A book about men robert bly in this deeply learned book, poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision of what it is to be a man. Bly uses his ramble through literature to explore deep issues that play out in mens personal and work lives. In what is arguably his most culturally significant publication, bly reprints a prechristian northern european folktale, iron john, and addresses each and all of the major plot elements in. Wherever the wound appears in our psyches, whether from alcoholic father, shaming mother, shaming father, abusing mother, whether it stems from isolation, disability, or disease, that is precisely the place for which we will give our major gift to the community. National book awardwinning poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision of. Eady says bly s poems seem to come from his delight in the. Bly, roberts father, was born in illinois, probably in 1901 but no later than 1905. It says that where a mans wound is, that is where his genius will be. A book about men, the founding text of the mythopoetic mens movement. Iron john author robert bly talks about his poetry and music.
The author of dozens of books of poetry and translation, bly s work is based in the natural world, the visionary, and the realm of the irrational. Once the initiation is complete, after a series of symbolic adventures, a responsible man emerges. A book about men 1990, a response to the womens movement, bly has been immensely popular, appearing on talk shows and advising men to retrieve their primitive masculinity through wildness. Women read iron john openly, hoping to glean some insider information while men read the book furtivelyat least at f. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mar 20, 2012 robert bly, author of more than 40 books of poetry and nonfiction, speaks with host cornelius eady, a poet and creative writing teacher.
His resulting book about this ageold story helped establish the mens movement, and his seminars inspired its drumbeating, tree. Bly was born in lac qui parle county, minnesota, to jacob and alice bly, people of norwegian ancestry. He won the 1968 national book award for poetry for his book the light around the body. Bly is also a translator of scandinavian literature, such as twenty poems of tomas transtromer. The classic story being used by mens groups today is from grimms fairy tales. A book about men 1990, bly argues that modern men are greatly damaged by an absence of intergenerational male role models and initiation. Awardwinning poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision. Finding rich meaning in ancient stories and legends, bly uses the grimm fairy tale iron johnin which a mentor or wild man guides a young man through eight stages of male growthto remind us of ways of knowing long forgotten, images of deep and vigorous masculinity centered in feeling and protective of the young. Young men need initiation into adulthood, to be welcomed among the fathers of the world, or they rage and sulk alone through life. The translations of robert bly by michael ventura 18 robert blys leaping in. Robert bly born december 23, 1926 is an american poet, prose author, and activist, and a leader of the mythopoetic mens movement. Smith 26 poems by robert bly 30 fromcaptain bly by ted solotaroff 33 among friends 36 a poets life 39 publications by robert. Poet robert bly stands out even among the celebrated, revolutionary generation of american artists who burst forth in the 1950s. This 1981 collection, with its mythological resonance and intricate stanza forms, was one of blys most revolutionary in its time.
Iron john was first published in 1990 and was a bestseller, a cultural phenomena. Robert bly, author of more than 40 books of poetry and nonfiction, speaks with host cornelius eady, a poet and creative writing teacher. Black coat is the point where blys poetry meets his fascination with the male psyche, laying the poetry foundation for his subsequent work with men and his prose work, iron john. Robert bly born december 23, 1926 is an american poet, author, activist and. Following graduation from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the united states navy, serving 2 years.
This 1981 collection, with its mythological resonance and intricate stanza forms, was one of bly s most revolutionary in its time. Robert bly, in full robert elwood bly, born december 23, 1926, madison, minnesota, u. W ith the publication this year of robert blys selected poems a volume preceded by a number of books celebrating this writers work the time has surely come to take a closer critical look at one of the most radical poetic careers of our time. A book about men 1990, which spent 62 weeks on the new york times best seller list, and is a key text of the mythopoetic mens movement. Most men want some nice person to bring the ball back, but the story hints that we wont find the golden ball in the force field of an asian guru or even the force field of gentle jesus. Bly s vision is based on his ongoing work with men and reflections on his own life. Robert bly has been a prolific critic, translator, and anthologist.
Poet robert bly has for a number of years now worn another hat. Robert bly project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Iron john 1990 robert bly robert bly is a wellrespected american poet. A book about men 1990, reprinted 2001 as iron john. Here, using the grimm fairy tale iron john as a vehicle, bly explores the myths and cultural underpinnings of a distinctly vigorous male mode of feeling, a. Iron john the pillow and the key 4 he doesnt have to be top all the time in sex anymore, he becomes empathetic its a new, humming, surprising world.
