A Mini Instruction Manual for the Soul - Brave Enough

One star is for the one quote in the book that for me was enlightening and memorable:

"It's the most basic, essential, beginning stories that so much of our lives are written. Who loved you best? What made you finally believe in yourself? From what garden or pot or crack in the pavement did you grow? How did you get your water?"

For me the answer to all these questions was from the unconditional and steadfast love of my mother and grandmother and my Faith.

Very disappointed in this book. I watched the author on Oprah, who is not one of my normal forums. I was so excited to order this book right away and willing to wait since it was out of stock. It wasn't what I was expecting at all and personally wouldn't suggest it to anyone. The insights of the author make absolutely no sense to me. Personally I won't read another of her books.

Although titled "Brave Enough," this book is very self calming and warming. I found myself wanting to be kind to others and me! I am a chronic pain patient and during painful times can go back to painful events. When I pick this wonder up, I draw in a breath of comfort. It is easy to read and tote around for a quick "pick me up."

I saw the Super Soul Sunday interview with Cheryl - and being a fellow lover of quotes I purchased. I'm pretty disappointed. I've found only a handful that resonate--the rest are not groundbreaking and a little too rough around the edges with the language.

**correction** I didn't find ANY that resonated.

I need to stop listening to Oprah.

I found the constant use of swear words extremely annoying. Swearing to me shows a lack of creativity.

I had hoped for simple enlightened truths, but found some truths mixed with trash. I also found the contstanly changing print size and random bolding of words distracting.

I loved Chery's book , Wild", but sadly only about a fourth of the quotes in this collection were something I wished to ponder or treasure.

I love this little book & I love Cheryl Strayed's real-ness. I believe that being real is when you speak from your soul. Cheryl does this "soul-speak" in a way most of us can't. Sometimes she curses & she def drops f-bombs from time to time. But it's not gratuitous cussing, it's speaking her truth. If you've never read her writing & are easily put off by swearing, this book isn't for you. However, if you know her writing & have been moved by her Dear Sugar columns, you'll dig this book. You'll read it in a hour & some of the quotes will hit you hard, right in the heart. I'm getting copies for my sisters & girlfriends for Mother's Day.

I love this little book & I love Cheryl Strayed's real-ness. I believe that being real is when you speak from your soul. Cheryl does this "soul-speak" in a way most of us can't. Sometimes she curses & she def drops f-bombs from time to time. But it's not gratuitous cussing, it's speaking her truth. If you've never read her writing & are easily put off by swearing, this book isn't for you. However, if you know her writing & have been moved by her Dear Sugar columns, you'll dig this book. You'll read it in a hour & some of the quotes will hit you hard, right in the heart. I'm getting copies for my sisters & girlfriends for Mother's Day.

When I face a challenging situation, Cheryl strayed is the voice I hear in my head, guiding me out of the darkness into the light. Her wisdom is inspiring, the perfect combination of compassionate and accepting no bulls***. We only have one life. Cheryl reminds me to make the most of it, even when it's hard.

I loved TBT. Although Brave Enough is mostly comprised of quotes from that book, I wanted to own a copy. I actually bought a few extra copies to give as gifts. The color of the jacket is beautiful and the ribbon bookmark is a nice touch. I highly recommend this book!

There is nothing not to like about this book. Everyone loves an inspirational quote. This will become one of "those" books for me. A book I give for gifts, a book I constantly refer to, a book I keep a copy of in my bathroom and on my nightstand. Others in this category: the book of awakening and the four agreements. Short, sweet, to the point. Even non-readers will read and love this book.

I heard this author speak as a guest on TV...and so I bought 3 copies of the book to give to my nieces for graduation...however, I never would have guessed that the book contain swear words...bad language...why I have no idea...but I did return the book. I am grateful that I saw one word in particular before I sent the books out & I am grateful that the store makes it so easy to return items.

I have always liked quotes- I collect them, repost them, print them and hang them on my walls- they are like the sound bites of an interesting life. I like deep thoughts and the people who think them. I am fascinated by people who can articulate them and Cheryl Strayed is one such person. My only complaint is that it isn't long enough. But- it could go on forever and it wouldn't be long enough.

Who knew you could make millions from publishing memes with no animation? This book is a fun gift to give, but I wouldn't recommend gifting it to an avid reader as it is far too short, and lacks any focus or organization. It is a good book to give someone who prefers to pick a book up once a week and keep reading without losing momentum, because one page does not necessarily lead to the next: the entire book is pages of random quotes.

The hardcover is a neon-bright green with a woven-like texture, and is small enough to carry in a medium to large sized purse. The inside cover is perfectly bare, and smooth, for scribbling on with a sharpie. I find the book to be interesting, yet I am disappointed that each page only has one quote, regardless of length. If a quote is 4 words in length, she bloats the text to fit the page. The fonts are a different size and style on nearly every page. This can be fun and cute, but is probably not what one wants when seeking inspirational content with real depth, or rational advice.

