<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Template: New Stages of Adult Life
Review: Dr. Anderson is not a writer -- if he was, The Stages of Life would call for 5 stars; despite its frustrating flaws as more of a strangely dry, repetitive developmental outline than satisfying new psychoanalytic theory, the specific contributions of The Stages of Life to what we know of the lifelong construction of the mind -- and new developmental stages of adult life emerging since the revolutionary sixties -- remain relevant. S1 carriers, S2 carriers, practicing, borrowing, self contained Intuition -- if you're in your thirties and wondering why your early happy marriage failed or a boomer convinced you're losing your newly "psychic" mind to early Alzheimer's while parenting parents who are more like stubborn, needy children, The Stages of Life remains a must quick read easily correlated with other developmental theories (including Jung's complexes and evolutionary psychology's "modules"). A Sixth Sense is emerging in the compelling evolution of the adult stages of life; understanding this will be both a relief and a marvel, and a reason to wish Dr. Anderson would follow up on this important first outline of his Maturation Theory.
Rating: 
Summary: Life changing
Review: I highly recommend this book. It offers a way of looking at things that actually made sense for me, and it came at a time when I really needed it. Read this book, and ignore the negative reviews here. It's worth the effort.
Rating:
Summary: The difficulty with "model shifts"
Review: I read Dr. Anderson's book about 3-4 years ago after another psychologist recommended it after I asked her why I kept making the same mistakes and how I could go about addressing that issue rather than just trying to work out the individual conflicts resulting from the mistakes. This book changed my life. It immediately answered my questions and gave me a new way of looking at events in my life. Since that time I free-associate on a regular basis by writing every morning. My life is changing -- slowly but consistently. I am going FOR more fulfilling and meaningful activities and projects rather than spending so much time trying to figure out what I should have done in the past. Dr. Anderson understands the mind and how it works and how we can make the most with what we've got if we follow the steps. I hope he will have another book in the future to reveal more of his insights and knowledge. His ideas are working for me when I thought nothing would help me out of the quicksand I was in. The harder I struggled, the more I would sink. As I approach my mid-50's and the new millenium, I find myself thinking more positively and looking forward to all that life has in store. His theories work and I thank him for this gift.
Rating: 
Summary: Split Decision
Review: Seven graduate students read The Stages of Life this fall as an assigned project. Three of us found the book exciting and enlightening and basically agreed with the conclusions. Moreover, we continue to discuss the implications independently. Another student found some of the concepts interesting, but not to the extent we did. Another two were probably two-star readers, having to struggle in places. One student got lost early and did not finish the book.My conclusion is that reading the book is well worth the effort some may find it takes.
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the most valuable book you'll ever read
Review: The style may be a little dry, but the insightfullness of this book is very rich. I picked up this book at the suggestion of a friend, and it's the biggest favor that friend has ever done for me. I really feel a sense of "mental liberation" since reading it. I don't want to overstate the effect this book has had on my life because it will come across as contrived, but I thought I'd try to pass along the favor my friend has done for me.
Rating:
Summary: The difficulty with "model shifts"
Review: This is a book that everyone should read, but few will really understand. The reason so few will really understand the book is that Dr. Anderson presents a model of how we understand the development of the mind that is totally different from the models we have had available to us in the past. All of us understand subjects by way of internal models. If the model is incorrect, the way we understand the subject will be incorrect. Many people will not understand what he is trying to present because it is extremely difficult to shift models (in this case the model we use to understand how we mature psychologically). The book is difficult not only because of the model shift that is required, but because of it's theoretical nature. I have read the book at least four times, and each time I read it, I learn more. The Stages of Life should be on everyone's required reading list. Dr. Anderson's "correct" model of how the mind matures may be controversial, like Copernicus' model that the sun (not the earth) was the center of the solar system! Dr. Anderson's model will finally make possible the maturation of the human mind.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: Well, it's been about 7 years and psychology hasn't been turned on its ear. I suspect that this book and its author are perturbed, but I can't think of a reason that they should think otherwise. The book is vague, barely readable, very obtuse. If a new paradigm is to be found in psychology, I think it will be understandable to the masses, not just the intelligentsia.
<< 1 >>
| 
