Midlife

Philosophical wisdom and practical advice for overcoming the problems of middle age How can you reconcile yourself with the lives you will never lead, with possibilities foreclosed, and with nostalgia for lost youth? How can you accept the failings of the past, the sense of futility in the tasks that consume the present, and the prospect of death that blights the future? In this self-help book with a difference, Kieran Setiya confronts the inevitable challenges of adulthood and middle age, showing how philosophy can help you thrive. You will learn why missing out might be a good thing, how options are overrated, and when you should be glad you made a mistake. You will be introduced to philosophical consolations for mortality. And you will learn what it would mean to live in the present, how it could solve your midlife crisis, and why meditation helps. Ranging from Aristotle, Schopenhauer, and John Stuart Mill to Virginia Woolf and Simone de Beauvoir, as well as drawing on Setiya’s own experience, Midlife combines imaginative ideas, surprising insights, and practical advice. Writing with wisdom and wit, Setiya makes a wry but passionate case for philosophy as a guide to life.

A radical new take on one of humanity's most misunderstood periods of transition: the midlife crisis. Only two species of mammal have a post-reproductive life that lasts longer than their reproductive life: killer whales, whose elders are able to sniff out food supplies over vast oceanic distances to keep their pods fed, and Homo sapiens. While the evolutionary purpose of the killer whale’s extensive life seems clear, what is the point of ours? This was a question that intrigued the psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who observed that if a culture is to maintain its deepest, profoundest roots while moving forward to embrace the challenges of historical and technological change, it needs to find an equilibrium between the energy, vigor, and creativity of those in the ego-driven first half of life and the experience, dignity, and wisdom of those in the second. But to make it to that second half of life, we need to traverse the dreaded middle years, when so many of us find ourselves discontented with our jobs, unhappy in our relationships, and lamenting our fetishized youths. In this highly readable and groundbreaking new book, the psychoanalyst Andrew Jamieson examines the Jungian concept of the midlife crisis to show how it is an essential evolutionary and social rite of passage that we all must proceed through—a set of challenges that we either take advantage of or ignore, depending on whether our complex or neurosis blocks this developmental impulse. Drawing on history, psychology, science, and literature, Jamieson shows just how ubiquitous, and crucial, the “midlife crisis” is, and the devastating consequences for society at large if we continue to regard it as something we can, and should, avoid.

"[Fit at Mid-Life] reinforces the message that fitness can and should be for everyone, no matter their age, size, gender, or ability." ––SELF What if you could be fitter now than you were in your twenties? And what if you could achieve it while feeling more comfortable and confident in your body? In Fit at Mid-Life, bloggers and philosophy professors Samantha Brennan and Tracy Isaacs share the story of how they got the fittest they'd ever been by age 50––and how you can, too. Their approach to fitness is new and different—it champions strength, health, and personal accomplishment over weight loss and aesthetics––and explores the many challenges, questions, and issues women face when seeking fitness in their forties, fifties, and beyond. Drawing from the latest research, Brennan and Isaac deliver a wealth of concrete advice on everything from how to keep bones strong to what types of fitness activities give the biggest returns. Taking a feminist perspective, they also challenge society’s default whats, whys, and hows of every aspect of getting fit to show how women can best take charge of their health—no matter what their shape, size, age, or ability. "Fit at Mid-Life combines personal stories with scientific evidence, feminist reflections and how-to advice for both women and men who don’t want fitness to fade away in their middle years."––The Toronto Star

