Rating: 
Summary: A good read for men or parents of boys
Review: I picked up Wild at Heart on the advice of a friend. The first couple of chapters absolutely blew me away. Eldredge has a keen feel for what is in a man's heart. He gives wonderful Biblical examples of what men are supposed to be and not.I only have two complaints about the book: 1) Certain parts of the book (mostly in the middle) tend to be very metaphoric. While this is ok in moderation, I think there was a little too much use for my taste. 2) I did not care for the scripture quotes from the Message translation. However, this is purely my personal preference. I do not happen to care for the MSG. All in all the book was well done is is a must for any Christian man's bookshelf. I think it would also be helpful for women to get an understanding of their husbands and sons.
Rating: 
Summary: Rave Review
Review: My wife seems to want me to read all the self-help books. I guess she's trying to tell me something. I've read plenty of those, and typically find them nauseating. This book is different. In the first place, I scarfed it from my nephew. It is a book about our true motivations and desires, and a challenge to discover what actually makes us tick. I would highly recommend this to those who are struggling, and to those who find themselves counseling those who are struggling. It is more for men, but an open-minded woman could also benefit from it. A great Christmas gift. I'm getting my father and brothers all a copy.
Rating:
Summary: Many of the bad reviews miss the point.
Review: I think many of the people who gave this book bad reviews have missed something. I agree that he often overstates his points, and that his definition of what a man should be like is often very narrow. However, there are some points that are very important that the detractors have missed. 1) Sometimes it is necessary to have someone overstate the point a little bit to get the idea across (Jesus did this, among others). I disagree with his comments at several points, but I think that his book is still a valuable tool for this reason. 2) No description will fit everyone, but I think that he has covered many of the things that charactarize most men. 3) He is combating many of the false perceptions that many people in the church hold regarding what men should be like. For example: in discussing the book, I considered how many of the classic images of Jesus (other than on the cross) rarely show him as being very passionate in any sense. His expression is usually bland in a gentle sort of way. Rarely do you see him angry or laughing, though I believe he shows both emotions in scripture. 4) I think what some have percieved as recreation is only partly that. Eldredge believes that men often need to test their limits, and here in America there are few options other than recreation. I agree with him, that people are often afraid to find out if they are capable. 5) We all need to recognize where we have been hurt in our lives, and how those hurts have shaped us. Men can often try to hide the fact that they have been hurt. 6) I think he departs from scripture at a few points, but I would not characterize his book as "unscriptural" either. I believe many modern theologians spend too much time quoting scripture and not enough time getting to the point. I prefer to test what is said once they are done saying it. 7) Movies and books are a good marker of what the culture values. Portraying the Kingdom of God as counter-cultural is an over-simplification. Eldredge uses movies as a way to help people think about their desires. He believes our desires have a root in God, but people seek to fulfill those desires in warped ways. Just my thoughts on several points.
Sxeptomaniac
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart" is one of the most refreshing audio books I've heard for a long time. Many men are just going through the motions in this world. They are unhappy, unfulfilled, in jobs they hate, and in marriages that are deteriorating rapidly. Why is that? "Wild at Heart" offers answers to those questions and suggests ways to restore the passion God intended us to have. People denouncing "Wild at Heart" as an anti-christian, macho, or rogue-warrior-like have missed the point of the story. Eldredge suggests that men have three longings: a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. He explains these longings through a combination of biblical examples and personal stories. I found this book to contain a deeply spiritual message. Churches that genuinely want to thrive going forward can learn from this book. Perhaps they should make it recommended reading for at least the male congregation :) While this book is definitely about men, I found its message about relationships most powerful. Eldredge makes it clear that divorce is not an option in his mind. He suggests that if a man's marriage is struggling because he no longer finds his wife to be the exciting woman he fell in love with, that the man may be the cause -- or at least a major contributor -- because of his lost passion for life. He then goes on to offer some examples of exactly what to do to help him/them reclaim their passion for life and each other. While Eldredge's writing style is easy-going and fun, and his audio delivery is entertaining and colorful, his overall message is powerful and rewarding. I highly recommend this for men of all ages. By the way, I love the negative comment by one reviewer, "we don't need a christian Dr. Phil". Actually ... once you finish Wild at Heart I recommend going right to Dr. Phil's "Self Matters". What a powerful combination :)
Rating: 
Summary: How to Take A House
Review: This book came highly recommended, so I sat down with it happily, though already a bit wary of its contents. But the more I read, the more disgusted I became. Eldredge is a smart man, but his ideas here are overly-strict if not simply misguided, and completely lacking in biblical support. He consistently used Bible verses to support his claims that with five minutes of study, one could see he was interpreting incorrectly. My main problems with the book were two: he puts man and woman into tight containers, leaving no breathing room for either, and his description of "how to take a house," which proves to be an overarching theme throughout the book. He gives both man and woman three basic life premises, all six of which I felt like I strove for. Does that make me asexual? His description of what "all boys do" left me feeling robbed--I did very few of those things. He championed physical aggression as an important part of being a man, ignoring Jesus' nonretaliation ethic. The same went into his "how to take a house" discussion. He used an anecdote saying that the way to take a house was to run up to it, guns blazing, throwing grenades and blowing everyone up inside it. No, John: the way to take a house is to walk inside, and come out as friends. That takes infinitely more strength and courage and love. Honestly, not recommended at all. John kind of dropped the ball on this one.
