When the Heart Breaks

A Journey Through Requited and Unrequited Love

By: David Whyte

Narrated by: David Whyte

Length: 2 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

If 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 love and loss, and how with resilience and time we can rise again each time we are broken. "No human being has ever lived without knowing heartbreak," David Whyte tells us. "And to accept that truth is to give a merciful gift to ourselves." As David reveals, so often our hearts break because the love we offer - whether to a partner, a friend, a child, or a place - is not returned to us in the same way. Yet if we retreat from experience of unrequited love, he says, we miss the opportunity to discover the countless invisible ways that the world offers us its love in return, often unlooked for and unrecognized.

Understanding heartbreak, 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.

©2012 David Whyte (P)2012 David Whyte

Seeps into your heart slowly and sweetly

David's poetry and humor are so telling of the human experience and human spirit that as he speaks, it's almost as if his words come from inside--from your own heart and soul. Beautiful talk with loving remembrance of the people and places he loves and has loved.

A perfect piece to remember the gift life is during the holidays

This book is a lovely at the station to all the life’s glory. It is wonderful to hear the author and to feel as though we were in his presence for a few hours as he shares such poignant stories of life and love.

A true joy

Such a pleasure to hear David’s stories and poems. Immensely pleasurable and I will listen multiple times again for sure.
A true joy!

Helpful

Can be listened to over and over, David's delivery is full of rich tones, even laughter to set your path forward

Truly Great Poet

David Whyte is one of the best poets of our century. His words are made greater by the deeply moving, perceptive, and humorous voice with which he speaks on this entrancing audio.

Misleading and a bit disappointing

This is a nice collection of stories. Only 1 about heartbreak. Probably not worth $10.

lots of precious little tidbits

a very enjoyable listen, and one of my very first contacts with david whyte. i'm pleasantly surprised

David Whyte is a poetic world treasure!

David Whyte is one of my favorite poets. He speaks deeply and soulfully to life and all it's twists and turns.

Outatanding!

Lyrical, spiritual, deep, passionate, down to earth, laughter & tears as only David Whyte does.

Disappointing

Well he creates an example of what he talking about -disappointment. The guy is too full of himself. Even his discussion at the end of his friend memorial service is dominated by a) " memorial of a great man loved by all - this is just like it will be when I die. " B) "oh and I got to the podium and had prepared nothing (for your dear intimate friend the great man you just take the floor with nothing to say?) and well there was so much expectation because I'm a great poet. And well of course what I did say what came to me (by Spender) just happened to be perfect." Wow - glad that didn't shake your confidence, Buddy. It's not that there is no insight here. It's just that it is so overshadowed by self congratulation.

Superb

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely, and not only those whose souls are freer than others.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It spoke straight to my soul and I felt as if I was singing from my deepest and most beautiful realm.

Very disappointed

Both disappointing and annoying. Lots of repetition and false strained laughter. lost count of the number of times he said “you know “. Completely inaccurate reference to a well known Irish story teller Peig Sayers. Just meandering stream of consciousness with in my view, little of substance or value.

More excellence from this wonderful wonderful man

The title says it all, really. More wonderful insights and poems from this beloved and enlightened man. Food for the soul. Properly nourishing. Listen and be changed again and again.

Wonderful: uplifting and poignant

The words seem to flow, never stale despite the repetive style the author uses. So many clear insights, and useful analogies, delivered with humour and warmth. Encourages poetry and reflection, and a fantastic reminder of our love for stories.

Soothing

Would you consider the audio edition of When the Heart Breaks to be better than the print version?

This is the first time that I have heard David Whyte's poetry and storytelling and I am rushing to buy more of his work. I found it uplifting, calming, reflective and humorous - a wonderful combination.