Helping men rediscover their masculine heart, this guide to understanding Christian manhood and Christian men offers a refreshing break from the chorus of voices urging men to be more responsible, reliable, dutiful… and dead. God designed men to be dangerous, says John Eldredge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every boy: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires-aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a "nice guy." It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death. In this provocative book, now available in trade paper, Eldredge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and gives men permission to be what God designed them to be-dangerous, passionate, alive, and free.
Average Rating: 3 out of 5 stars(3 out of 5 stars)
6 of 6 Reviews Showing:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Brenda Gilbert (London, KY), October 19, 2009
This is a book that every Mom and Dad should read for the sake of their sons. It is also a book that every man and woman should read to accept the masculine side. I recommend this book highly I have enjoyed reading this book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by mary jo perry (brandon ms), June 05, 2009
I don't want to take away from the efforts of the reviewers here who have made obvious efforts to theologically dissect the accuracy of every detail this book. The heart of the book is the heart of a man, and describe it to a "T" is what the author has done. My husband has read it, and I have read it. We found it to be profoundly validating and it gave my husband the freedom to be who and what God created him to be. It changed his heart from self-focus and self-pity, to freedom to biblically love and serve his family. This book was a turning point in his life as a husband and father. Yes, this book is what men want to hear, and what they NEED to hear. I want to buy a CASE and give them to every hurting man I know, and to every father I know!!! Thank you John Eldredge!! BTW, (in response to a prior review)God does, in fact take risks when He allows us to choose good or evil. He risks loosing us forever to Satan. If He didn't take risks, He would force and control everything we do. He wouldn't have allowed Adam to sin. He wouldn't have put that tree in the Garden. But He did and it was, in fact, a risk. Highly recommend this book.
0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Chris B (Houston, TX), March 27, 2009
There is so many things wrong with this study on so many levels, I hardly know where to start.Wild at Heart is mainly focused on self and self-centered ideas. John Eldredge lives vicariously in a rampant manor through pop-culture movies which he relies on much more than scripture.
I believe Eldredge “quotes scripture” in an irresponsible way by taking scripture out of context and many times only quoting portions of scripture which puts the text out of context.. Eldredge seems to be the king of eisegesis.
Problems from the very beginning:
1. Eldredge starts out with “The heart of a man is like deep water” -Proverbs 20:5 NKJV
However, he left out the beginning and the end which reads “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” >>> Text before and after the quote is missing! I think this saying that a wise man has to reach way down deep (to his councilor) for strong discernment skills; completely taken out of context.
2. 2nd quote is from Howard Macey
“The spiritual life cannot be made suburban. It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.” –Howard Macey
“Rejoice that it remains untamed” to me says ‘without control’. Does Eldredge’s words about spiritual life even come close to what the bible tells us about our spiritual life?.
3. 3rd thing in his book is a quote from Cole Porter from “Don’t Fence Me In”.
“I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences Don't fence me in.”-Cole Porter "Don't Fence Me In"
Cole Porter was an American songwriter and composer (1891 to 1964); he had homosexual relationships and was badly injured in a horse riding accident.
This is just the beginning of chap.1. How about chap.2 where he wants you to stand in front of the mirror NAKED and stare at yourself for 5 minutes...and on it goes.
This book is a horribly unscriptural study.
0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Rob McMichael (Flint, TX), March 21, 2009
Not sure what book the others who reviewed this were reading. However, it is safe to say that if one who reads this book is not discerning, that one can easily be enamored with Eldredge's ideas. This is a deplorable book about Eldredge's fetish with Hollywood movies, a heterodoxal view of God, and an inadequate view of Scripture--not to mention that the author is quite good at eisegesis, not exegesis! I never can determine who or what Eldredge thinks the ultimate authority is in life. (Perhaps he doesn't know either.) At times he quotes the Bible; at other times he quotes movies or other secular works (books & poetry). Ergo, his view of Scripture is somewhat nebulous--not a good paradigm to discuss the ethos of man. And, as it follows, his view of man suggests that we extend blame to other things--a type of self pity. His view of God the Father and Jesus falls dangerously close to open theism. He writes that God 'takes risks'. This is defiantly un-Biblical. His view of Jesus is as imbalanced as his view of God the Father. I will say that Eldredge does some good by presenting Jesus as an example of manhood. However, he falls short by giving an incomplete picture of Who Christ is: a man who provided mercy and who was meek and who brought ultimate atonement for a fallen & depraved mankind. This is another attempt to provide readers in a postmodern society what they want to hear or read. It is not a Biblical portrait of mankind, God the Father, or Jesus.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Mark (Fort Lauderdale Florida), August 31, 2008
Excellent book. I really appreciated his honesty, too often I find Christian Leaders making comments that I believe are led by what others want to hear and not necessarily what the Spirit has spoken to them. If we as leaders desire to be conduits for His word than we must be open to speaking what He wants. I will not say that the readers should blindly accept all that is written as coming from the Spirit, nor would I ever recommend that we blindly accept any message as complete Truth. We must challenge and research and seek confirmation - these acts will strengthen not only the original message but strengthen our RELATIONSHIP with God.
Summarization: I may agree with everything he said but I truly respected his honesty. This book opened my eyes towards understanding what God has created within me by Him creating me as a man.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Keith (Kinzers, PA), December 24, 2006
Excellent for any man feeling trapped in his everyday routine. Puts into words feelings and things within a man's heart that I didn't even know existed before. Now a lot more about what is deep within a man has been revealed and better known how to deal with.
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