Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking in Reading with Style

Apr 20, 2016 Mathew Smith rated it it was amazing

Shelves: need-to-read-non-fiction

This book made me realize I am an introvert. I'm finally feeling free!
This would be a great book for anyone you know that is an introvert - https://amzn.to/3kW9muP ...more

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Feb 15, 2019 Madly Jane rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-read-favorites, favorite-beloved-books, social-history-and-science, 2019-read

I really can't describe this book without writing a thesis of some sort. It's about Introverts but it's really about so much more. Developmental psychology being just one. Social pressures. The Internet and our educational system all play into something that I am not sure I like. This book is very thoughtful people, It's well researched, and I read through it several times and then I went and did a little digging on my own, especially some of the work by developmental childhood psychologists. At I really can't describe this book without writing a thesis of some sort. It's about Introverts but it's really about so much more. Developmental psychology being just one. Social pressures. The Internet and our educational system all play into something that I am not sure I like. This book is very thoughtful people, It's well researched, and I read through it several times and then I went and did a little digging on my own, especially some of the work by developmental childhood psychologists. At some points it was painful, and I would stop and reflect on books I read last year on drug addiction, especially Beautiful Boy, which I reviewed here. I could see that child in this book, readers and I would see myself and one of my sons and even friends. I'd think and think. Oh, no. So it was hard reading this book, and I'd stop a lot and think about it. "Why don't we know this kind of stuff growing up" would be a repeating thought running through my head.

We are a capitalist nation, probably the most intense on the planet, competition is the name of the game. Being a clever beautiful person on social media is another. We tend to love our celebrities and rock stars and talk show hosts. We vote on personality, not on issues. So many FREAKING WRONG THINGS. It's clear from reading this book on Introverts that something has gone amok in our society and I don't mean this because I am defending introverts or that I don't like extroverts. It's the way our society has developed. We don't give teachers large salaries or follow them on Twitter or post their pictures on Instagram like we do rock stars. But teachers are probably the most valuable currency we have in this country, and because of this we are failing our children and maybe even dooming ourselves. I told you this was a hard book to read. I've been reading on it over and over for months.

So this is what I've learned. Quiet people are not appreciated. Introverts must suffer at the hands of all others. Shy people have to work hard to make friends and on social media, even if we are artists or writers, we are forced to become personalities to sell our work. And all of that just sucks.

Also, I was a highly -reactive child, unfortunately reared by dysfunctional parents. So my fate was chosen for me in many ways. Just like that Beautiful Boy, in the book written by a father who couldn't see the forest for the trees. Enough said. BUY THE BOOK. READ IT. LOOK AT US ALL.

And then scream. ...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Elle rated it really liked it

I find that authors of non-fiction tend to reference the same handful of studies or historical events. This repetition bores me so I read non-fiction sparingly. Quiet started to do this in the first section of the book. I recently read The Power of Habit which shared two major points of reference with Quiet. A friend had raved about this book so I stuck with it.

I ended up really liking Quiet once I got through the first couple of chapters. I found the ideas in part 3 and 4 interesting. In parti ...more

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