Love, Pain and the Whole Damn Thing: How to Reap the Rewards of Adulthood and Find Real Happiness

Robert B. MacIntyre is head of the Centre for Relationship Therapy and
Education in Orangeville, Ontario.

The author, a practising psychiatrist, illustrates this book about
adulthood—and how to achieve it—with vignettes from his practice.
Dr. Leibow addresses the characteristics of adulthood (e.g., accepting
responsibility, refraining from blaming others for one’s misfortunes)
before moving on to a discussion of its benefits (e.g., the ability to
form deep and lasting love relationships). His central message is that
there are more advantages to becoming fully adult than there are to
remaining in the “pre-adult” stage. This informative and lucidly
written book is recommended to all those who are beginning to suspect
that there is more to growing up than getting married or moving out of
the parental home.