Bly has long been the voice of transcendentalism and meditative mysticism. Iron john is a book that i recommend as a counselor for both men, and woman read. Robert bly, the awardwinning poet who lives in minnesota, is one of the leaders of the mens movement, the latest in selfhelp fashions. Robert bly born december 23, 1926 is an american poet, essayist, activist and leader of the mythopoetic mens movement. In this deeply learned book, poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision of what it is to be a. A book about men was a key text of the movement, and spent 62 weeks on the new york times bestseller list. His most commercially successful book to date was iron john. Blys vision is based on his ongoing work with men and reflections on his own life. Robert bly is an american poet, author, activist and leader of the mythopoetic mens movement. Finding rich meaning in ancient stories and legends, bly uses the grimm fairy tale iron john, in which the narrator, or wild man, guides a young man through eight stages of male growth, to remind us of archetypes long forgottenimages of vigorous masculinity, both protective and emotionally centered. Robert bly was born in western minnesota, and attended harvard university and the university of iowa. A book about men 1990, which spent 62 weeks on the the new york times best seller list. Michael venturas interview with robert bly the wind isnt depressed, may 2004 is a perfect example.
I consider it important for the growth into maturity for men and suggest another book to be studied after iron john. The author of dozens of books of poetry and translation, blys work is based. Robert bly, acclaimed poet, winner of the national book award, and leader of a burgeoning mens movement, travels the country speaking to mostly white and almost entirely male audiences about male grief and the myriad difficulties inherent in being a contemporary man. But isnt this book a constructive way to digest those years and mans identity in general. American writer robert bly is regarded as one of the legends of contemporary poetry, according to david biespel, the prototypical nonmodernist the one who set in motion a poetics of intensity for generations to come.
Nov 10, 2015 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 growthto remind us of ways of knowing long forgotten, images of deep and vigorous masculinity centered in feeling and protective of the young. The backlash has hit women along every front, and iron john has been its most successful literary product. Over time bleje became blye in illinois, soon wearing away to bly, becommg indistinguishable from the english irish nominative form, as in captain bly. Iron john even though the wild man as a masculine archetype has largely disappeared from western culture, we do not have to go back too far in our history to find traces of it. National book award winning poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision of. In each section of the book, bly reveals a piece of the story as a stage in. Iron john a book about man pdf, in this deeply learned book, poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision of what it is to be a man. Most men want some nice person to bring the ball back, but the story hints that we wont find the golden ball in the force field of.
Terry dobson, robert moore y john stokes, entre muchos otros. Robert bly born december 23, 1926 is an american poet, author, activist and leader of the mythopoetic mens movement, most famous for his iron john. Like eliot glick correspondence, may 2004, i am tired of the usual new age suspects being trotted out to teach us right thinking. Driving to town late to mail a letter it is a cold and snowy night.
A thousand years of joy charts blys singular path from farmers son on a wintry minnesota farm to radical antivietnam war activist to wild man of the 1990s mens movement. It is a wonderfully written, and very poignant tome about the critical journey that all men must become aware of if they are to be successful in their world. An exegesis of iron john, a parable about a boy maturing into adulthood with help of the wild man, and part of the grimms fairy tales published in 1812 by german folklorists brothers grimm, it spent 62 weeks on the new york times best seller list and went on to. Robert bly is a poet, author, translator, activist, and leader of the mythopoetic mens movement. In this deeply learned book, poet and translator robert bly offers nothing less than a new vision of what it is to be a man. He is a prolific author who has published more than 30 books of poetry, edited a magazine to introduce foreign poets to an english audience, and given workshops on masculinity based on his book iron john. Black coat is the point where bly s poetry meets his fascination with the male psyche, laying the poetry foundation for his subsequent work with men and his prose work, iron john. Bly had been giving talks on mythology to supplement his income, and found that the brothers grimm tale iron john hit a nerve with men.
I think the most vital part of the book is the iron john story that is in the back of the book. An extraordinary culmination for robert blys lifelong intellectual adventure, collected poems presents the full magnitude of his body of work for the first time. Y a mi editor, william patrick, por su entusiasmo y consejo. Bly has received many awards, including the national book award, for his poetry. The book for further reading is by clarissa pinkola estes women who run with the wolves a brilliant bedside bible, full of stages of growth to pick yours from. Revisiting jill johnstons critique of robert bly and iron john the. His work in these areas complements his poetic accomplishments and was a significant influence on the internationalization of. A book about men by robert bly free pdf d0wnl0ad, audio books. If a piece of literature, which is written in a novel style like iron john, stays for 62 weeks on the. In this book, bly attempts to use the fairy tale of iron john as a metaphor for the initiation of a boy into a responsible man. The myth of iron john follows the development of a young prince from his early ties to his mother, to his maturation and entry into the world of his father.
Drawing upon jungian psychology, myth, legend, folklore, and fairy tales the title is taken from a story by the brothers grimm, the book demonstrates blys masculinist convictions. Mothers, says bly, must relinquish their babies to enable their sons to grow up. Topics iron john collection opensource language english. Yes, bly wrote iron john after his 24year marriage to award winning essayist carol bly ended 1979 in divorce. A book about men is a book by american poet robert bly published in 1990 by addisonwesley, and is his bestknown work. Mar 15, 2016 robert bly iron john story men and the wound.
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