From Mad Men to MAGA: how nostalgia came to be and why we are so eager to indulge it. From movies to politics, social media posts to the targeted ads between them, nostalgia is one of the most potent forces of our era. On Nostalgia is a panoramic cultural history of nostalgia, exploring how a force that started as a psychological diagnosis of soldiers fighting far from home has come become a quintessentially modern condition. Drawing on everything from the modern science of memory to the romantic ideals of advertising, and traversing cultural movements from futurism to fascism to Facebook, cultural critic David Berry examines how the relentless search for self and overwhelming presence of mass media stokes the fires of nostalgia, making it as inescapable as it is hard to pin down. Holding fast against the pull of the past while trying to understand what makes the fundamental impossibility of return so appealing, On Nostalgia explores what it means to remember, how the universal yearning is used by us and against us, and it considers a future where the past is more readily available and easier to lose track of than ever before. "If nostalgia was a disease in the Good Old Days, then David Berry's cogently argued, intelligent, and witty book should be prescribed reading for anyone wishing to understand what sometimes feels like a peculiarly virulent epidemic of our current times." —Travis Elborough "We're so lucky to have a writer as thoughtful, funny, smart, and cutting as David Berry. Nostalgia dictates so much of our world, and there isn't a better cataloger, critic, and guide through it than Berry." —Scaachi Koul

'I am blown away by the level of detail Phil Cavell brings to his work.' – Elinor Barker MBE, multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist 'The Midlife Cyclist is a triumph' – Cycling Plus 'An amazing accomplishment... a simple-to-understand précis of your midlife as a cyclist – you won't want to put it down.' – Phil Liggett, TV cycling commentator 'Phil is eminently qualified to write The Midlife Cyclist. Well, he is certainly old enough.' – Fabian Cancellara, Tour de France rider and two-time Olympic champion Renowned cycling biomechanics pioneer, Phil Cavell, explores the growing trend of middle-aged and older cyclists seeking to achieve high-level performance. Using contributions from leading coaches, ex-professionals and pro-team doctors, he produces the ultimate manifesto for mature riders who want to stay healthy, avoid injury – and maximise their achievement levels. Time's arrow traditionally plots an incremental path into declining strength and speed for all of us. But we are different to every other generation of cyclists in human history. An ever-growing number of us are determined to scale the highest peaks of elite physical fitness into middle-age and beyond. Can the emerging medical and scientific research help us achieve the holy triumvirate of speed and health with age? The Midlife Cyclist offers a gold standard road-map for the mature cyclist who aims to train, perform and even race at the highest possible level.

Midlife: crisis, anger, change... Drawing on analytic experience, dreams, and myths, the author, a well-known analyst, formulates the three main features of the middle passage. First an erosion of attachments. Then hints of a fresh spirit, renegade and mischievous, that scoffs at routines. This new spirit disrupts life and alarms family and friends. Finally, with luck, a transformation occurs; life begins again. Murray Stein, former president of the International Association for Analytical Psychology, has written a best-selling, good-humored book, brimming with shrewd counsel and cultural relevance.

THE DEFINITIVE RESOURCE ON MIDLIFE DEVELOPMENT Edited by Margie Lachman, a leader in the field, Handbook of Midlife Development provides an up-to-date portrayal of human development during the middle years of the life span. Featuring contributions from well-established, highly regarded experts, this exhaustive reference fills the gap for a compilation of research on this increasingly important topic. Divided into four comprehensive sections, the book addresses the theoretical, biomedical, psychological, and social aspects of midlife development. Each chapter includes coverage of unifying themes such as gender differences, ethnic and cultural diversity, historical changes, and socioeconomic differences from a life-span developmental perspective. Readers will discover what can be learned from individuals' subjective conceptions of midlife; explore various "cultural" fictions of middle age; examine the resources individuals have at their disposal to negotiate midlife; consider mechanisms for balancing work and family; and other topics as presented in the latest research from the social, behavioral, and medical sciences. Handbook of Midlife Development is an indispensable resource for professionals and practitioners who work with adults and for researchers and students who study adult development and related topics. Some of the midlife topics discussed: * Cultural perspectives * Physical changes * Stress, coping, and health * Intellectual functioning * Memory * Personality and the self * Adaptation and resilience * Emotional development * Families and intergenerational relationships * Social relationships * The role of work * Planning for retirement