SEASONS OF A WOMAN'S LIFE, THE

AHIGHLYNUANCEDPORTRAIT,ineveryshadeofgray,ofindividualwomennegotiatingthetransitionsofwhatLevinsoncallsearlyadulthood*ages18to45.*TheNewYorkTimesBookReviewNearlytwentyyearsago,esteemedYalepsychologistDanielJ.Levinsonwrotethegroundbreakingclassic,TheSeasonsofaMan'sLife,whichbecamethestimulusforarevolutioninthinkingaboutlifepassages,helpingthousandsofmenmakesenseoftheirownlives.Nowitiswomens'turn.Basedonexhaustiveinterviewswithadiversegroupofforty-fivewomen,TheSeasonsofaWoman'sLifecompletesandsubstantiatesLevinson'sthesis:thatallhumanbeingsgorightondevelopingthroughouttheirlivesinapatternofamazinginevitability.Firmlygroundedinoriginalscientificresearch,TheSeasonsofaWoman'sLifeisunusualinbeingnotonlyvividlyreadablebutarichsourceofinsightsandconsolation.Itspeakswithuncannydirectnesstothedreams,emotionalcrises,inexplicablefeelings,socialconflicts,andpsychologicalupheavalsthatmarkeachwoman'slifecourse.Everywomanwillrecognize*andfindcomfortinrecognizing*thedeepshapeofherownlifeinthepatternitoutlines,fromEarlyAdultTransition(ages17to22)totheMid-lifeTransition(ages40to45)andbeyond.Alivewiththevoicesofrealwomen,perceptiveandsympathetic,thisbookisdestined*likeitspredecessor*tobecomeaclassic.