The Seasons of a Man's Life [Paperback]

Daniel J. Levinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 1986

The first full report from the team that discovered the patterns of adult development, this breakthrough study ranks in significance with the original works of Kinsey and Erikson, exploring and explaining the specific periods of personal development through which all human begins must pass--and which together form a common pattern underlying all human lives.
"A pioneering and radical theory of adult development."
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The first full report from the team that discovered the patterns of adult development, this breakthrough study ranks in significance with the original works of Kinsey and Erikson, exploring and explaining the specific periods of personal development through which all human begins must pass--and which together form a common pattern underlying all human lives.
"A pioneering and radical theory of adult development."
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (May 12, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345339010
• ISBN-13: 978-0345339010
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book provides insights that could save your life, September 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Seasons of a Man's Life (Paperback)

Reading about the "seasons of a mans life" has been a complete and life-changing revelation. No one ever teaches us about adult development, mid-life crisis, coping with transition. They are often joked about but seldom discussed. Reaching mid-life proved to be no joke for me and being unprepared led to a personal crisis. This book played a major part in helping me understand the changes I was going through and provided clear insights that I believe I would not have found elsewhere. Clearly written; the book addresses every stage of adulthood with convincing theories about the emotional and psychological changes which we all have to cope with.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life Correcting, October 19, 2000

By 

Phillip Armour "malicorneus" (Deer Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Seasons of a Man's Life (Paperback)

You can't ask much more from a book than that it changes your life.

Or more correctly, it helps you change your life. I first read this book during my last transition ten years ago, and I'm reading it again for this one. It made all the difference last time, and I'm dipping into the same well a decade later.

Levinson reasoned that while Piaget and Freud had well documented the stages of development of infants and children and adolescents, it mostly stopped at 20. It's as if that's it--you're all grown up now!

He thought perhaps there were changes, phases and stages of adult life akin to those of children. When he researched this with a large number of American males he was surprised to find just how consistent they are.

You can almost set your watch--oops! 25 years old! Time to find a mentor! Ooops 55 years old! Time to be a mentor!

The major transitions he identified at the decade turnovers. They seem to be times of significant discomfort, questioning, reassessment, and redirection in a man's life. They are followed by a period of consolidation and stability--until the next transition ten years later. While the transitions are different for each person and the results are different for each person, each of us in our way goes through them. The "mid-life crisis" he calls the "mid-life transition", since it's only a crisis if you don't get through it well.

This is not a particularly easy read (Gail Sheehey's "Passages" is easier), but if you, or someone you know is trying to figure out "what next?" try this book.

Hey, it worked for me.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, February 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Seasons of a Man's Life (Paperback)

Great book, great read for everyone. Author discusses the primary phases of adulthood in great detail, and very thought provoking way. Book discusses the life cycle as several distinct phases that we all go through one way or another. Having going through a transition myself, reading "Seasons" is an eye opener. If anything the more you know about your own transition, the better you can deal with it. Also, the phases help in understanding others too. Season's work will no doubt last for many generations to come.