Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up

I found this a challenging read. Part of it was vocabulary - Hollis uses professional terminology, not dumbed-down consumer words. Part of it context - I don't have a professional-level understanding of the vocabulary or the subject matter. But mostly it was because the book spoke to me, and got me to thinking in hundreds of asides. I found myself constantly returning to the text thinking, "ok, where was I?" I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to risk bruising their ego to get at what's really going on in the unconscious.

My only complaint is that, having finished the book, I am now wondering "what's next?" That isn't necessarily a fault of the book, might not even be a fault at all. The book was so thought-provoking, show more and I don't want to stop being provoked, I'm not sure I know how to sustain the effort on my own. Just in case, I bought another of Hollis' books, Living an Examined Life, to help out. show less

This is the first time I read a book by James Hollis, as I first discovered him thanks to a podcast where he was the guest speaker on, precisely discussing this book just some months ago. Somehow, his spot on ideas and the immense amount of insight he delivered resonated with me and got me immediately hooked. I am grateful for being able to discover his writing and ideas.

There’s not much else that I can say that others haven’t already mentioned. I’ll just say that there’s so much insight and grounding ideas here that anyone can take something useful, even if you are starting to live your life as an adult. Truly a chest full of wisdom for a more conscious life. I can’t wait to read more of his work.

3 stars: Enjoyed parts of it

From the back cover: What does it really mean to be a grown up in today’s world? We assume that once we “get it together” with the right job, marry the right person, have children, and buy a home, all is settled and well. But adulthood presents varying levels of growth, and is rarely the respite of stability we expected. Turbulent emotional shifts can take place anywhere between the age of thirty-five and seventy when we question the choices we’ve made, realize our limitations, and feel stuck— commonly known as the “midlife crisis.” Jungian psycho-analyst James Hollis believes it is only in the second half of life that we can truly come to know who we are and thus create a life that has meaning. show more In Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, Hollis explores the ways we can grow and evolve to fully become ourselves when the traditional roles of adulthood aren’t quite working for us, revealing a new way of uncovering and embracing our authentic selves. Offering wisdom to anyone facing a career that no longer seems fulfilling, a long-term relationship that has shifted, or family transitions that raise issues of aging and mortality, Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life provides a reassuring message and a crucial bridge across this critical passage of adult development.

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I got this on a trip to Powell's. While the basic thesis is one I am very close to, this was much to steeped in Jungian subconscious/conscious theories and not enough about societal pressures and constructs for me.

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"The inescapable truth of any relationship is that it can achieve no higher level of development than the level of maturity that both parties bring to it." show less

This is a more popular version of Hollis's other book on midlife transitions, The Middle Passage. His insights are pretty sharp, and more than once I have used some of his insights in my own counseling practice.

Essentially Hollis says the first half of our live we are trying to deal with the question, "What do I need to do to succeed?" The the second half, we have a new question. "Who am I?" (Apparently this is not just a question for bored twenty-somethings anymore.)

Hollis is a Jungian therapist, but he rarely lets that get in the way of work. It feeds his insights, but does not overpower them.

Like any "self-help" or self therapy book, some of this is really helpful, and some is not, but when Hollis hits the mark, at least for me, show more it is a hit worth taking. show less

Clouds of words based in Jungian psychology but nary a shred of practice advice other than an implicit but constant exhortation to get into therapy.

Only got half way through the second chapter. It was not for me.

Hollis was a humanities professor turned Jungian analyst. He has the most amazing citations!