The Force of Character: And the Lasting Life - Hardcover

James Hillman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375501207 ISBN 13: 9780375501203

Publisher: Random House Inc, 1999

Synopsis

The bestselling author of The Soul's Code presents an incisive study of the aging process that argues that even the debilitating changes associated with aging become meaningful as they serve to promote the fulfillment and confirmation of one's unique character. 200,000 first printing. Tour.

About this title

Review:

This philosophy/psychology work on character and ageing is not a self-help book but a self-perception book--philosophical, wise, and deep. "What does aging serve? What is its point?" asks James Hillman, and proceeds to examine those questions fully. The loss of short-term memory, for example, enables us to better recall the past and review our life. "On the one hand, brain cells may be flaking off like autumn leaves in a deciduous forest; on the other hand, a clearing is being made, leaving more space for occasional birds to alight." Hillman also likens short-term memory loss to a warehouse packed full of the inventory of life, emptying the latest files "to preserve enough emotional space for evaluating what has been there for a long time." Other ageing markers also have benefits for character, reflection, and imagination. We wake up at night not only because our old bodies have to urinate, for example, but also because our minds are open to the wonders and mysteries of night.

Hillman discusses the three major changes that character undergoes in later life. First is "lasting," which is the desire to live as long as possible. Next is "leaving," where we change from holding on to letting go, and our character becomes more exposed and confirmed. The final stage is "left": "what is left after you have left," and Hillman interweaves all the connotations of that word. --Joan Price

Review:

"Marvelous . . . For a book about longevity, The Force of Character is just about perfect, not only for the wisdom of its content but also for its tone and pace."
--San Francisco Chronicle

"This is a book that will comfort someone afraid of getting old. Its gentle messages shine through."
--Los Angeles Times

"Provocative . . . Hillman breathes new life into a venerable concept, and in so doing helps us to rediscover the soulful possibilities of aging."
--Publishers Weekly

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Inc
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0375501207
• ISBN 13: 9780375501203
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 236