A Blue Fire

by James Hillman

Book Overview

A vitally important introduction to the theories of one of the most original thinkers in psychology today, A Blue Fire gathers selected passages from many of Hillman's seminal essays on archetypal psychology.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060921013
• ISBN13: 9780060921019
• Release Date: June 1997
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Great intro to Hillman

Always provocative and challenging, Hillman is one of today's greatest thinkers in my opinion. This is a solid introduction to his ideas edited by one of his biggest fans. If you haven't read Hillman, this is a good place to start. Hillman can be a little hard to read, so these short excerpts make it a bit more manageable. I also highly recommend Inter-Views, a series of conversations with Laura Pozzo and We've Had A Hundred Years of Therapy (and the World's Getting Worse)-conversations and letters betweem Hillman and Michael Ventura. These last two works are Hillman at his most readable.

Thoughtful and engaging. It gives pause for reflection.

"Blue Fire" is an anthology of selections from James A. Hillman's major works, including "Insearch: Psychology and Religion," "Suicide and the Soul," "Healing Fiction," and others, including journal and magazine articles in such diverse publications as "Spring," "Utne Reader," "Institute Newsletter," and "Loose Ends: Primary Papers in Archetypal Psychology." This should not scare you away. On the contrary, the reader will find that "Blue Fire" is quite readable and understandable. The selections in this book challenge you to think. Thomas More (editor) did an excellent job in assembling and introducing the selections in the book, tying them together so that they show a logical continuity of thought. If you read "Psychology Today," you should have no trouble with this book. You will find it delightful. If you have a deeper interest in 'depth psychology,' Jungian Psychology, or archetypal psychology, you will find this an excellent read.Hillman's approach to psychology is one of addressing the individual as an individual within a society, paying strict attention to the needs of that individual and his/her soul. Psychology is not treating mental disorders and symptoms of such disorders, it is caring for the soul. Much of what can be accomplished is a transformation of the soul symbolically through the use of imagination, poetry, symbolism, and metaphor. "Blue Fire" was an epiphany for me. It caused me to look at many things from a different prospective. I found a new appreciation for spirituality and soulfulness, as well as the need to accept others and myself.

Delicious full course meals or small snacks of soul food.

This book can be consumed as a full course meal. For example, read a chapter like "The Salt of Soul, the Sulfur of Spirit," and there is enough material to feel full for several hours as you digest the many metaphors, and delicious word play. For a snack, Hillman provides "Recipes", little snippets to be consumed in the morning or before going to bed.If consumed before bed, one's dreams may be seeded by an ever-expanding Hillman metaphor. Bon Appetit.i

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Psyche

This book is soulful dynamite, appearing intellectual, but don't be fooled; read it with an open heart, and if you are into meditation, you will find much to meditate on here, e.g., "The Psyche historicizes to make it look real." Don't just think about it, meditate on it, and perhaps you, too, will pierce the veil of Illusion (Maya). I can at least hope that for you :)

A great summary of the author's opus.

The reading of this book was my first contact with the work of this author, which I already knew about from my readings of Thomas Moore's books. I have already read other books by Hillman by now. This book presents passages, aspects, and ideas from his other books. I found it to be a wonderful introduction to Hillman's views allowing me to select from his vast production the type of reading that I am looking for at any given time, within this broad area of undestanding human nature. My word of appreciation also to Thomas Moore(editor),who wrote the introduction to each chapter in a very elegant style that provides valuable insights to the comprehension of the deep thought of Hillman. I recommend this book widely.