Search - Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

Great trip into myths and stories and how they built our women traditions.

According to Estes, wolves and women share a psychic bond in their fierceness, grace and devotion to mate and community. This comparison defines the archetype of the Wild Woman, a female in touch with her primitive side and able to rely on gut feelings to make choices. The tales here, from various cultures, are not necessarily about wolves; instead, they illuminate fresh perspectives on relationships, self-image, even addiction. An African tale of twins who baffle a man represents the dual nature of woman; from the Middle East, a story about a threadbare but secretly magic carpet shows society's failure to look beyond appearances. Three brief, ribald stories advocate a playful, open sexuality; other examples suggest ways to deal with anger and jealousy. At times, Estes's commentary--in which she urges readers to draw upon and enjoy their Wild Woman aspects--is hyperbolic, but overall her widely researched study offers usable advice for modern women.

I really wanted to like this book, and I did read all the way through it, and although the intention the author had did seem interesting ... I just couldn't get into it. It was just too new agey, and few of the stories were ones I had ever heard of or even could identify with. Some of it also seemed quite forced/contrived, I thought

Interesting book if you are into myths about the wild woman archetype. Well read, therefore slightly worn.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to dive into archetypes.

Interesting book about women's power and the Wild Woman.