There Are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves

by James Kavanaugh

A modern classic with more than one million copies in print, There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves is an outstanding collection of poetry. Of this book, Kavanaugh "This is a book born in my heart, born in the pain of ending one life and beginning another . . . in the excitement of finding life's meaning." Now in its 56th printing.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction

80 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1970

About the author

James Kavanaugh was ordained and actively ministered for ten years as a Catholic Priest before attending Catholic University in Washington D.C. Working on his second doctoral degree, he wrote an article for the Saturday Evening Post, entitled, "I am a Priest, and I want to marry." The article questioned the practice of celibacy among priests. The year was 1967, the height of the sexual revolution. Although it was written under a pseudonym and even his closest friends and family were not aware of the author, it was received with such commotion and outrage, the secret would not be kept for long. Jim then exploded onto the American scene with A Modern Priest Looks At His Outdated Church. The New York Times called it "a personal cry of anguish that goes to the heart of the troubles plaguing the Catholic Church." Soon Simon and Schuster came calling with a book deal.

Though a gifted scholar, with degrees in psychology and religious philosophy, James took a leave of absence from the priesthood, packed his VW bug and headed for California to write books. Jim surrendered his priestly collar and doctoral robes to become a gentle revolutionary.

Forty years ago in a decrepit New York residence hotel, Kavanaugh rejected lucrative offers to write what publishers wanted. "Feasting", he laughs, "on bagels, peanut butter, and cheese whiz", he wrote his first poetry book, There Are Men Too Gentle To Live Among Wolves. The book was turned down by a dozen publishers, only to sell over a million copies.

Wayne Dyer captures his power:

"James Kavanaugh is America's poet laureate. His words and ideas touch my soul. I can think of no living person who can put into words what we have all felt so deeply in our inner selves."

A dozen poetry books followed, as well as powerful novels, prose allegory and his best-selling Search, a guide for personal joy and freedom. The rebel priest became the people's poet, singing songs of human struggle, of hope and laughter, of healing that comes from within. James Kavanaugh possesses a charisma that excites audiences with passion and humor. He loves wandering, tennis and trout fishing, the cities and wilderness, people and solitude.

Reviews

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up this hardback collection downstairs in the dungeon where we have the public library book sale...currently $1 per plastic grocery bag of books?

Anyway, I opened it: copyrighted in 1970. The preface or acknowledgement or whatever it's called read..."I am one of the searchers. There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we really content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hope to understand. We like to walk along the beach, we are drawn by the ocean, taken by its power, its unceasing motion, its mystery and unspeakable beauty. We like forests and mountains, deserts and hidden rivers, and the lonely cities as well. Our sadness is as much a part of our lives as is our laughter..."

I had no sooner finished that than the lyrics from The Seeker by The Who entered my head and I can't get it OUT: "I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked the Beatles, I asked Timothy Leary but he couldn't help me either. They call me the Seeker. I've been searchin low and high."

This free association or synchronicity or whatever the hell is just burnin a hole in my brain lately but all this writing is just coming at me in wave after wave that fits flawlessly together. I am awed by it and find it no accident.

I was in a flea market a few weeks back and bought By Oak, Ash and Thorn, which is about modern shamanism...wow, is that one a mind bender. No doubt fated...and I don't even believe in fate...

(to be continued)...Oh yeah, got into a running debate with idiots on a yahoo post about who's responsible for the Gulf oil debacle...reminded me a lot of GR group discussions...thank God I got out of those never to return...GR reviewers have all the answers!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am one of the searchers.... this book had me hooked before it even started.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kavanaugh has sold millions of books. The poetry is not very good. But there was a certain sadness to this work that caught my attention and kept me going. I find it a bit difficult to explain.

[J]

This collection of poems is infused with insights into human nature you might expect from a clinical psychologist/philosopher/priest author. I like how the poems are arranged in sections: the gentle, the wolves, the loving and beloved.

