Erik Erikson (1902-1994) was one of the most eminent and prolific psychologists of the 20th century. Over his long career he published a dozen books, including classics such as Childhood and Society; Identity, Youth, and Crisis; and Young Man Luther . He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 1970 for his biography Ghandi's Truth. It was also in 1970, when he retired from Harvard University, that Erikson began to rethink his earlier theories of development. He became increasingly occupied with the conflicts and challenges of adulthood--a shift from his earlier writings on the "identity crises" of adolescence. For the past twenty years, Carol Hoare has written extensively on various aspects of Erikson's work. She has been aided by access to Erikson's unpublished papers at Harvard, as well as cooperation with Joan Erikson, the psychologist's wife and longtime collaborator. By reconstructing Erikson's theory of adulthood from his unpublished papers, Hoare provides not only a much-needed revision of Erikson's work, but also a glimpse into the mind of one of the 20th century's most profound thinkers.

Adult development and learning have always existed as two separate fields of study, with development falling under psychology and learning under education. Recent advances in theory, research, and practice, however, have made it clear that an important reciprocal relationship exists between them: advances in development frequently lead to learning, and conversely, learning quite often fuels development. The synchronicity between development and learning is responsible for positive changes in many capacities, including insight, intelligence, reflective and meta-cognition, personality expression, interpersonal competence, and self-efficacy. This synchronicity is also leading to the growth of a new discipline at the borders of adult development and learning. The Handbook of Adult Development and Learning is the first to bring together the leading scholars from both adult development and learning to explore what will form the foundation for this new discipline--the latest research at the intersection of these fields. It examines six major aspects of their intersection: foundations, key areas of integration, the self system, higher reaches of development and learning, essential contexts, and specific applications. An introductory chapter explains why it is so important to recognize and fuel the growth of this new discipline. Subsequent chapters review the latest theoretical and empirical literature and provide a rich itinerary for future research.
This handbook is a must-read for all who promote optimal aging. It will be an invaluable reference for scholars in development and education, as well as rich resource for policy makers and practitioners, such as corporate executives andhuman-resource personnel.