Rating: 
Summary: Haunting, touching, inspirational women's myths and stories
Review: Clarissa Pinkola Estes opened my mind...
I thought the book was going to be either too scholarly
or too depressing. My preset ideas were completely shattered
once I read the first chapter.
Ms. Estes opened up a fanciful world of fairy-tale
and folk-tale creature/archetypes and explained them
in a way that gave them life, fleshed out the "skeleton woman"
and inspired me to make my leap into the creative with her
technique of creating a "scapecoat" to introduce a healing ritual
into any woman's life.
My creative life was enriched. My dream life was enriched.
"Wolves" inspired me to keep searching deep within my unconscious
for those archetypes that would nurture me into FULL conscious
living.
"Wolves" will no doubt bring answers from the depths of many, both
male and female, who delve into the mysterious world of the
fairy/folk/archetypal myth. Readers who open to her images
will come out with a richer feel for life and living in the now.
Rating: 
Summary: Women, Run Away!
Review: I read this book hoping for a little insight and perspective from an educated women and found myself abysmally disappointed. This book failed to capture not only my interest but the interest of every person I lent it to. Pinhola makes exceedingly long reaches to arrive at primitive conclusions (no pun intended), and fails to integrate the slightest hint of logic into her tales that supposedly incorporate a new feminist theory. If this is an "I am woman, hear me roar" chant, it is sure to back fire, serving only to show those of us who already know we're worth something that there are some women who keep our gender from advancing and being taken seriously! I strongly recommend that any reader who needs some encouragement and empowerment to find another book with factual, interesting psychology that may be legitimately and appropriately applied to her life.
Rating:
Summary: Jung would be so proud, Freud would have ovary envy
Review: Carl Gustav Jung, founder of Jungian psychoanalyst, would be thrilled by Estes and Dr. Jean Bolen. Both broght his theories into practices to empower and asset the feminine will into mainstream western thought. Both women were pioneers in using female archetypes inspired by Jung's work. Women who run with wolves is the re-birthing of tales to heal the women's soul. Storytelling is a tradition and art that originated in matriarchial cultures. Estes continues the path and this is a new way of seeing fairly tales. Stop being the damsel needing the White Horse! Estes advances the archetype of the Queen in all female. Jung once said that "when the diagnosis is correct the healing can begin." Women who Run with Wolves is one fantastic literary remedy.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful read but little practical application.
Review: I simply savored this book and still savor it. It almost reads like scripture, and like scripture it abounds in oblique, vague language that can be applied to infinite life situations.
But that very strength is also its weakness. Just as Bible verses can be infinitely used to "back up" what one wishes to do and say in one's life, so can that be done with the wisdom in this book...because both are often quite vague .
The book's major thesis is how women can "return to the wild". It implies that is "good" and that women "should" do so; however it never goes into specifics regarding how a woman can or should actually do this in real life. The text overlooks, or avoids, the very real consequences of "returning to the wild" via making major life changes that can be quite painful to self and others.
A beautifully written book, but proceed with caution, especially if you're impressionable.
Rating:
Summary: Endless psychobabble
Review: You too can write a book. Take half a dozen folk tales and surround each one with endless (and I do mean endless) psychobabble.
Save your time and money. Skip this book.
Rating:
Summary: Who is La Louve ?
Review: What I truly like about this book is, firstly, the palpable intelligence of Estés and the monumental extra effort she undertakes to lead readers to an in-depth understanding.
At no time did I have the perception that she wrote the book for the sake of putting together an impressive pile of data, truths and half truths; no she did not want to create a book.
She wanted, needed for people to know what she herself knows to be absolutely essential, crucial information about life itself.
The book is neither scientifically dry nor scary through its very thickness and seemingly endless number of pages. On the contrary - it allows this reader to visit for as many repeated stays as desired and as will be pleasurable. And these visits all entice me to come back, home, to read more, to learn more because I need to, to read again the wonderful stories about the red shoes, the seal, the fisherman and the skeleton and especially about La Louve, the she-wolf.
