The Way of the Wild Heart: A Map for the Masculine Journey (Hardcover)

by John Eldredge (Author)
Key Phrases: masculine journey, masculine initiation, unfinished men, Spirit of God, The Lord of the Rings, Cowboy Ranger (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
According to Eldredge, whose book Wild at Heart has been a fixture on the CBA and PW's monthly religion bestseller lists, Christian men have lost their way. How can the church empower its men to find that path of spiritual growth that will enable them to grow up into the image of God? Eldredge, founder and director of Ransomed Heart Ministries in Colorado Springs, Colo., attempts to answer this question in this helpful guide, a praxis-oriented follow-up volume to Wild at Heart. He begins with the observation that "God is a God of process," then identifies six stages through which men pass in their life journeys: boyhood, cowboy, warrior, lover, king and sage. Eldredge describes typical behaviors that occur in each stage, and illustrates them with examples primarily from the Bible but also from secular biographies, popular films and legends. He views the transition from one stage to another as a time when "something in us needs to be dismantled and something needs to be healed," a form of damage control that allows men to advance along Eldredge's "map." Eldredge insists that the church has not served its male population well and calls for greater insight into the masculine journey. (Nov.)
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Product Description

I can fix it. I don't need directions. I can figure this out on my own. These thoughts that erupt from a man's bravado, from his deep urge to be a real man. Yet underneath this, there is a louder voice countering, You can't. You're not capable. You're weak. Many men-possibly all men-face two looming questions at some point in their life. What does it mean to be a man, and am I one?

The Way of the Wild Heart reaches out to "unfinished men" trying to understand and live their role as men and fathers. Exploring six biblically based stages, John Eldredge initiates men into a new understanding and ownership of their manhood and equips them to effectively lead their sons to manhood.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785206779
• ISBN-13: 978-0785206774
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,770 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Men Headed this Way, October 16, 2006

By	Kevin Miles (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mark Twain once said, "Most men die at 27, we just bury them at 72." John Eldredge is a master at explaining this puzzling quote from Mark Twain with his newest book, The Way of the Wild Heart.

Eldredge says that in our technologically advanced/post-industrial revolution world, we have "Unfinished" or "Uninitiated" men. By this he means that we men can get spiritually stuck in an earlier stage of our development, even though we continue to mature physically. There are six stages of masculine maturity according to Eldredge, ranging from Boyhood, Cowboy/Ranger, Warrior, Lover, King, and the Sage. As a man grows, he can get wounded at one of the earlier stages, and never grow out of it, so he never fully realizes his God-given potential.

Fans of Wild at Heart will draw strength from each page, and it will be hard for a man to put this book down. Eldredge has not only grown as an author in my opinion, but this book is backed up with solid scripture that drives home his points.

This is a book that I will go back to again and again as I raise my son and have influence over those in the next generation. This is a must-read for any man, and especially those working with men.

It's time for all men to follow the Way of the Wild Heart, and raise our sons to do the same.

Our world will forever be grateful.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild at Heart II, March 26, 2007

By	Scott Knudsen (Air Ronge, Saskatchewan Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having read the first half of the book, I was starting to think it was more of an in-depth work book of 'Wild at Heart'. But then I started learning new things that made the whole book worth while reading.

It only takes one paragraph from a book like this to help a man bring parts of his life into perspective that he has been struggling with. 'Wild at Heart' did this for me and now 'The Way of the Wild Heart' has also enlightened me on certain subjects that I was not getting answers on from elsewhere.

Thank-you John Eldredge for stepping out and publishing a very personal book like this. I know your books have touched many a man's heart, and have also shown them what it takes to raise their son's to become men of God.

I would urge you to overlook the negative reviews of this book. I really don't think the negative reviewers understand what the author is trying to get across. This book is not the definite guide book to being a man, nor does the author want you to feel that way. Even though he heavily explores an important aspect of being a man, he does not leave out the other ones. In fact he does a good job of covering all the different aspects that the negative reviewers are saying he rejects!

The readers are not only shown how to implement what is shown in this book into their lives, but into their sons lives.

I would encourage all men, religious or non-religious, fathers or not, to read this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblical Imagery of Masculine Spirituality, August 21, 2007

By	David R. Bess (Charleston, WV) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've read Eldredge's first book, Wild at Heart, and believe he has as good of a work here if not better. Wild at Heart is a pre-requisite to gain the most benefit from this volume. Even without having read the first title however, Eldredge here will resonate with many Christian male readers.

I simply don't understand how other reviewers can say this book is shallow on its Biblical content -- I don't believe I have seen a better analogy to the life of David in any other work. The masculine journey, according to Eldredge, begins first at boyhood, then progresses to the cowboy, then warrior, lover, king and finally sage. While the author doesn't bluntly offer chapter and verse for the ideas he shares, anyone familiar with the life of David can see clearly the parallels.

I recommend this book to all Christian men. Grandfathers, fathers, and sons alike will all find something here to inspire to walk closer to God and to develop much-needed relationships with other Christian men. This title is well-worth the price.