This book reminds me of a last minute college paper: lots of flare to overpower the lackluster content. The quotes are claimed to be 100% original, and because she's not exactly the most elegant poet, or a philosopher, they tend come off as abrasive, juvenile, and meme-like. Ironically, many of the quotes have vulgar use of words in them, deeming it inappropriate for certain ages or lifestyles.

Overall, Brave Enough is an okay, campy book to gift, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over not getting the chance to read it. I plan on gifting my copy away, because it doesn't belong tenderly parked on the bookshelf along side my literary pieces. If I want to read random, shallow and sometimes offensive quotes (which I sometimes do!), I have Google and the world -wide interwebs, for free, at my fingertips. I am not reviewing the author, as I have not read any of her other work. This review is solely on the book itself.

I love this little green book. I read little bits while waiting for my tea to brew. Excellent reminders of how to see yourself and others, and some good little giggles like "we were all sluts in the 90's".

I became aware of this book after hearing about it on Oprah’s Podcast; which I really enjoy. I rated it a 3 only because I have read over 260 books and it by far wasn’t the very best but also not the worst. It’s a simple quick read (1hr) with a handful of good take aways.

Very disappointing. I had hopes that this book would be filled with sayings that would inspire and/or make me feel good. It did nothing of the sort. I also got tired of her is using the "F" bomb, which was completely unnecessary.

I am very disappointed in this book. I'm sorry but using the "f" word every other sentence gets old. Inspiring, not at all, creative, no, Shame on her for publishing such trash. The only book I have ever returned!

I purchased this book as a gift for a friend. I thought that a book full of strong motivational quotes would suit this person very well. As I scanned the book before giving it, I happened to come across a quote that did not strike me as "Brave" at all. The quote referred to God as a ruthless b****. The context at which Cheryl speaks is irrelevant in my opinion as it is very straight forward. I do not care how many quotes Cheryl writes down on paper, her attempt at motivation is nothing compared to the motivation that you can gain from God. God is all I need for motivation and putting down God will accomplish the opposite in my opinion. If you are looking for life motivation, then I strongly suggest you look elsewhere. There is another book that can provide all the motivation and guidance that you need...

I read this book straight through and I know I'll repeat that process many times in the coming week. The words are intense and they provoke and comfort and challenge their reader.
I recommend this book for any woman at any point in your life, these quotes will mean something different each time you read them. They truly go straight to your heart. Thank you for this compilation of brutality, honesty, comfort and compassion.

This is just a collection of Cheryl's favorite "Cheryl quotes" from her books Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar. If you want the quotes in context (which is a better way to read them, IMHO), read the author's two books instead of this one. I had already read both books, so I'm glad I borrowed this one from my local library and didn't pay money for it..

I'm rolling my eyes as I read some of these. Paraphrasing here: "We don't start at the mountaintop. We start at the bottom and climb to the mountaintop. There will be blood." Really? I'd like to think that people are smart enough, sensible enough, and strong enough to come to these conclusions on their own. And I don't appreciate the EXCESSIVE use of m*****f***er in the introduction. Don't leave this where your kids can find it.

A gathering of quotes from Cheryl Strayed's writing, such as her Dear Sugar columns and Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, this book is full of inspiration and good advice. That said, it's all been said elsewhere, where it had greater context and, with it, more power. While there's plenty of great pithy things to tweet, I think I would have preferred something new from this talented writer.

nothing like her other books. I think she had to write a book (maybe under some obligation) and this is it. very light in substance, full of F word and lacks any passion or positive message.
Classic case of crappy book after a few successful one. Book is not even worth $3.

You know how to read, don't you? Get the WHOLE story by reading Cheryl's other books, which provide context for these quotes in a memorable way - WELL worth your time to do so! THIS book short-changes her wisdom and the impact it can have on you.

This isn't a novel, it's a small pocket-sized book of Cheryl Strayed's best known quotes. I love it and will keep it in a place where I can flip through it. I'm a huge Cheryl Strayed fan and appreciate this little bright green hardback reminder of to be strong and take care of yourself, but I will continue to eagerly await new writing from her.

Amazingly thoughtful, inspiring quotes that leave you thinking hard about your life and its direction. I've never read a book through twice in a row, but am starting to read it again to digest all of what I've just been taught about life and how best to approach its ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies. A must read!

I thought this was a fine book. It's like having a friend encouraging me on with good advice I may or may not want to hear. I read this after reading Wild -- I understand the reviews here that say it may be less relatable out of context. I encourage those readers to read Wild too.

