Iron John: A Book about Men

by Robert Bly

Overview

The 25th anniversary edition of the groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, with a new afterword by the author—which offers a new vision of what it is to be a man.

In this timeless and deeply learned classic, poet and translator Robert Bly offers nothing less than a new vision of what it means to be a man.

Bly's vision is based on his ongoing work with men, as well as on reflections on his own life. He addresses the devastating effects of remote fathers and mourns the disappearance of male initiation rites in our culture. Finding rich meaning in ancient stories and legends, Bly uses the Grimm fairy tale "Iron John"-in which a mentor or "Wild Man" guides a young man through eight stages of male growth-to remind us of ways of knowing long forgotten, images of deep and vigorous masculinity centered in feeling and protective of the young.

At once down-to-earth and elevated, combining the grandeur of myth with the practical and often painful lessons of our own histories, Iron John is an astonishing work that will continue to guide and inspire men-and women-for years to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306824265
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	11/10/2015
Edition description:	Third Edition, 25th Anniversary Edition
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	101,654
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 5.50(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	1100L (what's this?)

About the Author

Robert Bly was a poet, author, translator, activist, and leader of the mythopoetic men's movement. Bly received many awards, including the National Book Award, for his poetry; in 2013, he was awarded the Poetry Society of America's Robert Frost Medal, a lifetime achievement award. robertbly.com

Editorial Reviews

"Important...timely...powerful."—The New York Times

"Combining erudition with enthusiasm...Bly conducts a fascinating examination of myth, literature, psychology, and anthropology....As thought-provoking an exploration of men and masculinity as any in recent years."—Newsday

From the Publisher

"A 'classic' of sexual politics...[Bly's] heartfelt analysis of the Iron John, story [is] a delight to read and an inspiration."

Curled Up with a Good Book 7/25/05

It is refreshing these days to read a book that does not lay the blame for America's collective ills on social injustice....Mr. Bly's book is important and timely....It suggests that a young man better forget about growing up unless he has the sensitivity of a Jung, the brains of an Einstein and the determination of a General Patton, plus a good dose of luck. -- The New York Times Books of the Century, Dec. 9, 1990

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Poet Bly had a surprise hit and publishing phenomenon with this rich meditation on the application of folklore, archetype, psychology, and history to an enriched sense of manhood that goes beyond empty machismo.

Library Journal