What am I reading this week? Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Here’s my review of this encouraging guide on how to navigate the world as an introvert, and alongside them.
I had never heard of this book until a fellow introvert told me about it. So, after a long wait on the library hold queue (as always), I got my hands on a copy and dug in.
Quiet is full of anecdotes, research, and real-life examples. Cain explains the history of how America gradually began to idealize extroversion, leaving a lot of quiet introverts out in the cold. She also shows the differences in how introverts see and interact with the world from their extroverted counterparts.
My honest opinion about Quiet…
As an introvert who often tries (and sometimes fails) to fit into an extroverted world, this book was a balm. It reminded me what the strengths of introversion were and that a third of the world’s population knows how I feel.
I found it really interesting how she compared other cultures to America and how they treat introversion (made me want to move to Finland). I also got to see the difference between how extroverts and introverts view situations and emotions, which gave me some insight into my extroverted spouse’s responses.
There were a lot of take-aways in this book. Quiet does a great job of showing the ups and downs of being an introvert, but never falls into the trap of playing cheerleader for one temperament or the other. This wasn’t written to give introverts an ego boost, but to give them some understanding of their own inner workings.
Probably the most important aspect of this book was how it explained and gave examples of how introverts and extroverts relate to each other. With such contrary ideas of how to act and feel, it would benefit us all to learn a little more about our temperamental counterparts.
My recommendations
This is the perfect gift for the introvert in your life… even if that introvert is you. This would also be a good read for any extroverts who deal with introverts on a daily basis, whether in the office or at home.
Despite having plenty of science to back up its claims, Quiet is not a difficult or dull book. In fact, it was pretty fascinating and I wish I’d owned the copy I was reading – then I could have highlighted all the best parts. (Which is so something an introvert would do.)
Other recommendations on this topic
- Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids by Susan Cain
- Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy by Jamie C. Martin
- Reading People: How Seeing The World Through The Lens Of Personality Changes Everything by Anne Bogel
Happy reading!
(Quiet is available for FREE in audiobook form. Just sign up for the FREE AUDIBLE trial and cancel whenever you want!)
So, what are you reading this week? Have any suggestions for me?
Interested in more on books and introversion? Then check out these posts:
How to Survive as an Introvert in a Large (and loud) Family
[Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains affiliate links. So, if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and I never recommend anything I haven’t used myself and loved.]
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