The biggest surprise about Emerging Adulthood is that it wasn't published by a trade press -- it should have been. Although also chock full of great research, this is a very accessible and engaging read. The interviews with young people are suburb, as are the illustrations and the surveys on important issues. The "Twixter" phenomenon of young people taking longer to find their way has been around for awhile, and this is the first book to really capture it in all its facets. The chapter on religion alone is worth the price of the book -- it cuts through media hype about growing fundamentalism to show that actually, most young people aren't all that religious. Parents or teachers, buy this book if you want to understand your twentysomething kids. Twentysomethings, buy this book to see that you are not alone.

This book is a critical guide. It is useful for understanding the experiences, the challenges, and the potential of those who have left adolescence and have not yet entered adulthood.

I have read this book thoroughly and have recommended it to many. As a professor of psychology, I assigned this book to my students last semester. The reviews of the book were unanimous-- Dr. Arnett 'has some how stepped inside my brain, experienced my 21-year-old life, and has written a book about exactly....me.'This book is not a self-help book, but instead provides emerging adults with research and information about development during these years. Students found the most helpful aspect of this book to be the way that Dr. Arnett has described emerging adulthood as a normative stage of development, rather than a cohort experience (think "Gen X") associated with low productivity and apathy.

Many students have told me that their Baby Boomer parents found this book most helpful in understanding what their emerging adult children were going through. Students also told me that they "made" their friends and boyfriends and girlfriends read the book and that it helped them to understand what they were all going through collectively.

If nothing else, this is a book that makes you think, encourages you talk, and really makes you want for more on this very interesting topic.