Primetime - by Margie Lachman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Leading lifespan psychologist Margie Lachman creates a radical new framework for midlife, based on her landmark 30-year study at Brandeis University, as the defining years of life when navigated with the right mindset.

We've all heard the term "midlife crisis" and the stereotypes that come with it. But what if everything you think you know about midlife is a myth?

In Primetime, Dr. Margie Lachman draws on her decades of research to debunk these myths and rebrand midlife as the optimal time for personal growth and satisfaction. A professor of psychology at Brandeis University and the director of the Lifespan Lab, Dr. Lachman has spent thirty years studying midlife from a lifespan developmental perspective. Her research reveals the myth of the midlife "crisis", and other misconceptions such as people in their middle years can't change and that it is the unhappiest time of life. In reality, only a small percentage of people report experiencing a midlife crisis; personality can change during midlife and many people have a higher sense of well-being and control. It is a time when most are still healthy, highly functioning, mentoring those younger and caring for those older combined with increased knowledge and experience and stronger emotion regulation.

This book reveals midlife as a critical time in the life cycle with high generativity and peak responsibility, as well as when we make choices that can impact our later years. With a focus on debunking myths, navigating changes, and planning for the future, she guides readers through making sense of the past and imagining future possibilities. She also covers the physical, psychological, cognitive, and social changes that accompany the middle years and illuminates the potential to harness a sense of control in the face of the challenges, constraints, and transitions.

Review Quotes

"Dr. Margie Lachman, a global leader of lifespan research, provides a transformative journey into the heart of midlife, offering profound insights and strategies that challenge our longstanding misconceptions. Through a blend of compelling anecdotes and robust scientific research, Dr. Lachman masterfully illuminates the potential of our middle years. This book is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit, proving that it's never too late to create a fulfilling and joyous life." --Becca Levy, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health; Professor of Psychology at Yale University; and Author of Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live

"In Primetime, Lachman tackles the bad reputation of middle age and explains why it's fundamentally wrong. Drawing on decades of research, including her seminal work on the landmark MacArthur Study of Midlife, she weaves complex findings into an engaging narrative about this misunderstood stage of life. Her warmth and humor shine through on every page, making it essential reading for anyone in or approaching middle age." --Laura L. Carstensen, Ph.D., Founding Director, Stanford Center on Longevity; Professor of Psychology; and the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy, Stanford University

"Midlife is often portrayed as a drag, an impending crisis right around the corner. In this illuminating book Margie Lachman, one of the world's leading experts on human development, shatters this and many other pervasive myths about aging. She walks readers through what the science actually says to provide a ray of hope about what midlife has to offer." --Ethan Kross, International Bestselling Author of Chatter and Shift

"Primetime dismantles the tired narrative of midlife decline and offers us a hopeful, evidence-based vision of growth and agency. This warm and accessible book is both a myth-buster and a practical roadmap for how we can thrive as we age." -Robert J. Waldinger, M.D., Director, Harvard Study of Adult Development; Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; and co-author of The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness

About the Author

Margie Lachman, PhD, is the Minnie and Harold Fierman Professor of Psychology at Brandeis University, where she directs the Lifespan Lab. She earned her AB from Boston University and her MS and PhD from Pennsylvania State University. A leading expert on adult development and aging, Lachman is one of a small group of scholars who study midlife from a lifespan developmental perspective. Her honors include research awards from the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Gerontological Society of America. She has authored numerous scholarly articles and coedited key volumes, including Multiple Paths of Midlife Development, Handbook of Midlife Development, and the APA Handbook of Adult Development and Aging. Lachman was a member of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development, which launched the landmark Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. She is a coinvestigator on MIDUS and several other projects exploring cognition, health, and well-being in midlife and later adulthood. At Brandeis, she teaches courses on adult development and aging and lifespan psychology.