The radical new theory of adult development that shows how every grown man must pass through a series of specific age-linked phases which underlie his personal crisis, govern his emotional states and attitudes, even shape his behavior.

The life cycle and its seasons -- Eras: the anatomy of the life cycle -- Developmental periods: the evolution of the individual life structure -- Four men -- The novice phase: the early adult transition, entering the adult world, and the age thirty transition -- Major tasks of the novice phase -- The life of James Tracy, executive (I) -- The life of William Paulsen, worker -- Settling down: building a second adult life structure -- Five sequences through the settling down period -- The life of James Tracy (II) -- The life of Paul Namson, novelist -- The mid-life transition -- Mid-life individuation: young-old, the major polarity -- Mid-life individuation: the other polarities -- Modifying the life structure during the mid-life transition -- The life of John Barnes, biologist -- Entering middle adulthood -- The life of James Tracy (III) -- Tasks and possibilities of adult development.