Rating: 
Summary: Mythology as a mirror to the male psyche. Slim,but deep read
Review: "He" is a book that takes the mythological tale of the Fisher King, and parallels it with stages and traits of the modern male psyche. Granted the book is a slim one with only about 80 pages, but it's something you can read over and over. There are so many characters and parts to the classic tale that it's easy to go beyond the meanings and modern examples that the author gives along the way. After you read it once, I suggest reading it again while sitting down and making notes on the characters and basic outline of the central myth. It's an insightful read no matter what state you feel your life is in right now.
Not too long ago I saw the movie "The Fisher King" (Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges) for the first time. I wouldn't have understood half of what was going on if it wasn't for this book. As the author even explains, there are different variations to the story, and the movie doesn't match up 100% to the book. But after you read the book, it might be fun to rent the movie to see another example of the symbols manifested in modern times.
Although the Fisher King story itself deals with the Holy Grail myth, the lessons and over all message are actually quite secular. The author draws a few religious parallels, but they didn't distract from the main lessons that the myth teaches. And believe me, I'm talking as a guy who's the furthest from being god-fearing or even a philanthropist.
With so many books on feminism, countless commercials and sitcoms that constantly use the male as the butt of jokes, and universities that even offer "Women's Studies" majors, it's refreshing to find a book that looks into male behavior without being guilt-ridden and self-defeating about it.
Rating: 
Summary: worthwile and short read
Review: A very pleasant and quite interesting little book analyzing the story of parsifal and the castle of the grail through the lens of male psychology. Though it's treatment of the mythological story seems quite conscise it seems to fail to really bind this and it's psychological interpretations to any tangible real world experience of my male psyche. In a way it is to abstract, not tying things back to reality. Thus it offered so far (finished it a few hours ago) no real insights or answers. How many questions and different ways to look at things and approaches to take as well as those experiences of catching your inner world tricking you it will induce will have to be seen. All in all at 80 pages and it's small format a very pleasant and worthwile read. A note about another reviewer's complaint about it being heavy on preachy christianism. I am normally quite allergic to christian preachyness in 'unrelated' books like these. And though I have noticed slight hints thereof, it is by no way as bad as the reviewer makes it look like.
Rating: 
Summary: A meaningless pile of scintillating but empty abstractions
Review: After reading this book for a project in AP Psychology, I found that Robert Johnson's much-vaunted connections between mythology and the psychology of men are ultimately incoherent and insubstantial. The underlying concepts may be reasonable, if difficult to follow, but Johnson fails to achieve a solid connection between said concepts and his metaphorical writing. His writing style relies heavily on excessive repetition and oversimplified platitudes which insult the reader's ability to comprehend basic metaphor, and his constant implication that Christianity is an absolutely essential element of all masculine psychology is deeply offensive. Carl Jung has written numerous works on this same subject which are more intelligible and avoid the incomprehensible web of mythological allusions Johnson uses which bewilder and alienate the reader. In brief, Robert Johnson's 'He' is a waste of trees and effort. 1 out of 5 stars because Amazon does not offer the option to assign 0.
Rating: 
Summary: Whom Do We Serve?
Review: He, by Robert A. Johnson
A fascinating discussion of the male maturation process, using the story of Parsifal and Jungian concepts. The author relates the myth of the famous Arthurian knight to a masculine lifeline. Why use a medieval story to illustrate the psyche of modern man? As the author explains, "Often, when a new era begins in history, a myth for that era springs up...One can say that the winds of the twelfth century have become the whirlwinds of the twentieth century." Short and concise like its title, He is nevertheless a profound study, and serves as a guide to the every man's own life. Major questions are asked, addressed in Jungian thought and in the myth, and then handed to the reader, who can apply it to his own experience. The real start of Parsifal's and every man's journey comes when Parsifal enters the Grail Castle. He is offered the Grail (the cup out of which Jesus Christ drank at the Last Supper) but fails to ask the question that would have brought happiness to the kingdom. That question is "Whom does the Grail serve?" We spend the rest of book discovering why the naïve teenager said nothing, and how he could redeem himself, as well as the readers. The Grail moment, as explained by Mr. Johnson, is that time in the life of all young men when they stumble onto the Divine, "a magic hour sometime in their youth when the whole world glowed and showed a beauty not easily described." Parsifal's inability to ask the question, according to the author, is because "no youth can cope with this opening of the Heavens for him and most set it aside but do not forget it." Men, once touched by this overwhelming joy, spend the rest of their lives seeking it. Their journey, if thoughtful, will bring them to the castle again, usually in middle age, when they are more able to ask the question. Although this book is not really a fable, still, I will not "give away" the ending because I think the author wants the reader to explore along with the hero, Parsifal, at least on first reading. However, here are some points of interest in the journey that shed light into the process of "becoming a man."
