Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge is a truly powerful and transformative book that speaks directly to the heart of every man who desires to live a life of true purpose and passion. Eldredge skillfully weaves together personal anecdotes, biblical truths, and practical advice to guide men on a journey towards discovering their true identity as sons of God.One of the things I appreciate most about this book is Eldredge's honest and vulnerable writing style. He doesn't shy away from addressing the struggles and wounds that many men carry with them, whether it be from childhood experiences, relationships, or societal expectations. By sharing his own journey of healing and growth, Eldredge creates a safe space for readers to reflect on their own stories and begin the process of healing.Another aspect of Wild at Heart that I found particularly compelling is Eldredge's emphasis on the importance of embracing masculinity in all its fullness. In a culture that often downplays or distorts the value of manhood, Eldredge's words are a breath of fresh air. He encourages men to embrace their strengths, passions, and desires, while also acknowledging their vulnerabilities and limitations. This balanced approach to masculinity is both empowering and liberating.One of the most impactful chapters of the book is when Eldredge delves into the concept of a man's deepest desires. He argues that every man longs for adventure, battle, and a beauty to rescue. While these desires may seem clichéd or outdated to some, Eldredge argues that they are deeply rooted in the core of a man's being. By acknowledging and embracing these desires, men can live more fully and authentically.Overall, I cannot recommend Wild at Heart highly enough. Whether you are a man struggling to find your way in a world that often feels confusing and overwhelming, or someone who simply wants to better understand the men in your life, this book has something valuable to offer. Eldredge's message is one of hope, healing, and restoration, and I am confident that it will resonate with readers for years to come.

Geez, we have some stinkin theologians tearing this book apart. Take this book for what it is and don't try to overanalyze it. I see this book as a wonderful insight into one man's heart about his journey with God and his family. He is a MAN and not one of us has a perfect understanding of who God is. But I think John has garnered some great insights over the years that can be helpful to us. Yes, check them against Scripture by all means. But I don't think this book is off the deep end by any stretch of the imagination. I think way to many people try to tear apart Christian books rather than seeing what in the book can be beneficial to your relationship with God. Personally, what John shared resonated with my heart.One premise of this book that resonated with my heart was that what God wants with us is communion. I have heard other authors say our purpose is to glorify God. I heard this book saying that our purpose is to commune with God and in doing so we will glorify Him. Pretty radical difference in my mind. Now, this book is not at all saying that the communion can ditch the Scripture and just focus on experience. Not at all! But what you will find refreshing in this book is that it reads well and is deeply personal. In fact, the point is made that the purpose of spiritual disciplines is to connect in a personal way with God. The book is not a dry academic, but is infused with emotion. A lot of people fear emotion because it can be "out of control." This leads to one of the book's many great insights: a lot of our pain and depression comes from our desire to control things rather than walking in faith. The need to control leads to a lot of fear and our inability to trust God when we need to take a little bit of risk. The book points out that many men spend a good deal of time and energy trying to eliminate risk in their life, which keeps us from experiencing real life.This book addresses several significant subjects. It talks about what our true identity is. If you were struggling with the notion of "what am I made for" I would definitely read this book. It addresses the subject of how we were created in God's image in a male and female perspective. In fact, I have recommended this book to many women as well.If you are really struggling right now, I believe this book will speak to your heart and encourage you to see yourself from God's perspective. I went through a rough patch recently and wish I had this book then. Have you ever thought about the fact that in Christ we are a new creation. We are no longer sinners by identity. Grasping this is so huge! When we are struggling, we can remember who we are in Christ and find victory rather than beating our selves up and feeling defeated and hopeless.Second, as a father of three, this is the best book I have read on parenting too. It is not written as a book on parenting, but gave better insight than any book I have ever read (again, think it would be good to read for a mother too).The last thing I want to address is the idea that this book is only for macho men. I beg to differ. I am not a hunter or poker player and did not at all take away from this book that to feel like a man I would need to take up these activities. I love certain sports, but I am not a jock either. Being wild at heart to me simply means to stop trying to stuff who we really are in an effort to control our lives and fit the molding that our culture sets out for us. Also, I must add that I don't think this book is sexist. There are differences in the sexes. I might not fully agree with everything John puts forward, but I think he hits the nail on the head many times. Some people don't want there to be differences between men and women. If you are on of those people, then don't read this book.I usually fall asleep when I read most books that are popular in Christian circles. I was apprehensive to pick this book up because it has been very popular. But I will say now that I read it, it is the best Christian book I have ever read.

The first time I read Wild at Heart I believe was just after college. Recently I received a copy of this revised and expanded version that was released on the ten year anniversary of the book. Wild at Heart is a classic. The book deals with the heart of a man. John Eldredge contends that there are three desires in the heart of a man: A battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. And yet at the same time there is a question that haunts every man - "Do I have what it takes?" At the heart of every man is a fear that he won't have what it takes to come through when he needs to. It's a fear that he'll be exposed as an impostor, that he isn't really a man. Eldredge does an amazing job at answering that question and addressing that fear in a way that affirms the man in who God has made him to be.Eldredge's writing style makes for a great read. He regularly dips into his own life and shares stories of his experiences counseling other men and raising up three boys (now all grown). Reading it again was such a joy. I realize now, looking into the rear view mirror that this book shaped me more than I knew. It breathed truth into my life that I really needed in a very formative time as I wrestled with what it means to be a man. And now, being a father with a baby boy I read it in a whole new light. One of the greatest responsibilities I get as a father is to help answer "the question" for my son.As for the revised and expanded version of the book - it wasn't clear to me what was expanded and/or revised with exception of one part of the introduction where Eldredge comments on what it's like now 10 years after the book was released. It has a different cover, but as far as I could tell the contents of the book have pretty much remained the same - the same classic, life-giving book that it has always been. I was so glad to read it again, and it certainly won't be the last time.

I found this book hard to put down, the way the author wrote it was so easy to read, smoothly entering my brain. I normally take a pencil and mark my favourite parts of a book but I now have brackets around all but maybe 10 pages of the book because the whole darn thing almost is worth reading again. The only parts where Mr. Eldredge lost me was in the heavy religious parts, I understood a lot from context but having never read the Bible some references were lost on me. However, it is clear that God gave you a mission to reach others, and you've both succeeded in that mission. Thank you for such a wonderful book and yes it has really helped me, I find myself thinking differently and a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

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As a women reading it, it was very insightful I found it to be humorous at times but it really did deal with a lot of issues, just stay with the book keep reading it - I believe everyone should read this book and set out on the path of emotional freedom that is found in Jesus

Definitely the best book on manhood I've ever read

Libro davvero straordinario. Sintetizza, in maniera particolarmente fluente, temi fondamentali, con chiave per me inedita e apprezzatissima. I spiegabile non esista un'edizione italiana, ma va beh.