An existential classic, The Age of Defeat was originally published in 1959 and is the third book in Wilson's "Outsider Cycle" (previously published in the U.S. under the title, The Stature of Man). In this sociological and literary study of the significance of the hero, Wilson points the way toward an existentialism which understands man's strengths as well as his weaknesses. In The Age of Defeat, the need to cultivate a new kind of heroic consciousness becomes clear. The new hero values and embraces self-discipline, makes disciplined use of his freedom, and is not overwhelmed by the complexities of consciousness. Wilson reveals his groundbreaking "Fallacy of Insignificance" in Part Four of this book.