- When Parsifal leaves home, his mother gives him a homespun undershirt. He wears this under his armor, and it is partly this that keeps him from asking the fateful question. Mr. Johnson explains that Parsifal had not reconciled his mother complex, that he was still boyishly clinging to the idea of mother as protector.
- When he returns home to visit his mother after the grail castle, he finds her dead from a broken heart, because he had left home. This is important, says the author, because we must become independent even if it brings pain.
- When Parsifal kills the evil Red Dragon, this is coming to terms with our manly power, our primal rage. We must learn that we have power, as people and men, but also must learn to use it wisely and temper it.
- Mr. Johnson points out that chastity in knightly mythology has to do with seduction of the feminine side of man. This feminine side is called anima, according to the author, and it is essentially our joi de vivre, our activating vital mood energy. To be seduced by this anima (resulting in depression) or to seduce it (resulting in giddiness) are both unmanly violations of chastity. It is boyish to allow oneself to be ruled by moods; moods must be mastered in order to reach manhood. Feeling, with a capital "F," on the other hand, is to be retained always, because Feeling is related to values and compassion.
- And more. When Parsifal revisits the Grail Castle he is wise enough to remember the question "Whom does the Grail serve?" Mr. Johnson shows that every man can also revisit the Grail Castle, once again face the Divine, and this time perhaps attach more meaning to the experience. On applying the ideas and stories to one's own life, it is possible to see many Grail moments, but this does not diminish the message. Also, women can learn from this, although they have their own book by Mr. Johnson, aptly titled, "She." In He, Robert A. Johnson gives invaluable insight into what makes a man, not in a macho sense, but in the truest sense of the word: gentleman, knight. Independence, self-control, and selflessness are some of the manly traits discussed here. And a definition is offered for true, profound happiness. Not bad for 80 very readable pages.
Rating:
Summary: He: A Life Map - Not Just For Men
Review: I first read this book nearly 25 years ago. It became (and I did not expect this) a touchstone. Johnson presented a wide view in this book and in his talks. I once heard someone ask him if a certain religion could have any value for the soul. His answer as I recall it, was, "Every religion has prescriptions for the soul, if we can hear them." I take that to mean that any discussion of the "merits" of a particular religion is time spent in argument when that same time could be spent listening for those prescriptions. I am personally grateful for this book and this man.
Rating:
Summary: He: A Life Map - Not Just For Men
Review: I first read this book nearly 25 years ago. It became (and I did not expect this) a touchstone. Johnson presented a wide view in this book and in his talks. I once heard someone ask him if a certain religion could have any value for the soul. His answer as I recall it, was, "Every religion has prescriptions for the soul, if we can hear them." I take that to mean that any discussion of the "merits" of a particular religion is time spent in argument when that same time could be spent listening for those prescriptions. I am personally grateful for this book and this man.
Rating:
Summary: He. . . Should Have Written More About Psychology
Review: I rated He with 3 stars because it was undoubtably an interesting and very thought provoking book, but it failed on some key aspects. One, being that it rooted psychological analyzation to an opinionated base and was not believable due to the recurring statistic used being "every man". Also, it did not include enough examples referring to what exactly the author was trying to say, therefore some of his ideas resulted in, at some points, simply ambiguous statements. Johnson also seemed to dance in circles with the French version of La Morte D'Arthur, and heavily drift from his main ideas, leaving the reader with an understanding of the story, and only a basic understanding of what the book was supposed to be about...understanding masculine psychology.
I must say though, the points he hit, he really nailed, all except for the representation of the Grail. I do not agree that happiness can only be reached through a contribution to religion or society as a whole. His idea of happiness through being contempt with one's self is accurate, but his relating psychology to religion is very unnecessary, and very inaccurate to those who do not hold religion close to them. Lastly, I think that if a person is writing anything at all, to really write it, and not summerize their thoughts through symbolism in a myth, or by quoting another author to the point of distastefulness. I expected to read more about psychology and less about the unattractive story he related the entire work to.
-Watts
Rating:
Summary: Very Informative
Review: One of the best books in this field. Very easy and understandable. Quit delightful. The writer has a gift of explaining abstract concepts in lay language. The issues men face in our society are not limited to men. The inter-connectedness of every element in human life (Chaos Theory) has been presented in mythological terms. Very Good!
Rating:
Summary: A good introduction
Review: Robert A. Johnson took me on a journey through my inner world. I read it several times, and review it periodically. The book is short and concise, yet leaves me wondering exactly where I am on my journey.
Rating:
Summary: The greatest book by my favorite author
Review: Robert Johnson is a life changer. I have read everything he has done several times. HE and SHE should be a required read for everyone. I recommend you read the book on your own sex first so that you become familiar with Johnson's style before prying into the opposite sex's mind. :) If you find some of the other self help books too trite and not very thought provoking, Robert Johnson is for you!
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