Iron John: A Book about Men [Paperback]

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 Johnis an astonishing work that will continue to guide and inspire men-and women-for years to come.

Robert Blyis a poet, author, translator, activist, and leader of the mythopoetic men's movement. Bly has 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. He lives in Moose Lake, Minnesota.
robertbly.com