When Men Think Private Thoughts Exploring The Issues That Captivate The Minds Of Men

When Men Think Private Thoughts Exploring The Issues That Captivate The Minds Of Men
By Gordon MacDonald


Product Description
Gordon MacDonald explores questions men ask about measuring up to what they ultimately want to become in their quiet times. In When Men Think Private Thoughts, MacDonald offers insights and encouragement as he discusses topics that often define a man's life such as identity, masculinity, relationships, and spirituality.


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Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #257941 in Books
Published on: 1997-05-14
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
261 pages

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Customer Reviews
An Okay Book, But Not MacDonald's Best
"When Men Think Private Thoughts" by Gordon MacDonald focuses on different issues facing men: career, family, significance, character, sexuality, relationship with parents, etc.

While MacDonald has some insightful comments, I thought the book's flow was unstructured and meandered on many paths when addressing an issue like sexuality. Quite frankly, I sometimes had a problem trying to follow what the author was saying. It was as if he was trying to mix too much pop psychology with biblical wisdom.

To MacDonald's credit, I thought the book closed strongly in the last 3 chapters: The Formation of Character, The Meaning of Work, and The Significance of Legacy.

In summary, the book was okay. However, in my humble opinion, other titles such as "Renewing Your Spiritual Passion", "Ordering Your Private World", and "The Life God Blesses" are much better books.

Insightful book about men
While I cannot say I've read all of the books that are out that talk about things as they relate to men, I'd like to say I've read the more commonly thrown around titles in this genre. Different titles are ones like "Wild at Heart" and "Every Man's Battle." While I can say those books were helpful, I'd have to say "When Men Think Private Thoughts" was among the better books I've read. I won't write about a breakdown of the topics talked about, but do more to mention THE WAY in which he examined the topic of men.

What MacDonald does that I haven't observed in other books is how he seeks to cultivate understanding about what men struggle with, not simply pose solutions. There's a difference between problem-solving and encouraging personal awareness, and more personal awareness puts greater responsibility on the individual than just throwing an answer at them. Throughout "Private Thoughts," MacDonald helps the reader come to a point of understanding about common men's issues. I don't need to lay those out, and you can check the table of contents for yourself to see that.

Personally, what I benefited from the book wasn't that I had this list of things I was going to "try out" and see if they worked. Rather, I was taken through commonly traveled areas of the heart, like with how men respond to relationships (not simply unto marriage), matters of personal intimacy, the role of work, etc., so that I could first understand why those are areas that affect men. It's often at that point in chapters MacDonald would point in a better direction, yet left the responsibility with the reader.

Why I see that as succeeding where other men's books have not is that, rather than majoring on stereotypes about men like books like "Wild at Heart" can do, "Private Thoughts" majors on two things: one, you are made accountable to the knowledge shared; and two, you are viewed as CAPABLE of using what you learn about men. Again, I think too many books about men try too much to offer stereotypical solutions, and do too little to cultivate genuine understanding by the type of things that characterize all men.

If you're looking for a summary or a point-by-point breakdown, that's not really what I care to do. However, if you're looking for understanding the approach taken to cover a topic as murkily-covered nowadays as men can be, you'll see this book majors more on insight.

A Knock Out Punch that Captivate Men's Emotions
No other book will captivate you like this one. It's almost as if I'm reading another book called False Roads To Manhood. Gordon delves into the secret emotions of men and sheds light on a subject often misunderstood. Reading this book will shake your emotions as a man but much unwanted fruit will fall. I especially enjoyed the section dealing with constructed personalities. As I read each page, I found myself saying that's me. A good read for every man and woman who want to know and understand.