I can live in parts of the book, and even though it was written primarily for women, I can peek in, can get a glimpse and can re-affirm my lifelong, thorough fascination, or better yet infatuation with the other sex.
And what sadness comes up when one reads about the rather cruel fate of heroines in the stories, heroines who end up victims of the laws of our minds, souls and spirits!
Powerful words, powerful stories.
And, come to think of it, once into the first few pages, something unexpected happens. One senses that not only has one just experienced the privilege of being allowed into an entirely foreign world, which looks, sounds and smells very much like a forbidden territory, one experiences a transformation from mere visitor to membership.
I have kept my eyes open and the welcome is overwhelming. I feel I have been adopted into the family. My ears respond as if they were hearing voices and the air seems to have acquired a positive charge.
But, what is most noticeable, and becomes shockingly comfortable is the sudden perception of something that can only be described as SCENT.
To borrow from the movie, starring Al Pacino : "The Scent of A Woman", that is what makes this book, for me, the most satisfying book, the book most deserving of being cherished by this mere male and the book that goes far beyond being just another book.
It is the experience of being in the company of the soul of La Louve (the she-wolf)and of your own .
And thus it was revealed that I will always love La Louve.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book for the open-eyed reader
Review: Great book. Enriched my life. This is a great bath tub book if you like that sort of thing. Short stories readable in one sitting..
This book can be hard to apply to your life simply if you're new to story medicine. It's an abstract thing for (we) western anglos to grasp I'm assuming.
But if you're looking for a new path/way of being/thinking, this is a grrreat starter book. Out of the different kinds/levels of psych books I've read (psych major), I find Estes to be one of the top. She's a well read Dr.
Key is to open the book and just read it. It's not like the "usual" psychology. It doesn't work overnight or before your eyes. There's no pill popping involved here.
As for those who wrote it off as "crap", see you at the evolutionary bell curve.
Rating:
Summary: wow
Review:
Six years ago, a woman whom I respect and love very much gave me this book, and I still refer to its chapters often. This isn't your typical " feminist psychology" book; Estes weaves together stories handed to her from her family's elders and retells them lyricly and simply.
Thank you, Dr Estes!
Rating:
Summary: Women, Run Away!
Review: I read this book hoping for a little insight and perspective from an educated women and found myself abysmally disappointed. This book failed to capture not only my interest but the interest of every person I lent it to. Pinhola makes exceedingly long reaches to arrive at primitive conclusions (no pun intended), and fails to integrate the slightest hint of logic into her tales that supposedly incorporate a new feminist theory. If this is an "I am woman, hear me roar" chant, it is sure to back fire, serving only to show those of us who already know we're worth something that there are some women who keep our gender from advancing and being taken seriously! I strongly recommend that any reader who needs some encouragement and empowerment to find another book with factual, interesting psychology that may be legitimately and appropriately applied to her life.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for women
Review: I just started reading Women Who Run With the Wolves yesterday and am enjoying it page by page.It is a deeply spiritual and empowering book that goes through the female psyche and primary instincts, patriarchy and the " civilized" world always tried to eradicate but is part of our inner-soul. In history, till the present day, patriarchy always said to the wild woman: Or you let yourself be tamed, or we will do it by force. Just as the wolves, the wild women are misunderstood and persecuted by those who can't understand them and who despise what is wild, untamed, instinctual, spiritual. As Wolf, the wild woman is strong, wise, loving, spiritual and empowered. She is a survivor, a huntress who fights for her survival and the survival of her "pack" but who always pay homage to Mother Earth and respect for all life. There is a great connexion between women and wolves that must not be denied nor shamed. Both Wolf and the Wild Woman have been persecuted and now risk extinction. Is it not time to learn to respect them and stop denying our instincts? I rediscovered the wild woman in myself and became a better woman into the process, who found my place into the Cycle of Life and strive towards balance. This book should be in every woman's bookshelf, through it you will learn about yourself and your place into the fragile balance of the Earth, wisdom and empowerment. It has a very strong message: To nature and wildlife we are bound and we live in symbiosis. Our survival is bound to balance
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