Seasons of Life: The Dramatic Journey from Birth to Death

By John N. Kotre and Elizabeth Hall

Book Overview

Throughout the ages and in every culture, people have used the seasons as a metaphor to mark life's transitions and to help understand the purpose and meaning of our mortal journey. In the last few decades, there has been an astonishing growth in our knowledge of human development through the entire life span; at the same time, there has been dramatic change in the timetables of our lives. Seasons of Life, a companion book to the acclaimed PBS television series, interprets the fascinating work and discoveries of hundreds of social scientists and, through the personal stories of dozens of ordinary individuals, reveals the rich drama of life's passages at the end of the twentieth century.
"The portrait of human life depicted here is a powerful one that transcends its sources and offers a new view of the ways in which Western man's evolution sometimes hinders and occasionally enhances his environmental reality." --Kirkus Reviews
John Kotre, professor of psychology, University of Michigan, Dearborn, has published four books, including Outliving the Self: Generativity and the Interpretation of Lives and White Gloves: How We Create Ourselves through Memory. Elizabeth Hall is a journalist, consultant, and author of twelve books, including Growing and Changing: What the Experts Say.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0472085123
• ISBN13: 9780472085125
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

If one had to describe humanity in a single book, this is it.

This book was referred to me by a favorite professor. Seasons of Life follows several families, progressing from birth to death. During each 'season' of life, the book does an amazing job of describing what life is like for the person experiencing it, and for those around them. The descriptions include examples from rural and urban lifestyles, making it easy to relate to. IMO, the most helpful part of the book is the historical perspective it adds. For example, the most radically changed social group in western culture is adolescents, because their role in society has changed the most in recent history (last 20, 50, 100 years), and is still evolving. Whereas life for an infant is very similar to how it has been for thousands of years. Well developed pictures of what it means to be an infant, child, adolescent, as well as early, middle, and late adult are painted, including the physical, emotional, and social changes that occur during each season. I found the descriptions of the cultural and sociological forces, as well has how those forces have changed in history, to be very helpful. The book is enjoyable to read, and one that I plan to read again, in a few more years. I highly recommend this book.