Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood

Psychotherapist Byock’s perceptive debut offers young adults guidance on how “to find and create one’s own life and purpose in a complex and deeply fraught world.” Defining “Quarterlife” as “the first part of adulthood,” from ages 16 to 36, Byock explores this phase by examining cultural depictions of it and dissecting four case studies informed by Byock’s therapy practice. The author studies how the protagonist of the Grimm brothers’ story “The Three Languages” struggles to find his place in the world and, like many Quarterlifers, follows the trajectory of the “Hero’s Journey,” undergoing transformation through experience. The author posits that there are two types of Quarterlifers: “Meaning Types” who snub the responsibility and routine of adulthood but struggle to find financial security, and “Stability Types” who are “comforted by their ability to conform to social norms” but often neglect their “buried desires and needs.” The key is to balance the two tendencies, which Byock illustrates with an in-depth case study of Conner, a Stability Type composite character of the author’s clients who develops an identity independent of his parents’ expectations after a series of heart-to-hearts with them. The detailed case studies provide useful illustration for Byock’s ideas, though her contention that there is “no checklist for surviving and thriving in Quarterlife” means there’s not much practical advice. Still, young adults will appreciate Byock’s compassionate articulation of Quarterlife’s challenges. (July)