Gail Sheehy
Gail Sheehy was an influential American author and journalist best known for her groundbreaking book, *Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life*, published in 1976. This work not only topped The New York Times Best Sellers list for over three years but was also recognized by the Library of Congress as one of the most impactful books of its time. Sheehy expanded on her initial themes through subsequent works, including *The Silent Passage: Menopause* and *New Passages: Mapping Your Life Across Time*, which explored the evolving experiences of individuals during different life stages. Her writings often sparked debate, particularly regarding the idea of predictable life passages, which some social scientists contested.
In addition to her work on personal development, Sheehy wrote biographies, notably *The Man Who Changed the World: The Lives of Mikhail S. Gorbachev* and *Hillary's Choice*, the latter of which generated controversy due to misrepresented off-the-record comments from Hillary Clinton. Despite facing criticism, Sheehy's contributions to literature and journalism were recognized with several awards, including multiple Front Page Awards from the New York Newswomen's Club. Sheehy passed away on August 24, 2020, while actively working on a book about the millennial generation, leaving behind a legacy of thought-provoking insights into human development and social issues.
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Gail Sheehy
- Born: November 27, 1937
- Birthplace: Mamaroneck, New York
- Died: August 24, 2020
- Place of death: Southampton, New York
Sheehy was best known for her books on life stages. A number of her books covering passages through life were published in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Considered a landmark work, Gail Sheehy’s Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life, published in 1976, remained on The New York Times Best Sellers list for more than three years and was translated in a number of languages. The Library of Congress noted it as one of the ten most influential books of the time. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Sheehy published more “Passages” books as well as biographies.
The Passages series included The Silent Passage: Menopause (1992), New Passages: Mapping Your Life Across Time (1995), Understanding Men’s Passages: Discovering the New Map of Men’s Lives (1998), and Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence (2010). New Passages took into account the impact of history on persons in young adulthood and in later life stages. The theme of passages in Sheehy’s books was deemed controversial, as many social scientists have concluded that most people do not go through life stages.
Sheehy published two biographies in the 1990s, The Man Who Changed the World: The Lives of Mikhail S. Gorbachev (1990) and Hillary’s Choice (1999). Her writings about Hillary Rodham Clinton also stirred controversy. Following an interview with Clinton for a 1992 Vanity Fair article, Sheehy published comments by Clinton that were off the record. Hillary’s Choice was also said to have factual errors. Nevertheless, among other awards, Sheehy was a seven-time recipient of the New York Newswomen’s Club Front Page Award for distinguished journalism. Sheehy died on August 24, 2020, at the Long Island home of her companion, Robert Emmett Ginna Jr., after experiencing complications from pneumonia. She was eighty-three and was working on a book about the millennial generation.
Impact
Sheehy’s books were popular works that have had a powerful impact on many people. Readers often defined their lives through these books. In New Passages, Sheehy mapped out an optimistic new frontier for her readers—a second adulthood in midlife. According to Sheehy, men and women who embraced this second adulthood could progress through new passages of meaning, playfulness, and creativity.
Sheehy was also a sought-after lecturer who reported the results of her investigations and observations of women and men in different phases of their lives. In addition, she spoke on women’s health issues and lectured on how companies could survive global competition with a “Winning with Women” strategy.
Bibliography
“Gail Sheehy 1937- , American Nonfiction Writer, Journalist, Biographer, and Novelist.” Contemporary Literary Criticism 171 (2003): 323-358.
Kaplan, Fred. “Gail Sheehy’s Guide to Manopause: The Author Tackles Male Anxiety in an Era of Gender-Role Uncertainty.” Boston Globe, May 14, 1998, p. E1.
“New Passages: Author Gail Sheehy Hails the Advent of a Second Adulthood.” U.S. News & World Report, June 12, 1995, 148.
Seelye, Katharine Q. "Gail Sheehy, Journalist, Author and Social Observer, Dies at 83." The New York Times, 25 Aug. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/books/gail-sheehy-dead.html. Accessed 14 Oct. 2020.