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Quick answer: If you loved Untamed by Glennon Doyle, try Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes and Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab.
Untamed is Glennon Doyle’s memoir and manifesto about listening to the quiet voice inside, the knowing, even when it leads you away from what everyone expects. It follows her through divorce, falling in love with soccer star Abby Wambach and learning to trust herself instead of the rules she was given. The book became a number one bestseller and a book club favorite for readers who feel they’ve been taught to be good rather than free. The picks below share its honest storytelling, emotional insight and permission to change. They’re mostly memoirs and self-discovery books for adult readers.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love Untamed
Readers love Untamed because it feels like a conversation with a wise, funny friend. Doyle writes short, vivid essays about her marriage, her children, her body and her fears, and each ends with a lesson that feels earned rather than preachy. Her metaphor of the cheetah in a zoo, who was born wild but taught to stay in a cage, has become a shorthand for women who feel stuck. The book also asks readers to question what they’ve inherited, from family expectations to cultural scripts, and to decide what they want. Many readers say it gave them permission to make big changes.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about Untamed: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braving the Wilderness | Brené Brown | Self-help | Belonging and courage |
| Daring Greatly | Brené Brown | Self-help | Vulnerability as strength |
| The Gifts of Imperfection | Brené Brown | Self-help | Letting go of perfectionism |
| Atlas of the Heart | Brené Brown | Self-help | A map of emotions |
| Big Magic | Elizabeth Gilbert | Self-help | Living a creative life |
| Women Who Run With the Wolves | Clarissa Pinkola Estés | Psychology and folklore | Reclaiming wild instincts |
| Maybe You Should Talk to Someone | Lori Gottlieb | Memoir | Therapy and change |
| Year of Yes | Shonda Rhimes | Memoir | Courage in small steps |
| You Are a Badass | Jen Sincero | Self-help | Blunt, funny motivation |
| Set Boundaries, Find Peace | Nedra Glover Tawwab | Self-help | Practical boundary-setting |
| Rising Strong | Brené Brown | Self-help | Getting back up after failure |
| Burnout | Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski | Self-help | Understanding stress |
| The Body Is Not an Apology | Sonya Renee Taylor | Self-help | Radical self-love |
| Becoming | Michelle Obama | Memoir | A story of growth |
| Know My Name | Chanel Miller | Memoir | Voice and resilience |
1. Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown
Brown explores what it means to belong without compromising who you are, drawing on research about connection and loneliness. It’s thoughtful, a little challenging and full of practical ideas about standing alone when you need to.
2. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
Brown’s best-known book explains why vulnerability is the path to connection and courage, using decades of research and personal stories. It’s the book that started many readers on her work.
3. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
A short guide to wholehearted living, with ten guideposts about letting go of what other people think. It’s a gentle, practical starting point for readers new to Brown.
4. Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Brown names and explains eighty-seven emotions and experiences, from stress to awe. It’s useful for readers who want vocabulary for what they feel.
5. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
The author of Eat Pray Love encourages readers to follow their curiosity and make things without fear. It’s playful and generous, with funny stories about the creative process.
6. Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Estés uses myths and fairy tales from many cultures to describe the wild woman archetype and how women can reconnect with their instincts. It’s long and poetic, a classic of its kind.
7. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
A therapist becomes a patient and tells stories about her clients and her own life. It’s warm, funny and wise, with a lot to say about how people change.
8. Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
The TV creator describes how she said yes to everything that scared her for a year and how it changed her life. It’s funny and honest, with a frank voice.
9. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
A swearing, joking guide to changing the beliefs that hold you back, with lots of personal stories. It’s high-energy and popular with readers who dislike stuffy self-help.
10. Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
A therapist explains what boundaries are, why they’re hard to set and how to hold them in family, work and friendships. It’s full of examples and scripts.
11. Rising Strong by Brené Brown
Brown describes the process of falling, getting up and learning from the experience, with stories from her own life. It’s the follow-up to Daring Greatly.
12. Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
The sisters explain how stress works in the body and why women often get stuck in it, with ways to complete the stress cycle. It’s practical and funny.
