The Stories We Live By - Personal Myths and the Making of the Self (Paperback)

From psychologist McAdams, a strong and engrossing argument for the relationship between storytelling and personal development. The stories people tell about their lives re-create special moments, recognize turning points, or reveal ongoing identity issues. Finding a particular "grammar" in these narratives, McAdams contends that they act as "a natural package for organizing...information" and illuminate "the values of an individual life," reaching the level of myth. People define themselves in the tone and content of their narratives as well as in the telling, and the themes that emerge most often - especially love and power - appear in a wide variety of contexts. Ultimately, these stories create "a human narrative of the self" and, usually toward midlife, give each life a sense of unity and purpose. Pointing out developmental correlates in his scheme - the emergence of narrative tone in the earliest years or of intention-themes in adolescence - McAdams places a powerful emphasis on "agentic" and "communal characters" - awkward terms for those who act, think, and feel vigorously, or for those who are oriented toward love and intimacy. McAdams also alludes to classic mythology for occasional amplification and refers to standard works (Erikson) and famous individuals (Karen Horney, Margaret Mead) to support his ideas and to highlight his theoretical departures. Likening his role as listener to the protagonist in the film sex; lies, and videotape, McAdams has been researching this cluster of ideas for many years and urges others to follow his outline for "interpersonal dialogue" and to pursue a similar exploration. Stimulating - but dense and demanding. (Kirkus Reviews)

"Who am I?" "How do I fit in the world around me?" This revealing and innovative book demonstrates that each of us discovers what is true and meaningful, in our lives and in ourselves, through the creation of personal myths. Challenging the traditional view that our personalities are formed by fixed, unchanging characteristics, or by predictable stages through which every individual travels, "The Stories We Live By" persuasively argues that we "are" the stories we tell. Informed by extensive scientific research--yet highly readable, engaging, and accessible--the book explores how understanding and revising our personal stories can open up new possibilities for our lives.

General

Imprint:	Guilford Publications
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	February 1997
First published:	1997
Authors:	Dan P. McAdams
Dimensions:	228 x 153 x 21mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	336
ISBN-13:	978-1-57230-188-7
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Psychology > The self, ego, identity, personality
LSN:	1-57230-188-0
Barcode:	9781572301887

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