, and when will we START accepting that America touts itself as The Great American Melting Pot (As Saturday morning’s “Schoolhouse Rock” proudly sang!) and as such, its greatness is founded upon FREAKING DIVERSITY?!?
Off m’ soapbox, but dang I heard what she was saying, and I’m thoroughly disgusted by people getting twitchy cuz others are wishing to be finally seen…
Last Boo? That this book is only for Always Seek-ers and not for Current Live-ers. No seriously? Do you honestly think that a person finds a Truth and that’s it? I hate to break it to them, but I’ve noticed that our lives are constantly morphing, situations (And other people in our lives) are constantly changing. Jeez, do NOT stick with ONE Truth cuz there ain’t any such thing! Roll with the changes, science is not static, follow where the research leads, learn, utilize, live, and learn some more. THAT is what this book exemplifies in great broad strokes, and little details and suggestions.
Too many Boos? Or did I manage to give ya the gist of my own takeaways, what I think you’ll find if you give this a chance? I remember earlier reviews of Brown’s audiobooks that said they were all geared to discontented white women of a certain age. Yeeps, harsh that, but maybe they had a point. Here? Oh goodness, I do believe, now that she’s part of an inclusive team and branching out into truly greater societal, human experiences, she’s onto something. Atlas still ain’t my Fave Brené Brown, but I liked it. Plus, her narration of her own work has relaxed soooo much to where her style is much more conversational, and it’s less like she’s reading words.
Brava, Brown! Brava!
-BUT- Question? NOOOOOW Can I clobber m’ dearly-loved husband who wants me to be forever rational? I mean, whooo did he think he was marrying? And ain’t it about time to start just being humans with each other? Soooo flawed?
Soooo wonderful?
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