The Gifts of Imperfection

by Brené Brown
The Gifts of Imperfection cover
Good Books rating 3.06
Self-Help and Personal Development
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Waterstones
Hardback • £14.99–£16.99
Amazon
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Technical
  • ID: 940
  • Added: 2025-09-23
  • Updated: 2025-10-21
  • ISBN: 9781592858491
  • Publisher: Hazelden Publishing
  • Published: 2010-08-27
  • Formats: 9
  • Reviews: 4

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown offers a powerful and inspiring book that helps readers let go of who they think they should be and embrace who they are. This book is a call to action for anyone who wants to live a life of authenticity and courage. Brown draws on her research and personal experiences to provide practical advice on how to cultivate self-compassion, set boundaries, and embrace vulnerability. The book is filled with stories, exercises, and insights that will help readers on their journey to wholehearted living. It's not just about self-help; it's about finding the courage to be who you are and to connect with others in a meaningful way.

Reviews
Reddit - TrueAtheism · 2025-10-18
disappointing 2.00

The reviewer finds the book disappointing due to its heavy reliance on religious concepts, which they find alienating.

This reviewer expresses disappointment with the book, primarily due to its reliance on religious concepts. They find these elements alienating and feel that the book's messages could have been more universally appealing without them. The reviewer's critique focuses on the book's lack of inclusivity and the impact of its religious undertones on their overall reading experience.

Quick quotes

    The author is leaning heavily on religious concepts and it's so disappointing and alienating.

    She legit wrote that people in her research could only find...

    I found the book's reliance on religious concepts to be off-putting.

Shelf Reflection · 2025-08-30
disappointing 2.00

The book is found to be empty and self-centered, turning the self into a god. It is seen as lacking depth and substance.

This reviewer found the book to be somewhat empty, criticizing its focus on the self as a god-like entity. They feel that the book lacks depth and substance, making it less impactful. The reviewer's perspective is that the book's message is not as profound as it claims to be, leaving them feeling unsatisfied.

Quick quotes

    I found The Gifts of Imperfection to be empty because Brown has sourced everything from the self, turning the self into a god— a god that will ...

    The book's message is not as profound as it claims to be.

    I was left feeling unsatisfied and uninspired by the book's content.

The Juniper Co · 2022-08-10
inspiring 4.00

The book teaches us how to live a wholehearted life by embracing our imperfections and vulnerabilities. It offers practical advice and insights that can be applied to daily life.

The reviewer found the book to be a valuable guide to living a more authentic and wholehearted life. They appreciated the practical advice and insights offered, particularly the integration stage where they realized they were already cultivating some of the recommended practices. The reviewer believes that the book's emphasis on embracing imperfections and vulnerabilities is a powerful message that can resonate with many readers. They found the book to be both inspiring and actionable, making it a worthwhile read for anyone seeking personal growth.

Quick quotes

    The Gifts of Imperfection teaches us how to live a wholehearted life.

    And to do that, we need to embrace our imperfections, flaws and vulnerabilities.

    The integration stage of the book was useful in that I learned that I am already “cultivating” in some areas, such as knowing my personal values.

Bound2Books · 2022-03-08
powerful 4.25

The book is a powerful exploration of shame and its impact on our lives, offering practical advice for embracing imperfection. It is a self-help book that resonates with everyone as we all experience shame in some form.

The reviewer highlights that the book centres on the theme of shame and how it affects our lives. They found the book to be a powerful exploration of this often overlooked emotion, offering practical advice and insights for embracing imperfection. The reviewer believes that this book is a must-read for anyone looking to understand and overcome the shame that holds us back. They appreciate the author's research and personal anecdotes, making the book both relatable and informative.

Quick quotes

    Brené Brown's work centres a lot on shame and how it affects our lives.

    Her book is definitely a self-help book for anyone really because everyone is affected by shame.

    Everyone is affected by shame in some form, and this book is a great starting point to understand and overcome it.

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