I was strolling through massive Costco one day and unlike everyone else pushing a big fat cart with kids in tow, I empty handily headed towards the Books aisle since it’s much cheaper than at Chapters.  And this is what I found:

First of all, it was $11.59.  Secondly, it’s two books in one.  Third, I’ve heard lots about both Wild at Heart and Captivating from different people but have never read or even flipped through either books.  The premise of each being the Christian perspective on masculinity and femininity, respectfully. In short, trying to recover the strength and passion of a man’s heart and unveil the mystery and beauty of a woman’s soul. Sounds cliche?  Wait ’til you read the back cover..

Well, I briefly skimmed it in Costco and figured $11.59 is a good enough deal for not one, no, but two books.  But the best part is that it’s not even a honkin’ huge volume or anything (fat books bug me cos they take up so much space and are heavy). It’s a decent size and weight so it made it through the check-out.

I’m reading both books simultaneously, reading a chapter from one and then a chapter from the other.  To be honest, skimming parts here and there.  Sometimes it’s a bit of a cheese fest.  For whatever reason, the writing sometimes makes me feel like I’m reading a Nicholas Sparks novel or something.  I’m not sure why, there really is no correlation but oh well (yes, I’ve read – not just watched but read, Sparks’ A Walk to Remember and The Notebook after seeing each film).

It pretty much reads as i expected.  The issues that the Eldredges address are good, needed and i agree with them for the most part. They breakdown our societal norms and perversions of masculinity and femininity and shed some good light on both sides.  For Wild at Heart, they address the danger in babying men all the way into adulthood. This would likely prevent or stifle a healthy and exciting sense of manhood and responsibility.  For Captivating, they acknowledge that the lofty ideals of romanticism do speak to our heart-felt desires, but only in part. Ultimately, these longings and our innate design- the way women are “wired,” so to speak, are birthed from, and hinged upon much more than a hope for a fairy-tale Cinderella story.  Both sides beg the exploration of 1) God’s character (or, perhaps his nature?) 2) in light of the claim that people are made in his likeness.  Maybe some food for thought?  Go nuts with it.