Forty: The Age and the Symbol

"The distinguished anthropologist and folklorist Stanley Brandes has written an elegant and stimulating treatise on what it means to be 40 and on what 40 means as a symbol." —Gary Alan Fine, Contemporary Sociology

"Brandes's tour through numerology and etymology is rich and entertaining." —Psychology Today

"The midlife crisis is a popular topic these days, but this book is unique in that it draws upon psychology, history, literature, religion, anthropology, and folklore to present a summary...