[Amit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poems about quiet mornings, how to live, football, easy gods, loneliness and search for love, these are for and from those who have worked a while, loved and lived a bit, more for men than women.
4 stars for poetry quality and not exact match of philosophy to mine, and 1 extra for baring of the wanderer's soul and tugging at yours

Picked up the 1984 edition at a used bookstore called serendipity on an island called Friday Harbor.

There are many which connected with me, including title one, How to live, Oakwood apartments(yes i lived there) and Football Game, here is a snippet from another.

There's a fragrant garden
in the center of your soul
Where the weak can harden
and a narrow mind can grow

[Joe Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truely great book of poetry!inspiring and deep fom its intro to the end, James Kavanaugh has written several fine books of poetry and philisophical prose and this is a standout amidst works of the last 50 years. I only wish i had found this book in my youth, it was life changing for me as an adult and I can only wonder what might have been if I had read Kavanaughs writings as a ten year old Catholic boy trying to find my easy God. jj

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit morose yet deeply heartfelt collection of prose. Given to me by a dearly departed friend, it is an echo of his beauty & turmoil. I will never forget you James.

[Yitzchok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many awesome and meaningful poems. I am not big into poetry, but this really spoke to me.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Kavanaugh (1928-2009) was an American Catholic priest, who resigned the priesthood after writing his bestselling 1967 book, ‘A Modern Priest Looks at His Outdated Church.’ He had previously written an article for the Saturday Evening Post (under the pseudonym ‘Father Stephen Nash’), ‘I am a Priest and I Want to Marry.’ This 1970 book of poetry was turned down by many publishers, but eventually was another bestseller. (He married after leaving the priesthood, and was twice-divorced.)

He explains in the introductory section of this book, “This is a book born in my heart, born in the pain of ending one life and beginning another, bornin the excitement of the continuing search for life’s meaning. Some people do not have to search, they find their niche early in life and rest there, seemingly contented and resigned. They do not seem to task much of life, sometimes they do not seem to take it seriously. At times I envy them, but usually I do not understand them. Seldom do they understand me.

“I am one of the searchers. There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but nether are we really content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand. We like to walk along the beach, we are drawn by the ocean, taken by its power, its unceasing motion, its mystery and unspeakable beauty. We like forests and mountains, deserts and hidden rivers, and the lonely cities as well. Our sadness is as much a part of out lives as is our laughter. To share our sadness with one we love is perhaps as great a joy as we can know---unless it be to share our laughter.

“We searchers are ambitious only for life itself, for everything beautiful it can provide. Most of all we want to love and be loved. We want to live in a relationship that will not impede our wandering, nor prevent our search, nor lock us in prison walls; that will take us for what little we have to give. We do not want to prove ourselves to another or to compete for love.

“This is a book for wanderers, dreamers and lovers, for lonely men and women who dare to ask of life everything good and beautiful. It is for those who are too gentle to live among wolves.”

[Lisa Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has a feel of the book of Ecclesiastes (in the Bible). He searches for the meaning of life, but he left the meaning of it all which is God (which he says in the preface).

A few lines I found intriguing were:

“We have seen sights too dark for sunlight, /Known pain unweepable by all the waters of the skies.”

“Sometimes I’d rather weep than sing/ Because I write the music/ For my tears.”

I can’t recommend this book because of the blasphemy towards God. I understand that this is this man’s journey, but to take away, or even try to lay a seed of doubt in another human of God is the most tragic thing we can do.
That’s Kavanaugh’s truth, but the truth is negated when it denies THE Truth of God’s existence.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

like a pizza cutter: all edge and no point. if kavenaugh wasn't a former priest, this wouldn't be so highly regarded, and would just be some guy going on a doomer rant. still, I didn't mind his writing style and some of the poems are pretty thought provoking. it just got really tiring listening to this guy complain for 75% of the book. also, his love poems near the back of the book are actually really good.

[Jonathon Aitken · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of poetry so raw, so beautiful, so pure.
Traversing life through the eyes of both an oblivious child, and of an old sage.
The books themes of love, loneliness, and wanderlust resonate deeply with my soul.
Thanks Open Library, but I need a hard copy.
To stain the pages with my tears, and softly wear them down with my shivering grasp.
Maybe I am a man too gentle to live among wolves.

