The midlife crisis has become a cliché in modern society. Since the mid-twentieth century, the term has been used to explain infidelity in middle-aged men, disillusionment with personal achievements, the pain and sadness associated with separation and divorce, and the fear of approaching death. This book provides a meticulously researched account of the social and cultural conditions in which middle-aged men and women began to re-evaluate their hopes and dreams, reassess their relationships, and seek new forms of identity and fresh pathways to self-satisfaction. Drawing on a rich seam of literary, medical, media and cinematic sources, as well as personal accounts, it explores how the crises of middle-aged men and women were shaped by increased life expectancy, changing family structures, shifting patterns of work, and the rise of individualism.
| ISBN: | 9781789143959 |
| Publication date: | 17th May 2021 |
| Author: | Mark Jackson |
| Publisher: | Reaktion Books |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 336 pages |
| Genres: |
History: specific events and topics Age groups: adults |