Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age – Bruce Feiler
Summary: Bruce Feiler challenges the traditional „linear life“ narrative by revealing that the average person experiences significant life transitions (what he calls „lifequakes“) three to five times during their lifetime, not just during predictable milestones. Based on interviews with hundreds of Americans, he demonstrates that these disruptive moments – job loss, illness, divorce, identity crises – are not deviations from a normal path but rather the norm itself. Feiler introduces the concept of „life stories“ that we tell ourselves and offers a practical framework for navigating these transitions by rewriting our personal narratives, embracing non-linear paths and finding meaning through creative reinvention rather than rigid life plans.
Why we like it: Bruce Feiler’s strength lies in making the abstract concept of life transitions tangible through real stories while providing actionable tools (like his „ABC framework“: Accepting the change, Beginning to mark the transition and Creating a new story) that readers can immediately apply to their own lives. Unlike self-help books that prescribe one-size-fits-all solutions, this book validates the messy, non-linear reality of modern life and empowers readers to see transitions not as failures but as opportunities for growth and self-authorship.