The Heroine's Journey (Maureen Murdock)

This is a book for every woman who has or will be going out in the world to have a career. And who hasn't in this day and age. The author enhances her research with her personal story as a way of exploring the universal split between mother and daughter when the daughter follows in her father's footsteps to have a career and work in a male centered world. Murdock even draws a diagram at the beginning of the book that explains the process. It is obvious she spent many hours conceiving and researching this idea which I felt had some real merit. She completes the heroine's journey by reuniting her with her feminine side and her mother through experiences and obstacles she encounters along the way. Although it was written in 1990, it is fresh and relevant today as young women enter the male-centered workplace in droves and try to find their place in it. A must read for every woman!

I found this book to be extremely helpful in understanding how a woman heals. Women have a different emotional pathway then men. As I read this book some of my confusion straightened out, the processes given were helpful for a time and I started to have more respect for myself as a woman. At a time when I most needed; this book really helped me in my darkest time. It does not take the place of a therapist or a trusted friend and confidant. But how nice to know I was not going insane, just moving through a growing period in my emotional and spiritual makeup. I hope if you purchase this book, it will be as helpful to you as it was to me.

My initial interest in this book was its discussion of archetypes and how they work within a woman's psyche. While this book doesn't break new ground in its discussion of archetypes and mythology, Murdock's personal approach to the topic (she includes her own experiences, both real and dreamed) makes this book especially engrossing. What surprised me was chapater 8, "Healing the Mother/Daughter Split." I was particularly drawn to this chapter, since this is a topic I've yet to deal with in my own writing (I've found it too difficult and painful to delve into). This chapter gave me strength to confront mother/daughter issues I've been avoiding. It also explained why certain imagery, particularly imagery of the female descent to the underworld, has cropped up in fiction that I've already written and published. All writers, male or female, will gain valuable insights from this book. Reading this book is a joyful, liberating experience. --Theresa Williams, author of THE SECRET OF H... Read more

I have just finished The Heroine's Journey. I have read Jung,Joseph Campbell, Carol Pearson, Vogler etc. All of them are fascinating but a little off, just a tiny bit away from my core experience as a woman. Murdock captures the truth of my 50 years on this planet better than anyone. Her book is a must read for anyone who is trying to make sense of the feminine experience. Thank you, Maureen.

The Heroine's Journey is an absolutely essential book that should be required reading for every woman! Maureen Murdock has blessed us with a way to look at our lives that helps us begin to make sense of them. In a time when so many of the boundaries of our souls have been blurred by the myriad contradictory images of what it is to be a woman, she gives us a map that illuminates many of the darker aspects of our collective and personal journeys. We always hear about the Hero's Journey, especially after the success of the PBS special done on Joseph Campbell, and the author has done the heroic work of reconsidering this classical mythological tale through a feminine lens. It will help you understand that baffling relationship with your mother and that distant relationship with your father and in the end will fill you with a renewed sense of compassion for your parents, and most importantly for yourself. ~ Juana Olga Barrios