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

Written by John Eldredge

Narrated by John Eldredge

God designed men to seek out adventure. But, somewhere between childhood and the struggles of yesterday, most men lose sight of those dreams. Fear not: bestselling author and counselor John Eldredge is here to teach men that there's a better way to live.

In this expanded edition of the timeless bestseller Wild at Heart, Eldredge unpacks man's search for validation, the need for the development of courage in his soul, and the call to live a life of adventure.

Using discoveries from his own life and backing them with scripture, Eldredge reminds men that although their childhood passions, dreams, and desires may start getting buried under deadlines, pressures, and disappointments, it doesn't have to be this way.

In fact, God made men to embrace a life of courage, adventure, and freedom. He created men to take risks and find true purpose and belonging.

Wild at Heart invites men to experience wholeheartedness by:

• Recovering their true masculine heart
• Healing the wounds and trauma in their stories
• Delighting in the wildness they were created to offer the world
• Discovering the life-giving power of nature
• Helping them to discover the truth about what makes them come alive
  
  

Join Eldredge as he calls men to discover the true secret of the masculine soul and finally start living the life God intended for every man. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Jun 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9781418575175

John Eldredge

John Eldredge is a bestselling author, a counselor, and a teacher. He is also president of Wild at Heart, a ministry devoted to helping people discover the heart of God, recover their own hearts in God's love, and learn to live in God's kingdom. John and his wife, Stasi, live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Reviews for Wild at Heart

[Jenni Korpal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Listened to this as a wife and boy mom. It opened my eyes in ways I wouldn’t have planned. Highly recommend it for women! I can’t wait for my husband to listen. Thanks again for your wisdom!

[S. Jeromy Bilbrey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My sixteen year old son and I listened to this book together. It gave us great things to talk about, and gave us a direction we both feel we can walk. I love this book.

[cameronbrooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A formidable answer to an age-old question: How can a man make himself tolerable and useful while accepting and expressing his primordial maleness-the searching and aggressive urges to conquer what needs subduing, protect the vulnerable, fix what is broken, compete and risk what demands to be risked in himself and the world? The author's message is set in the Christian tradition without being controlled by its ideology. Eldredge believes that institutions can oppress a man's heart and keep society from benefiting from his fierce desire to love, do good, fight evil, and go beyond the limits. The exceptional writing and ideational balance... make this a compelling effort to integrate the hero's gritty nature with the public good. T.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

[boshoffhenk54 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The reference made out of the bible is the writer's assumptions and can not be supported by scripture. Men should also get their identity from God, not from dads.

[ayronsworld · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Timeless Classic for every new generation of men. Be Wild !

[D'Angelo Scisney · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good! A must read & listen for Christian men!

[Almero Prinsloo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great! God is in control of man and his creation

[Ken Brown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This one of the best books I have ever read. It challenged me to think about my heart, life and history in order to become fully alive. To be the man God made me to be. I highly recommend it to every man seeking to understand himself and his place in this world.

[thomashwalker2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A must read for all males. When the female comes to the point that she is at a loss as to why God created man the way He did - read immediately. It really isn't our fault entirely that we are the way we are. This book reveals some amazing insights into the male psyche. This book shows the marvelous purpose for the differences between the male and female. After God formed man from the dust and his mate from his rib, "Wild at Heart " helps fill the gap of misunderstanding about the function of each gender with common sense truth.

[Jacob Scott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great. Encouraging and have strength. I have found a new great perspective. This took aids me in guarding the life coming forth as warrior for Jesus

[Lucia Escarzaga · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book make a lot of really good points that I would have never thought of otherwise. Highly recommend!

[Nanette Oosthuizen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thank you! I think I understand my hubby better now!

[Millican Edward · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent and original honest and raw I highly recommend this book

[Donald Martin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book for any man that is or is mot with God!

[prokinetic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is certainly a fantastic book everyone should read/listen including woman I’d say.

[Paul Leavy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When it comes down to touchy subjects like these, words will affect people in many different ways, positive and negative. One person will hate it while the next person will love it. I found this book very informative and will use it as a guide and parts of my own life. Thank you for your time and effort in writing this book.

[Grace Gonzalez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a great book. Gets better each time I read/listen to it

[Philip Standefer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book will make you want to go do something. my advice..... Go and do it!

[Chris Scott · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loathed this book and the entire message it preaches. Toxic masculinity through and through.

[Holly Johnson · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Has a bit of truth, fair amount of harmful thought. Paints women in somewhat of a diminished role, elevates the male to a glorious, rescuing role. Preys on men who are vulnerable. Women absolutely can rescue men. I have seen it over and over again.

[Makee DeRivera · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I still hope to read this book here rather than listening. Is there an ebook I can read?

