Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

In Chapter 1, Brown makes an explicit connection between her own early experiences of belonging and the sense of belonging she is exploring in her research and books. Is this background information helpful in understanding her underlying thesis? Why do you think she includes these stories in introducing her book?

Angelou’s quote on belonging—“You are only free when you realize you belong no place—you belong every place—no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great” (5)—is open to multiple interpretations. Do you agree with Brown’s initial reaction to the quote—that it cannot be a good thing to belong nowhere? Or do you agree with her later (re)reading—that we can belong nowhere and everywhere? Are both statements valid, conditional, or both?

Throughout the book, Brown makes oblique references to spirituality and the desire for spiritual belonging, though she clarifies this is “in no way a religious struggle around dogma and denominations” (34). Why do you think she doesn’t include the topic of religion in a more direct and complete way? Is her thesis on true belonging complete without additional, explicit data on the role spirituality and/or religion play in true belonging practice?