Rating:
Summary: A New Guru in town.
Review: How do you describe John Eldredge, or even define what he passes off for theology? Would "pretender to the throne" be accurate, or even a mixer of pop psychology/Hollywood movies/feel-goodism be appropriate? I've had a difficult time with this book I suppose anyone can write a book, but he is a clever one, mixing modern day cultural movie heroes like Braveheart into the mix of theology, and claiming that's where men's hearts should go. He denigrates Mr. Fred Rogers as a "wuss," and says most men are bored with their lives, and that's total arrogance and filled with ambiguities. How does he know? He hasn't talked to me or some of the men I know. He writes a book, as if he's a modern day prophet or something, when in fact he steps off the deep end into cultural relativism and uses dubious films instead of practical biblical heroes. I wouldn't recommend this for anything. Find yourself some other books which address your calling in a far more intelligent manner. And by the way, Fred Rogers was a marvelous model of a man!!
Rating: 
Summary: Punch him in the mouth, son.
Review: I read this book for a newly formed Bible study group. Wild At Heart is our first read. I certainly wouldn't call the book a disaster, and I haven't read enough Christian books to know how it rates with others, so I gave it two stars rather than one. However, I think the entire book is a little silly. Others have expounded on some of the same themes in the book that are silly as well, like urging his FIRST GRADE son to punch a class bully or discovering God while climbing a big rock. Men are men because they LISTEN TO GOD in their hearts. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3 I don't read anything about being a wild man in that passage. I'm also quite weary of this "wounded child" theory that every psychologist doles out on a daily basis. We can't blame everything on our parents. If I'm not happy, I don't think it has anything to do with the fact that I never wrestled my Dad and bloodied his nose! The author goes to such a length to descibe a "man's man" that I think he has issues himself. The phrase "nerd alert" comes to mind. The author does make some decent points about God's image of man. I firmly believe that we are beautiful because God made us in him image. I also think it is important for men, particularly fathers, to teach their children what God wants. For me, that is being a devoted and loving husband/father and working on a daily basis to give Glory to God by being a "light of the world" to them. Perhaps that's simplistic and a little passive for the author, but that's the way I see it.
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Summary: God used this book to save our marriage
Review: I am amazed at the negative reviews this book has received. Perhaps the men writing them are just not at the place yet where they need to hear (and can hear) what Eldredge has to say. I find it profound. My husband picked up this book recently and read it and it so convicted him and showed him his woundedness, and has turned our marriage around - from close to divorce to recognizing how close he came to allowing it to be destroyed and repented. This has been an eye-opener to me as well and I can say that what eldredge has to say about women resonates with me so clearly. Because of hurts in his childhood and lack of "manly" input by his dad, my husband had become a very passive man, not exactly the rescuing type, but I see his heart begining to come through and desiring to be the MAN God created him to be. I am hopeful my 17 year old son will also benefit from this book and save his future wife from some heartache. I believe that if the Lord leads you to read this book, you will be blessed and begin a journey of profound change, both men and women and their sons. Give a copy to those men in your life that you love and want to see healed and whole in their masculinity.
Rating:
Summary: Wild for Women
Review: The roles of men and women, in both society and the church, have been misinterpreted and dicombobulated as of late. Eldridge doesn't write to clear up this whole mess. Rather, he has written a book that illuminates the essential God-given characteristics men embody. This book is in no way sexist, and he doesn't forget his female readership. He isn't even advocating overpowering women. Honest confession permeates throughout, including testimony from other men struggling to find their real identity. I believe Eldridge has done a fine work of pointing out strengths and weaknesses in men's make-up and gives them an apparatus with which to identify and soul search. I could see how any man would walk away from this book with a renewed sense of purpose and identity in Christ. I would highly recommend any woman read this book for an insightful view to the inner-workings of men's struggle for real manhood as God ordained. I found it helpful in better understanding the males in my life, and who doesn't need that every now and again.
Rating:
Summary: Touched My Heart
Review: Wild At Heart was recommended to me by a Christian counselor who has been working with us on some family issues. As a wife and mother of 2 boys, this book touched my heart. It helped me understand the heart of a man and how it works with a woman's heart in Christian terms. I recommend it highly for both men and women who are working to keep their marriage and family spiritually healthy.
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