Coming of Age: Our Journey into Adulthood

by Cate LeSourd

Our twenties and early thirties present unique challenges as we build our careers and our sense of community.

Most books about the post-grad years are written by psychologists and business leaders who offer recommendations based on their professional expertise. While helpful, it is rare to hear the voices of those currently living through this season of life. This book exposes the realities of the pivotal transition from college into adulthood from the perspective of other twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings.

Based on a survey sent to over a thousand individuals nationwide ranging from college seniors to those in their early thirties, Cate LeSourd uncovered their common experiences and emotions during these tumultuous years. Coming of Our Journey into Adulthood examines the impact of this life transition on our careers, relationships, finances, community, social media, and mental health.

With a lens of honesty, vulnerability, and a bit of humor, Cate tells her own story alongside those of many others. Coming of Age shares insights, advice, and anecdotes from respondents that highlight the ups and downs about the post-grad years, the twenties, and beyond.

From navigating our careers to the shifting tides of relationships, this decade is filled with times of doubt and uncertainty. Thought you were the only one? It’s time for us to talk about it.

280 pages, Paperback

Published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Coming of Age” is filled with incredible wisdom, raw honesty, and full of heart! Cate’s words are a deep dive into the challenges of post-grad years, and surely provide a much needed encouragement for those navigating their twenties (this would be an excellent gift for a college graduate). At the same time, I found the themes from experiencing job transitions, building relationships, and cultivating community to be relatable (even for me as a little older than twenty-something)!

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely wish I could have had this book when I graduated college. Coming of Age is insightful, empathetic, and honest about a period of life that looks different for everyone and is often more tumultuous than anyone lets on. When I was going through career upsets, unexpected setbacks and months of stressful job searches that often felt fruitless, I would have given anything to know that someone else had gone through the same thing, and I'm thankful that people going through it now will have Cate, her story, her wisdom and her vulnerability to reassure them that they're not alone. Even five years removed from graduation, I got a lot out of this read, especially the sense of perspective this book encourages, suggesting we appreciate our life stages as they come to us rather than trying to line them up to someone else's timeframe. If you know someone who's getting ready to graduate college or someone who's feeling lost in their new adult life, you should get this for them immediately.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book about resilience, strength, honesty, vulnerability and authenticity. Cate’s words, and those she quotes, resonated with me in numerous ways, and at times it felt like I was reading my own diary entry. Would recommend for anyone navigating their 20s – through education, career setbacks, career growth, breakups, loneliness, comparison, and so much more.

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, encouraging book! I wish I read this earlier in my life. There are so many golden nuggets of wisdom that I would highly encourage anyone in their twenties or thirties to read this! I didn’t need every chapter, but it was absolutely worth the read for the chapters I did need.