[Shaun · Rating 2 out of 5]

An overwhelmingly average collection of poetry. I respect a lot of the ideas that Kavanaugh writes about, and the content of the poems is often so genuine and personal that it feels difficult to criticize. Nevertheless, most of the poems in this collection were just boring, and the ones that were interesting never really went beyond merely interesting.

Overall 2.5 stars.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw, real, and down to earth, James Kavanaugh fills these poems with a sadness and aching that's palpable and deeply relatable. His style is very straightforward and artful but not flowery. His poems on leaving the church are gutting if you've had such an experience, challenging if you haven't, and piercingly clear either way.

[J. Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kavanaugh is a former priest who left the priesthood to get married, then later divorced. He understands what is like to be labelled, “unstable,” “selfish,” and “incapable of commitment.” Rejecting all those judgments, his poetry reflects on what it means to be true to the part of oneself that can never fit into someone else niche or into the demands of systems that simply dehumanize people. His poems are graphic, sometimes obscure (to this reader), honest, raw, and thought-provoking. He raises tough questions about God, about the church, about societal expectations on both men and women, and adulthood. I particularly enjoyed the following poems: “There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves,” “Little Boy, I Miss You,” “I Dream on Words,” “My Easy God is Gone,” “With Cain,” “Hey Life,” “I Played God Today,” “Welcome to the Oakwood Gardens Apartment Complex,” and “Maria.”

This is a thin book, it’s pages not numbered, and has 30 poems.

[Adam Welling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title poem or better put the title is the gem. I would suggest reading that poem or taking what you will from the title. This will resonate with some people. Others will hate it. I find it a refreshingly honest disclosure in a world full of chest thumping bs posturing.

[Mike Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

If i were rating the forward and the first three poems I'd give it 5 stars. I find myself in a state similar to the situation that led Kavanaugh to write these poems, which is probably why they spoke to me.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly picked this up from Value Village solely because of the title and the fact that I do not read enough poetry. I was not disappointed.

Maybe if you'd known me as a child is a great poem, as is To begin to live the rest of my life.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought this would be beautiful about masculinity (and maybe have some gay undertones) but overall I quickly got so sick of the straight man yapping. Very repetitive style and overall nothing interesting or new.

[Joshua Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet collection, soft views. Family, the gentle nature of observance, and the persistence of senses. Would make a pleasant blanket printed over cloth.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting amalgamation of poetry. It feels perhaps a bit overworked? However it’s still beautiful.

[Holden Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book I discovered in high school

[Donna Whitley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life altering so many years ago
so
relatable

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book pretty good but didn’t really grip me or anything like that. I liked some of the poems holistically but individually the lines didn’t feel super strong

[Hali M · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Kavanaugh’s works of poetry are always meaningful and touching.

[mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not identify with the first two thirds of the book, I found myself skimming through (even though I hate doing that). However, the last bit I enjoyed. I am not a big fan of poems so I am biased.

[Michael Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there are sentiments worth paying attention to, this is ultimately a rather bad volume of poems. A handful of clever lines and strong emotions do not a good poem make, and that is about all we find for the whole book, so perhaps one can guess what a difficult reading experience this was for me.

[Kevin Keating · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked some of his poems. They kinda went for brutal honesty. I hadn't realized right away that he had been a priest. That for me was a pretty compelling backstory. Anyway, I did get the impression that he had given up all familiar things for honesty, and that was refreshing. This was in the late 60's. Glad I read it but don't feel compelled to keep it.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I guess I waited too many years before reading this book. It was wildly popular in Calif., in the 80's, when I lived there. It is just too dated now, which means it isn't really great poetry if it didn't age well. Its pretty romantic & flowery. Not a great book.

[Carolyn (in SC) C234D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't read very much poetry, but I noted at the time that I found many of these poems moving. They may deserve four stars rather than three, but I didn't do a rating way back then, and I just can't say now.