13. The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Taylor argues that body shame is learned and can be unlearned, and offers a framework for loving our bodies. It’s passionate and thought-provoking.
14. Becoming by Michelle Obama
The former First Lady describes her path from Chicago’s South Side to the White House. It’s warm, honest and inspiring.
15. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Miller writes about her assault, her victim impact statement and her recovery. It’s powerful and beautifully written. Content note: sexual assault.
How to Pick Your Next Read After Untamed
- Want more Brené Brown? Braving the Wilderness and Daring Greatly.
- Want honest memoir? Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and Year of Yes.
- Want practical boundaries? Set Boundaries, Find Peace.
- Want creative inspiration? Big Magic.
- Want something mythic? Women Who Run With the Wolves.
- Want something funny? You Are a Badass.
Is Untamed Memoir or Self-Help?
Untamed is both. It tells Doyle’s own story in chapters that read like personal essays, and it draws general lessons about trust, boundaries and courage that many readers apply to their own lives. If you prefer more story, look at the memoirs in this list, such as Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and Year of Yes. If you want more practical advice, Set Boundaries, Find Peace and Braving the Wilderness offer exercises and frameworks. Mixing the two kinds is a good way to turn inspiration into habit.
More Glennon Doyle
Doyle’s earlier memoirs include Love Warrior, about her marriage and recovery, and Carry On, Warrior, a collection of essays, and she is also the founder of the nonprofit Together Rising and host of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast. Her books and podcast share the same warm, candid voice. Some of her earlier work includes references to her past religious background, which fades in Untamed, so readers who prefer a fully secular approach may enjoy her later writing the most. Her memoirs are best read in publication order to see how her views evolve.
Using Untamed in a Book Club
Untamed is a powerful choice for book clubs, because its stories invite personal sharing. Good questions include: What cages were you taught to stay in? When did you last trust your knowing? How do you balance responsibility to others with your own needs? Which chapter hit you hardest? Remember that Doyle writes about divorce, family and identity, so some members may have strong feelings. Set a tone of kindness and listening, and consider pairing the discussion with a walk or a shared meal.
Journaling Prompts Inspired by the Book
Many readers pair Untamed with a journal. Try writing about a moment when you felt a quiet yes or no in your body, what you were told a good woman does and which of those rules you might drop, and what your own cheetah would do if she were free. You can also list the people you feel most yourself around and what they have in common. These prompts, used for a few minutes a day, can help you notice patterns and make choices that feel true.
A Gentle Four-Week Reading Plan
If you’d like to build on Untamed, try a month of reading. In week one, reread your favorite chapter of Untamed and note what you want to change. In week two, read The Gifts of Imperfection for a short, practical look at perfectionism. In week three, try Set Boundaries, Find Peace and write down one boundary to practice. In week four, read a memoir such as Maybe You Should Talk to Someone or Year of Yes for a lighter, story-driven finish. Pair each week with ten minutes of journaling, and by the end you’ll have a clear sense of what you’d like to keep and what to let go.
When a Self-Help Book Feels Like Too Much
Books about transformation can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially if they bring up old pain. If that happens, pause, take a walk and talk to someone you trust. Remember that you don’t have to make big decisions right after reading, and that real change usually happens in small steps. If you’re dealing with serious distress, a licensed therapist can help far more than a book can. Many authors on this list, including Lori Gottlieb, are therapists themselves and encourage readers to seek support when they need it.
Related: books like Becoming and Big Magic summary and key takeaways.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like Untamed?
Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert are the closest matches, with Maybe You Should Talk to Someone a good memoir pairing.
Is Untamed a memoir?
It is part memoir and part self-help, told in short essays about Doyle’s life.
What is the cheetah story in Untamed?
Doyle describes a cheetah raised in a zoo who lives in a cage even when the door is open, as a metaphor for women who stay in roles they’ve outgrown.
Is Untamed appropriate for teens?
It has mature themes of divorce, infidelity and sexuality, so it’s best for older teens and adults.
What should I read after Untamed?
Try Braving the Wilderness, then Set Boundaries, Find Peace for practical help.