Super disappointed. Book sounded so inspiring and I picked it up for my daughter. Once I started reading it myself, there's no way I would give it to her with all the language bombs. It's not even necessary and lowers the class of the author to me. I understand many people might not agree, but my review is based on my convictions and the fact that there may be other people who don't subscribe to that kind of verbiage either. Some quotes were good but definitely not worth the price of the book for me.

We all have experienced the ups and downs of life. Sometimes it incredibly hard to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes we are incredibly hard on ourselves and others. How I wish this book had been written during the hardest times of my life.

I highlighted the hell out of this book. I'll retread it again and again. I love her writing. It's also something i want to past to other people when they're down and out. It's gonna be okk. Even when it feels like it's not.

I am a bonafide quote collector and so Cheryl Strayed's Brave Enough was the book that I absolutely needed!

Read the full review here: http://marieslist.com/why-brave-enough-by-cheryl-strayed-is-the-perfect-coffee-table-book/

I so regret purchasing this book! I bought it based off of Oprah's review when she interviewed Cheryl on Super Soul Sunday. This is the first book that I was so disgusted by that I actually ripped pages out and threw them in the trash. They were so offensive. She uses profanity in such a way that it distracted from her point. The quote that I found most offensive and upsetting was when she refers to God as a ruthless B. I'd initially planned on giving this book to my daughter for inspiration but will NOT do so now. There are many other inspirational books out there that I would be proud to share with my children and my friends. I sincerely hope that this language is not the trend to come from future writers. The only reason I give her 2 stars instead of 1 is because a few of the quotes are good.

I think if anyone liked Wild, they will like this and really you don't need to know anything about Wild or Cheryl to enjoy this. I read it each morning as a kind of inspiration and have given it as a gift to my girlfriends for the same reason. Good daily motivation.

I love the way Cheryl Strayed is so utterly human. How she helps me to remember that I, too, am only human and full of mistakes and triumphs. I look forward to posting many of these quotes on mirrors, under pillows and on my frig!

Was going to give these as gifts, but being the "F" word is mentioned more than once, I don't feel it is appropriate to give as a gift. Very disappointed, especially since Oprah had author on her show and I was very impressed with her interview and thought the book sounded great. In fact Oprah said she gives it as gifts. Sorry, I just don't feel right giving to graduates with that kind of language printed.

I love quotes. I collect them and cherish them. This book is filled with Cheryl's wonderful and insightful quotes. I love it! It is one of those books you carry around after you read it.. and just hug it close..

Was going to give these as gifts, but being the "F" word is mentioned more than once, I don't feel it is appropriate to give as a gift. Very disappointed, especially since Oprah had author on her show and I was very impressed with her interview and thought the book sounded great. In fact Oprah said she gives it as gifts. Sorry, I just don't feel right giving to graduates with that kind of language printed.

I love quotes. I collect them and cherish them. This book is filled with Cheryl's wonderful and insightful quotes. I love it! It is one of those books you carry around after you read it.. and just hug it close..

such an inspirational book I've learned so much from it and would definitely recommend this one to others. Another one that I would recommend is "the hunter's rifle" it's such an inspirational piece like this one the first three chapter can be read for free at http://chez-moi.myfreesites.net/

What is it with Strayed and motherf~r?

Near the end of the Introduction she writes "At my book signings it's become a common request that I inscribe copies of Tiny Beautiful Things with variations on my 'Write like a motherf~r quote.' Engineer like a motherf~r, I've written. Mother like a motherf~r. Teach like a motherf~r. Doctor like a motherf~r. And my favorite of all: Do everything like a motherf~r."

The last words of the Introduction are "I hope this book serves that purpose for you. Read it like a motherf~r."

I liked "Wild," I loved "Tiny Beautiful Things," and I think Strayed is one of the wisest people on the planet after hearing about twenty episodes of Dear Sugar.

So I must be missing something about her use of the term motherf~r. To me it's obscene, another coarsening of our culture. Worst of all for a writer, she's not effectively conveying meaning with it. This reader has no idea what "Read it like a motherf~r" means.

It can't be Strayed, it must be me. But I sure wish she'd outgrow this childish infatuation with potty mouth. I'd also ask her to apologize for having inflicted it on us.

About the book itself: I looked at a few pages at random, and none of them were profound or enjoyable. Probably a reflection of the sour taste I got from the book's introduction.

It occurs to me that most readers of the book and therefore this review will be females. Is this what the feminist movement of the 1960s -- which I generally support -- gave us? The right to be as profane as an inner-city pimp?

For whatever it's worth, I spent 36 years on active duty in the US Army, and it wasn't in the Chaplain Corps. Very little shocks me. But Strayed disappoints me. She's smart enough to know better.

Tried to download a sample of the Kindle version, and it gave me nothing but the title page and a few others, but none of the book, and I have purchased many books after reading the sample. I definitely won't be buying this one.