My Review:

Several years ago I read Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton and I recall feeling inspired and moved by her motivating and vulnerable approach to overcoming difficult times and finding love.  Her marriage had some challenges but by the end of the book they worked everything out and they were together and stronger than ever.  As soon as I finished the book I googled Glennon (as I often do look up the author to learn more) and I found that she had just announced she and her husband were separated and she was in a relationship with Abby Wambach, the famous soccer player.  

That powerful book got a lot of press.  It was authentic and true to the author when written, but so much had changed in her life and by the time Love Warrior was released, her truth had evolved.  Doyle was brave to continue moving forward, setting an example to do so as our stories are constantly changing.  We all have the right to tell our truths as they come, and Untamed is the newest edition of Glennon Doyle’s truth.

Glennon has a unique voice which many people find relatable and enjoyable.  Her story is tragic and victorious at the same time.  She was bulimic at 10 years old and as she got older she became an alcoholic.  She got pregnant at 25 and married the father because they decided that was the right thing to do at the time.  They had two other children after that and then he cheated on her.  Once they worked things out, that is when Love Warrior was published.  Then Glennon and her husband, Craig split and she fell in love and married Abby Wambach. Untamed is mostly about her life today, although she revisits her early struggles often, likely to illustrate the grandeur of her success and to make points, although I do get the feeling her struggles with body image, insecurity and anxiety are not over.

I enjoyed many of Glennon’s parenting stories and admire her activist efforts, her ambition and her continual quest for the best of everything.  Her writing is fun and easy to read with a bit of “therapy speak” …sometimes I get the feeling she is regurgitating conversations from therapy sessions so, for me, at times it has a bit of an ingenuous feel to it, but when hearing her speak in interviews, she is clever and charming while speaking off the cuff.  She definitely catches my attention with her stories and I appreciate her energetic personality and many accomplishments.

This is a quick read with some valuable nuggets on living your best life, and being the parent, partner and person you want to be. According to Glennon, she uses her weaknesses to be her superpowers today and channels her sensitivity and anxiety to be a good activist.  Her friend, author Elizabeth Gilbert advised her not to spend her entire life concentrating on helping other people, but Glennon is driven.  She was a grade school teacher, a Christian mommy blogger, and currently the founder and president of Together Rising.  

Glennon is a role model, an advocate for women and actively works to make changes; she has spoken to many women asking them what they want out of life and here is what they said…

I want a minute to take a deep breath.

I want rest, peace, passion.

I want good food and true, wild, intimate sex.

I want relationships with no lies.

I want to be comfortable in my own skin.

I want to be seen, to be loved.

I want joy and safety for my children and for everyone else’s children.

I want justice for all.

I want help, community, and connection.

I want to be forgiven, and I want to finally forgive.

I want enough money and power to stop feeling afraid.

I want to find my purpose down here and live it out fully.

I want to look at the news and see less pain, more love.

I want to look at the people in my life and really see them and love them.

I want to look in the mirror and really see myself.

I want to feel alive.

I enjoyed Untamed and recommend it.

Glennon Doyle Ted Talk 2013

2020 Instagram Interview with Katie Couric

Goodreads Summary

 

About the Author

Glennon Doyle is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers UNTAMED (a Reese’s Book Club selection) and LOVE WARRIOR ( an Oprah’s Book Club selection), as well as the New York Times bestseller CARRY ON, WARRIOR. An activist and thought leader, Glennon is the founder and president of Together Rising, an all-women led nonprofit organization that has revolutionized grassroots philanthropy – raising over $25 million for women, families, and children in crisis. She lives in Florida with her wife and three children.

Follow Glennon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and sign up for her email updates here: http://eepurl.com/OiRan.