The Wounded Male

Modern men are wounded by historical and cultural developments as well as by specific family problems. Traditional masculinity is a straitjacket that forces men to repress all their emotions under an "I-can-handle-it" facade -- a facade that enourages men to become emotionally numb, unable to feel joy as well as sadness. But men don't have to live this way. THE WOUNDED MALE describes the sources and consequences of the many wounds men receive from society and family, including the "father wound" (how the physical or emotional absence of a father or a father-as-rigid-disciplinarian can profoundly affect a growing boy) and the "mother wound" (which is rooted in the extremes of too much mothering -- engulfing -- or too little mothering -- abandoning). Farmer personalizes his analysis with examples from his own life and the lives of other men. He shows that healing the wounds of manhood is not a one-shot deal, but a long, slow journey of self-discovery. Whether you are just setting out on that journey or wish to travel farther and deeper, you will find THE WOUNDED MALE an indispensable companion.