Sound of a Silver Horn: Reclaiming the Heroism in Contemporary Women's Lives (Hardcover)

~ Kathleen, Ph.D. Noble (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Prescinding from the male model of hero, psychologist Noble invites an examination of the lives of 35 women from the perspective of the heroic quest. The female hero's journey, as exemplified in their stories and that of the personal/spiritual odyssey of the author, is sparsely peopled with role models and allies. In Noble's words, "If the male hero has 'a thousand faces,' as Campbell claimed, the female hero has virtually none." Her purpose is to construct a female hero myth that allows women to perceive themselves as "heroes of their own lives, authors of their own stories." A panorama of contemporary women in diverse settings--a Catholic convent, an African American household--shows the various subjects at different points on their heroic journey, all cultivating potential that other women can emulate to similarly transform their lives. Never strident, this is a stimulating contribution to literature on women's psychological and spiritual development. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Noble describes the hero's journey, about which so many authors, including Joseph Campbell, Carol Pearson, and Katherine Pope, have written. Noble, a teacher and practising psychologist, approaches her subject with a sense of connection and often refers to her own painful personal journey. Her female hero does not take the various forms (e.g., wanderer, warrior, martyr, and magician) that Pearson's hero does in The Hero Within (HarperCollins, 1986) but instead tackles dragons that women in particular must slay in order to proceed with their initiation and transformation. Noble's ingenuousness is refreshing, and her empathetic writing is a joy to read. She believes that spirituality is one of the characteristics that gifted women possess, allowing them to transform themselves and bring something back to the world from their heroic journeys. Recommended for all libraries.
- Paula N. Arnold, Vermont Coll. Lib., Norwich Univ., Montpelier
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Diane Pub Co (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0788198904
• ISBN-13: 978-0788198908
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,380,262 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly inspirational book!, March 26, 2000

By	"gree" (San Jose, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sound of a Silver Horn: Reclaiming the Heroism in Contemporary Women's Lives (Paperback)

Kathleen Noble has written an absolutely outstanding book for women! This book is both eye-opening and inspiring. Noble points out that while we are at times virtually inundated with examples of male heroes, examples of the female hero can be few and far between. She tells both her own story and those of other women, and in the doing, gives faces to true female heroes. She also lays out a veritable bluprint for women to reclaim their own heroism and truly chart their own path. I return to this book again and again, and recommend it to all intelligent women!