[sparkleandchico · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Where in the Bible does it really suggest that men should be "Wild at Heart?" living constantly on the edge and taking all kinds of risks and engaging in dangerous activities. Of course this idea will appeal to younger men and new Christians but it is completely the opposite of the Biblical model of denying self and taking up the cross to follow Jesus. There's nothing weak or unmanly about that!

[jmcdbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rated: B-
I read this book when it was popular years ago. Recently, did a re-read. At its core, I think Eldredge believes all men have been wounded in some way or another. I am not sure that is true. For those of us who don't relate to being wounded, we all cannot be in total denial. So, his book has many great insights especially for those who recognize their wound. For others, it still has several good insights.

[eskypades · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

To be honest, I was a little disappointed although I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting. From the very beginning, Eldredge seems to be painting a caricature of what a true “man” that comes hauntingly close to how Hollywood wants us to view men as – rugged, square-jawed, outdoorsy types that live to clock out at 5 and have their trucks in 4-wheel drive by 5:15 on some backwoods trail. In fact, many of Eldredge’s examples of “true” men come from such movies as Braveheart and Gladiator. It is apparent that Eldredge enjoys the outdoors and who can fault him for that? The danger is when he equates a necessity of enjoying all these things to how much of a “wild man” a guy really is. He even goes so far as to say that a true man can’t really like being inside at a desk all day, but should be longing to get outside. If he does, something’s wrong with him and he needs to reclaim his manhood by getting wild (outdoors). And this is the premise that Eldredge seems to base his entire thesis on – a man must be wild, adventuresome and ready for a fight in order to be a man. This is backed up with many examples including one where he advises his son who is being picked on to punch the bully in the face as hard as he can. This apparently was designed to make his son feel enabled and manly and have the freedom to fight back, despite the fact that we are to follow Christ’s teaching of turning the other cheek. (Eldredge defends his actions by saying many in the church misinterpret this passage, but never says how or why.)

There are two particular errors (among many) in the book that I want to hit on. The first is the noticeable absence of hardly any Scripture given to support Eldredge’s many false presumptions, and the Scripture that is quoted is so twisted out of context as to make it say something that does not ring true. Instead, Eldredge relies heavily on psychological analyses that fall short of correctly mirroring any Scriptural teaching. Don’t get me wrong on this point. I believe that there is a great use for psychology and we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater so to speak. But the danger comes when we replace Scripture with the psychology and try to make it sound Biblical.

The second and perhaps most disturbing error in the book is Eldredge’s claim that, in trying to support his view that God loves adventure, God is a risk-taker and even an “immense risk-taker.” To hear Eldredge’s view of the death of Christ, you would think the crucifixion was completely unplanned and God showed up just in the nick of time to set everything straight. “God lets the mob kill Jesus, bury him…then he shows up.” Although he tries to add a disclaimer that he isn’t a proponent of Open Theism, he apes Open Theism’s teachings quite well. Risk by definition involves some aspect of the unknown and to say that God takes risks is to say that He doesn’t know the outcome of certain things.

I do believe that today’s culture emasculates men in wanting to be in touch with their softer side and perhaps Eldredge was trying to fight against that. But instead what he ends up doing is going to the other end of the Hollywood extreme in idolizing he-men. In the end, Eldredge’s answer to regaining masculinity seems to be to get in touch with our inner caveman. While there were a few good points made, they are so few and far between as to not make reading (or listening to) the book worthwhile.

[Wilsongut · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Every man needs a war to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to conquer. (Translated from Spanish)

[ISanMoMusic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautiful book... (Translated from Spanish)

[highlander6022 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Challenging and thought provoking, but a bit outdated. Needs to be revised and updated.

[acfellowship · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wild At Heart by John Eldridge is a powerful book for men to uncover the wounds inflicted on us and how to overcome them. I've seen a lot of guys healed and made whole from reading this book and even watching the accompanying video...even though the video is really outdated! It's a very easy read that is easy to discuss but is incredibly insightful.
ACF: Todd Nagel, not currently in ACF's library.

[mrkurtz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

John Eldredge invites Men to recover their dreams and to recover their masculine heart, define in the image of a passionate God. Men don't know how to keep their promises, be spiritual leaders, talk to their wives or raise their children because they have been taught from childhood to be a good boy. Deep in his heart every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. Eldredge gives us many examples of how men have come to lose their heart and to lose their way on the things that count. He says we must take risks to climb out of these restless lives and take back your heart. Get to know God and know what God wants you to do. If you listen to him you can throw away that early little boy training you were given and be a man. The man your wife wants you to be. The man your children want you to be. To do this you must pray to Christ and listen to him and to make the hard decisions you need to make to follow Christ and to teach others how to follow Christ.

[wilsonknut · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the best books for Christian men that I have read. It should be required reading.