Iron John

"In this masterly book we are gifted a profound key as to how to deepen as a culture." - Martin Shaw, bestselling author of Liturgies of the Wild

"Brilliantly eclectic... Invaluable" - Deborah Tannen, Washington Post

"Timely and powerful" - New York Times

"This book need to be read" - Guardian

What does it mean to be a man?

In his bestselling classic, Iron John, Robert Bly writes that the images of adult manhood offered by popular culture are worn out and can no longer be depended. Instead, he searches for a new vision of what a man is – and what he could be.

Taking the Brothers Grimm fairy tale ‘Iron John’ as his starting point, Bly draws on psychology, anthropology, mythology, folklore, religion and poetry to explore male identity and the journey from boyhood to mature masculinity.

At the heart of the book is the mythical figure of the Wild Man. Through this ancient archetype, Bly considers the instinctive and emotional dimensions of masculinity and what modern men may have lost touch with. He examines how confronting wounds, limitations and the darker aspects of the self can help men develop a more mature and integrated identity.

Ultimately, Iron John asks how men can reconnect with instinct, purpose and emotional depth without returning to outdated ideas of masculinity.

An international bestseller and enduring classic, Iron John is a bold and thought-provoking exploration of men, masculinity and the journey to adulthood in contemporary society.

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