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By David Whyte When the Heart Breaks: A Journey Through Requited and Unrequited Love
The Courage to Embrace the Gifts and Losses in LifeIf you never knew disappointment, would you ever grow? If you had never felt loss, could you have compassion for another? Without real heartache, would you ever know the greatness of love? On When the Heart Breaks , David Whyte invites you to join him in an investigation of a question that rests at the center of human experience. With a poet’s insight into the landscape of the soul, he offers a deeply moving exploration of how we experience beauty and loss―and how with resilience and time we can rise again each time we are broken.“There is no path we can walk that will not take us through some form of heartbreak,” David Whyte tells us. “And to accept that truth is to give a merciful gift to ourselves.” So often our hearts break because the love we offer―whether to a partner, a friend, a child, our work, or a place―is not returned to us in the same way. Yet if we retreat from the experience of unrequited love, we miss the opportunity to discover the countless invisible ways that the world offers us its love in return, often unlooked for and unrecognized.Being fully open to both joy and sadness, says David Whyte, helps us to develop a more beautiful mind―a mind that embraces the hidden riches of life. We learn to apprentice ourselves to the great and small difficulties that test the edges of our identity and lead us into greater and greater understanding. With words to inspire laughter, courage, and deep reflection, David Whyte invites you to join him in the great conversation that takes us into the exquisite vulnerability of the unknown―the way a heartbreak can make us more humble, more aware, and expand our ability to love.
Unknown Binding
First published September 1, 2012
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129 people want to read
About the author
David Whyte
85 books1,551 followersPoet David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
The author of seven books of poetry and three books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.
His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.
An Associate Fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford, he is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. In spring of 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Neumann College, Pennsylvania.
In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and engagement; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.
The author of seven books of poetry and three books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.
His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.
An Associate Fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford, he is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. In spring of 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Neumann College, Pennsylvania.
In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and engagement; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 25, 2025
Insightful and Perceptive.
Listened to the audiobook in one sitting and enjoyed it lots. Nourishing for the mind/ soul. David’s ability to carefully select language and articulate difficult concepts surrounding emotion, loss, grief, suffering, meaning is both satisfying and informative.
Definitely enjoyed the richness of his oration and prose. If I could retain 1/10th of his vernacular, understanding, and complexity I’d be much wiser for it. Looking forward to a day where my perspective is remotely close to matching his balanced intellectual / emotional framing or at least the ability to recite an iota of poetry from memory. Excited to explore his other work and poetry. Will be returning to this for remedial understanding of the many self-evident truths he dissects, illuminates and simplifies.
Resonated with me.
Listened to the audiobook in one sitting and enjoyed it lots. Nourishing for the mind/ soul. David’s ability to carefully select language and articulate difficult concepts surrounding emotion, loss, grief, suffering, meaning is both satisfying and informative.
Definitely enjoyed the richness of his oration and prose. If I could retain 1/10th of his vernacular, understanding, and complexity I’d be much wiser for it. Looking forward to a day where my perspective is remotely close to matching his balanced intellectual / emotional framing or at least the ability to recite an iota of poetry from memory. Excited to explore his other work and poetry. Will be returning to this for remedial understanding of the many self-evident truths he dissects, illuminates and simplifies.
Resonated with me.
May 23, 2015
If your are truly alive. Your heart will be broken.
The fantasy is always that you will avoid the loss and grief that every other human being that has ever lived has suffered.
Suffering is human. But not all suffering is empty of meaning. And every loss contains the seed of growth and adaptive change.
The Ordinary Mind sees setbacks as setbacks. When the car breaks down in the mountains on the road to Damascus, the Ordinary Mind thinks "God dammit I knew I should've rented the SUV".
The Beautiful Mind experiences setbacks as opportunities for growth engendering insight. When the car breaks down in the mountains on the road to Damascus, the Beautiful Mind experiences a revelation.
If you're familiar with David Whyte's stuff, than you won't find much new in this collection. It's his same ol' wonderful ol' stuff, just with an emphasis on love and loss.
Wonderful, deep, inspirational, remedial stuff.
The fantasy is always that you will avoid the loss and grief that every other human being that has ever lived has suffered.
Suffering is human. But not all suffering is empty of meaning. And every loss contains the seed of growth and adaptive change.
The Ordinary Mind sees setbacks as setbacks. When the car breaks down in the mountains on the road to Damascus, the Ordinary Mind thinks "God dammit I knew I should've rented the SUV".
The Beautiful Mind experiences setbacks as opportunities for growth engendering insight. When the car breaks down in the mountains on the road to Damascus, the Beautiful Mind experiences a revelation.
If you're familiar with David Whyte's stuff, than you won't find much new in this collection. It's his same ol' wonderful ol' stuff, just with an emphasis on love and loss.
Wonderful, deep, inspirational, remedial stuff.
November 26, 2019
I found it a difficult listen to focus on. The author seemed to have read to an audience so there was frequent laughter from them and of course, the author laughed all too often and for too long to enjoy the oration. I'm afraid I didn't enjoy the poetry one bit. It could be just me as many readers have enjoyed the book.
July 21, 2018
This is David Whyte at his best. I wish it had been 10x longer as his stories, poetry and prose inspires me and reminds me of the deeper world. He shares about his friendship with John O’Donoghue in this and it is beautiful.
August 5, 2018
I listened to this by audio download; it's absolutely beautiful! I'm become an avid fan having listened to this for the first time. Highly recommended to those who have to live with difficult things, those who at times struggle, and those who wish to rise... and all who love an Irish accent!
July 19, 2021
Wonderful and wise about creativity and friendship and the journey through life and how to navigate it. Whyte's own poetry and his love of poetry by others shines through the narrative and is like the best sort of conversation with someone you love very much
October 24, 2022
An unexpected source of deep comfort and inspiration at a dark time in my life.
March 8, 2024
Will go back to this often.
March 2, 2022
Ugh. LOVE David Whyte. Should be required reading.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews