3 stars
Date of review: July 27, 2026
Brené Brown’s I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) is a book about shame and its impact, written in a way that doesn’t feel heavy or textbook-like, even though it is grounded in research. I appreciated how she interwove stories, anecdotes, and her own vulnerable experiences, which made the ideas feel relatable and easy to apply to everyday life. The examples she shared are great for helping readers recognise how shame shows up in their own lives. I found her attention to cultural and social influences to be especially important in the conversation about shame.
At the same time, I found the book somewhat underwhelming. While the accessibility of the writing made it a quick and easy read, many of the concepts struck me as quite obvious, and I didn’t experience the sense of inspiration or illumination I often hope for in a book like this. Although it offers a solid introduction to understanding shame, I would recommend it more for beginners than for those already familiar with how shame operates in their own lives. It’s worth noting that this book primarily explores women’s experiences of shame, with a shorter section on men included towards the end (this shouldn’t deter men from reading it, but it does mean the content may feel more directly applicable to women).
Personally, I didn’t find this book especially groundbreaking or particularly well written, and I would look to more advanced or nuanced work for a deeper exploration of the topic.
I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) by Brené Brown is available to purchase from Amazon UK
