"In this age of self-help, the 'self' is a term thrown around with abandon. For educators, the notion of self-directed learning is a key concept. Yet the notion of self is deeply problematic, even contentious. The world has needed a book that deftly and accessibly takes the idea of the self and looks at it in a sympathetic but critical way. Mark Tennant has written that book. It is a highly readable and fascinating deconstruction of this key idea that will be appreciated by all helping professionals." -Stephen Brookfield, Distinguished University Professor, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis-St. Paul "An excellent contribution to the field! This is a clearly written text that takes the reader far beyond much contemporary work in psychology and learning. It opens up new ways of thinking about the learning self and provides a significant contribution to transformative learning theory. This is a book that should be read by every student of psychology, learning, and the self." -Peter Jarvis, professor emeritus of continuing education, University of Surrey, United Kingdom.