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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Discussion
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As a clinically assessed Anxious Introvert (introvert to the extreme end) I'm excited to read this. 9% in and it's right on!
I read this book when it came out. I found it wonderfully informative. I'm incredibly introverted and my boss at the time was incredibly extroverted, so this book helped me to see why I did the things I did and why he did the things he did and why we butted heads so often! I may reread it for this challenge.
I've been in such situations, also, Jennifer. Did you find that even when you understand the differences, it can still be difficult? And you'd go home from work mentally exhausted? I'm fortunate to work for an introverted boss now.
For sure! But it definitely helped when he would come up with these spur-of-the-moment "great" ideas that I knew would never work and I could shrug it off as, "that's the way his extroverted mind works, he'll realize it's a dumb idea tomorrow..." I work with mentally ill adults and my most tiring days are not dealing with the crises that come up, but dealing with a loud and boisterous house! My current boss is also introverted, but not as much as me, so he "gets" me better, but he also is able to gently push me in ways that don't rub me the wrong way (like my old boss did).
i just requested this from the library - having been in the military for several years - i've worked with lots of introverts and extraverts and trying to balance all inputs makes my life interested (to say the least)
Jennifer - yes! Noise is exhausting. And we live in a noisy world, which seems to get louder all the time.
Dee, where would you say you are on the Extrovert- Introvert spectrum?
i'm probably right down the middle - I've very extroverted in some stuff but i also tend to sit back and listen before weighing in - in which case people tell me i need to talk more
Probably an ambivert, then :)
I'm an (extreme) Introvert married to an (mid-ranged) Extrovert. It's been nearly ten years now, and we're STILL figuring things out about each other. Paraphrased conversation from the other day:
Him: "You never seem to ask questions about people."
Me: "Introverts don't do that."
Him: "Why not?"
Me: "We don't like people asking us personal questions. So why would we do that to other people? If they want us to know something, they'll tell us."
Him: "But if they are extroverts, they won't mind being asked."
Me: "If they're extroverts, they'll tell us without us having to ask!"
Oh my gosh, Happy, yes! That's true.
As an introvert, I recognized a lot of myself in this book. I can definitely see the value in the author's suggestion to deliberately create "restorative niches" in daily life - quiet times/places to recharge from long stretches of social interactions. That's what I did tonight when I shut myself into my bedroom to finish this book!I enjoy spending time with friends and family, but I've learned to balance long days with quiet nights, or to plan a "buffer Sunday" between an activity-filled Saturday and going back to work on Monday. When I don't give myself that time to unwind, I end up tired and depressed, or I get cranky and snap at the people I'm trying to socialize with. I need some alone time so that I can be good company the rest of the time.
Happy wrote: "I'm an (extreme) Introvert married to an (mid-ranged) Extrovert. It's been nearly ten years now, and we're STILL figuring things out about each other. Paraphrased conversation from the other day:..."
Yes! That conversation could easily describe my relationship as well.
I'm very introverted and my husband, although he probably falls somewhere in the middle, is definitely the extrovert in our relationship, at least in comparison to me. He thinks it’s impolite not to probe someone for more information when you’re engaging in small talk while I think it’s impolite to pump somebody for details that they may not want to share. I hate being backed into a corner during a conversation so I sure as heck am not going to do that to someone else! I know that I miss a lot of opportunities to have “rewarding” small talk with people because of this but I’ve spent a long time learning how to accept this aspect of my personality and frankly, I just don’t find small talk rewarding. It’s exhausting and stressful and something that I tend to avoid if given the choice.
I read this book shortly after it was published and felt an overwhelming sense of validation, especially reading the sections that described introverts in the professional world. Suddenly I understood certain “anomalies” about myself that had never made sense to me before. For example, why is it that speaking in public or delivering a presentation to a hostile audience doesn’t bother me but the mere thought of a networking event or happy hour leaves me with sweaty palms and butterflies in my stomach? I now know this is a byproduct of my introversion and I embrace that part of myself. I will never win a popularity contest however I am capable of making calculated, independent decisions, and am known for being a level-headed, no-nonsense kind of gal. I’m cool as a cucumber and office politics roll right off my back. These traits have become my professional armor and are effective for blocking out the niggling doubts that tell me, “maybe you should eat your lunch in the break room with so-and-so” or “maybe you should invite so-and-so for coffee instead of just sending them an email.” Like I said, I’ll never win a popularity contest but at the end of the day I can go home and still have something left in my Energy Bank to share with my family and that’s all that matters.
I’m still undecided as to whether I’ll reread Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking for this challenge or pick up one of the other two but I am still very curious to read the comments from everybody else over the next three months!
Megan - I haven't gotten to the point in the book about "restorative niches", but I really relate to your "buffer Sunday". I do that. And I come back early from vacation to add an extra day of downtime. I found the author's discussion on peer pressure in chapter 3 interesting. I've not looked at peer pressure from the changing what we see angle. I looked at it as a decision.
As a major Introvert, I'm going to open with "I'm going to regret even making a post 10 minutes after I walk away from this computer."Second, I'm reading Will Grayson; this isn't even a necessary post. I had just finished Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds when I was offered the opportunity to select one of the three group reads topics. I was thrilled when Quiet polled highest (I voted for it) since I'd given it 5 stars and I love its message.
Over the years, I've recommended hundreds of books to friends, business associates and seminar attendees. I actually purchased Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking in bulk and handed it to Extrovert friends. These are the friends that happily read the other books I recommended, unfortunately, to date, not one has read Quiet (even the ones I didn't force it upon!)
I had hoped the book would keep me from having to repeatedly respond to repetitious comments. "But you don't seem shy." "But I've seen you teach, you're amazing! There's no way you're an Introvert." Don't get me started on how my Southern friends interpret my Brooklyn, NY Italian family loudness when I'm excited about my topic. I have taught incredibly complex subjects to firefighters so they could pass their certification exams. I have dragged law enforcement officials from "I'll never be able to read that fast" to speed reading proficiency. I've helped people cope with stress, change their diet, improve their self-esteem, come out to their parents, get into college. But I can't seem to advance the concept that a major aspect of Introversion is about being exhausted from being around people, even people I love and enjoy interacting with. I remind people that after I teach I always retreat to my hotel room: "we just thought that was you being weird." Or that I come back to the office after 7:00PM to write the grant proposals because the others "just needing a minute" made it impossible to get to that Zen spot where the fundable words just flow (93% funding success rate.)
I know that the average 300 page paperback weighs half a pound. I know this because Southwest lets 50 pound bags fly at no extra cost. As a public university employee, I can't afford to pay for suitcases filled with library books. I'd select one and a half books per day of beach vacation, place them in my 11 pound suitcase and whatever was left of the 50-pound allowance was for everything unessential like clothes, towels and sunscreen. So, I thought it was brilliant when Cain walked onto the TED stage with her bag of books. Introverts and nerds the world over bonded with her in that moment. I recall regretting that I'd never get to meet her grandfather (how long ago was that talk? This is genius-inspired imagery.) The kind of imagery that makes Introverts invaluable to invention, creation and problem solving (if we can marshal our inner-extrovert long enough to present our idea and then retreat to solitude to recover from our moment in the sun.) I'm confident, but too lazy to look it up, that an Introvert thought up the easily-affordable e-reader. It's no fluke that Amazon sells them at a loss since mine has 4,000 titles waiting for me to read for this challenge. I'm certain most readers aren't as
The mantra that gives me the strength to stand in front of hundreds of strangers to facilitate workshops is "if one person does one thing differently, just one time, it's worth the pain and I've been successful." I'm hoping that just one of the Spring Challenge readers derives some sort of value from reading or sharing Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. Now my Kindle and I are going to hide under the desk where no one can see me.
I have been marking sections to read aloud to my (extrovert) husband. I live with one extrovert - ONE - and he is the most selfless and understanding man, and yet I have such a difficult time trying to help him really grasp how much differently introverts work. He doesn't understand how he can sometimes overwhelm me with words that feel like they are coming on so fast that I can't keep up. I tell him I need 'bubble time' to recover after any social endeavour - sometimes even after too long talking with him. It reminds me of this cartoon.
As an introvert, I was pleased to learn others are using the same coping mechanisms as I do. Ah..validation.To me, the best parts of the book are the examples, solutions and suggestions, especially in the last few chapters of the book. All parents and teachers dealing with introverts should read these chapters. I am grateful to my 7th grade science teacher for helping me learn to expand my boundaries and step outside my comfort zone.
I suggest reading the "A Note on the Words Introvert and Extrovert" before reading the book.
I really enjoyed this book. I am an introvert, but not the "traditional" or whatever kind -- not shy. I was happy to actually read "about" myself!Also my daughter is an introvert, and I love that this book addressed how one might parent an introvert. She is a classic introvert, so I was happy to read that that is normal.
Oh and also loved the validation that my company should keep my office! I could never function in an open floor space office!!!
Hmmmm...sooooo...I am an introvert, although not a strong one - I'm probably closer to half and half, but enough of an introvert that things like "restorative niches" and needing more alone time than others, drawing energy from being alone or in small groups rather than large ones, etc., rang true. This book helped me to think about ways to protect my recharging time and ways to describe some shyness I’ve had over the years.That said, I had some problems with the book. One thing was that some of the examples she used seemed misplaced or misinterpreted to reflect something about introversion, beginning with her opening story of Rosa Parks. I always groan when Rosa Parks is presented as “a quiet, unassuming lady who just happened to be tired on the bus” – she may well have been quiet, introverted, humble, and so on, but she was also a long-time volunteer for the NAACP. The bus boycott didn’t happen just because everyone liked her humble, quiet manner – it happened because the Montgomery civil rights leaders had thought and planned and worked out what they would do when the right test case came along. And yes, Rosa Parks made an outstanding test case and rallying point, but that’s not because she was an introvert. It certainly proves the point that a person can be quiet and still incredibly powerful - but to me, that seems like a different point.
Another example is the conversation about extrovert-introvert marriages. She uses an example of a couple who are disagreeing about whether they want to give weekly dinner parties or stay home alone on Fridays. The compromise solution, which is to host some, but not weekly, parties in a comfortable format, makes perfect sense – but honestly, I don’t think it has to do with introversion or extroversion. In a marriage, you disagree for all kinds of reasons. If your partner doesn’t like to host dinner parties, it doesn’t matter if it’s because she is introverted or because she hates dinner – you still have to compromise. It’s great marriage advice, but not just for introverts and extroverts. A third example is the discussions of public speaking and how introverts can be successful by preparing well. To me that seemed…well, sort of obvious. Anyone giving a huge speech who doesn’t prepare is probably a little negligent. I know improvisation is a thing, but who goes to teach a university class or deliver a workshop with no preparation? She also talks about how Professor Little, when teaching, is in “classic introvert mode, continually scanning the room for audience displeasure and making adjustments as needed.” That to me sounds like good speaking – if you don’t make an effort to receive and adjust to feedback, you’re not an extrovert, you’re a bad speaker! Similarly, he mentions that if he were a “true extrovert” he would have written shorter letters of recommendation and prepared less for class. True extrovert? Or less-than-well-prepared professor?
There were parts of this book I found enjoyable and interesting. For instance, I was intrigued by some of the research studies, like high-reactive and low-reactive babies and the connection to high sensitivity. However, more often than not, I felt like the conclusions that Cain drew from the studies and statistics she cited were not the strongest interpretation of the information.
In general, although I was interested enough to finish the book, it ended up feeling that it was less convincing than I would have hoped.
Katy wrote: "I always groan when Rosa Parks is presented as “a quiet, unassuming lady who just happened to be tired on the bus” – she may well have been quiet, introverted, humble, and so on, but she was also a long-time volunteer for the NAACP. The bus boycott didn’t happen just because everyone liked her humble, quiet manner – it happened because the Montgomery civil rights leaders had thought and planned and worked out what they would do when the right test case came along. And yes, Rosa Parks made an outstanding test case and rallying point, but that’s not because she was an introvert. It certainly proves the point that a person can be quiet and still incredibly powerful - but to me, that seems like a different point." I agree!
She wasn't even the first one chosen... Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Jennifer W wrote: "Katy wrote: "I always groan when Rosa Parks is presented as “a quiet, unassuming lady who just happened to be tired on the bus” – she may well have been quiet, introverted, humble, and so on, but s..."I love that Claudette Colvin book!
Mod
An extrovert, on the other hand, is someone who is more energized by being around other people - after a good social time, you're ready for more. But it doesn't have anything to do with Cain's vastly overused description "humble and unassuming." You don't have to be a loud braggart to enjoy being with other people and to feel jazzed by that.
Then I realized that she assigned "introvert" to everyone who didn't yell or pound the table or make speeches. When I finished the book, and read her afterword, I found out why.
She decided to make up a whole new definition of introvert. Anyone who reads, thinks, plans, prepares, is creative, has a conscience, is sensitive to other people, cares about other people - they're introverts! By her expansive definition, I'm totally an introvert. And if you said that to anyone who knows me, they'd fall to the floor laughing.
She said that she used these terms because they're familiar to people. Well, so are toasters and microwaves - why not use those terms for the groups? After all, if you're going to make up your own definitions............ But, she's certainly not the first - "'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'"
She adds to the problem by mixing and mingling - in the chapter on relationships, she uses the more usual references to introverts and extroverts, in talking about socializing. But, in most of the book, she's saying "introvert" when she really means anyone who thinks before they act.
It's an easy way to set up a thesis - draw your conclusion, then redefine your terms so that people would have to be crazy to disagree. How can anyone disagree with the conclusion that the world needs to listen to people who think about their actions and prepare before taking action?
And one thing that struck me as hilarious - after going on and on about how bad open office floor plans are, how much better people work with privacy and quiet, she tells us that she ditched her quiet, private office at home and headed to a coffee shop with her laptop to write the book. What could be more of an open plan environment?
Open plan offices don't have good coffee and muffins. That's the difference. *nodnod*
Sandy, I have to agree with a lot of what you said. haha. Sometimes I was like, "Oh, that's interesting..." but there was a lot of time I felt as if she was "talking out of her ass" to use an off-color turn of phrase. lol. Writing in a coffee shop is such a "look at me" thing that I don't understand how it doesn't get classified as the more extroverted choice. (I mean I can make yummy tea and WAYYY better muffins/cookies at home!)
I definitely relate to needing to be alone and recharge, and the "buffer" days after vacation. I have two weeks off at the beginning of May, but 3-4 days after I get home from the actual vacation part before I go back to work. So excited to have the extra recharge time post family vacation.
I also start to feel overwhelmed if I have more than one social sort of event/weekend, because I need my downtime reading, writing, crocheting, and chatting with my bestie via the internet.
It was good to hear certain things, but it could have been a much shorter book and gotten the same message across without all the assumptions and odd definitions.
Being an introvert myself, I found the book very interesting to read and I could recognise a lot of her examples. A lot of psychological, selfhelp and business books are suggesting extravert behavior as ideal. This book provides a needed defense of the virtues of introvert behavior. Also the writer is balanced enough to also see the benefits of extraverts. It is a question of balance.But after reading it, I'm not completely satisfied. She analyses the problem very well, but I would have liked more suggestions for solutions. A more serious concern about this book is that she broadens the concept of introversion too much in a way that she also considers neuroticism as part of introversion. These are really two different kind of traits, which sometimes are both present in the same person but not always. There are also very stable introverts and very neurotic extraverts.
A very readable and interesting book, but in the end a bit too shallow for me to get really enthusiastic about it.
This isn't my norm for non-fiction reading, but I enjoyed this book. I've always thought of myself as an introvert, but according to this book I am an ambivert. Which is a little depressing, because apparently I don't do either introvert or extrovert especially well. Sorry that is the introvert part of myself, the extrovert is saying, "let's call friends and do lunch tomorrow." Life is a constant battle.
I am a total introvert. I had to learn to be an extrovert. I wanted to belong to a new group, it was a co ed house and I was told I was too antisocial to join. I especially liked the chapter on how introverts and extroverts should communicate with each other. I found the book informative.
i can't work in an open office (drives me batshit crazy), but at the same time, I also struggle to concentrate in the quiet at home - so a coffee shop actually works for me - there is a buzz, but its never completely overpowering (and the bonus of coffee and muffins works)I scored about mid-range between introvert or extrovert on the test - but as I was reading, I found myself relating to many of the introvert tendencies - the need for downtime to refocus - its weird, I never really tagged it that way, but when I get home from work, evne if all I have to do is go and workout in the evening, I need 30-45 min of just me time be it on the net, reading, playing with the dog, before I even want to be around people (even if I won't be interacting with them).
I def. saw a lot of myself growing up in the section about children - not really wanting to talk in class - I actually dropped a college history course because class participation was going to be like 40% of our final grade; I prefer working alone on projects/or maybe in 2/3 people groups
I'm normally not one for pop psychology/pop science type books - but i'm intrigued enough by what she wrote, that I want to go back and read some of the research mentioned throughout to get a better idea
I never considered myself particularly introverted until reading this book -- I thought of myself more intolerant than introverted. This book helped put some of my personality into perspective. It also gave me a fresh perspective on how I view my daughter who is most definitely introverted. The discussion of introversion and extroversion in teens about a 1/3 of the way through the book was particularly enlightening to me. She is a very creative person who enjoys spending time alone. I took some measure of comfort in this quote: "Teens sho are too gregarious to spend time alone often fail to cultivate their talents because practicing music or studying math requires a solitude they dread." My daughter's preference for solitude is what allows her to be such a wonderful writer and a thoughtful and intuitive human. And rather than worry about how much time she spends alone I now see that this empowers her creativity.Another favorite part of my book was about the problems with group work -- particularly group brainstorming. Both when I was in school and even now in my professional life I abhor group projects -- and the author's discussion sums up perfectly why it is so counter-productive. I have suffered through all three categories of group work failure -- dealt with the social loafers, the production blockers and experienced the evaluation apprehension. I would love to show this page to my boss as evidence why she should not be so insistent upon group work.
So I have two different sides.The work side and the Home Side.
At work I am an extrovert always trying to rise ahead. I talk I carry on. But as for my personal side I am a true introvert. I really enjoyed this book and I enjoyed learning about the New Me I have definitely changed due to events that have happened in my life. I am probably the least creative person I know (I have the thoughts but I definitely cannot execute my ideas). I think that the book told me a lot about myself and I enjoyed this and thought that it was a particularly good read!
Cindy C.I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it in the car with my hubby & I told him he needed this book when he was a teenager. I was called shy as a child & I agree with Cain that this label has a negative connotation. Being labelled shy (which I understood to mean not liking people) made me feel badly about myself. However, as an adult, my introversion has served me well. When Cain was discussing an open floor plan in offices, I was at work reading that section & I laughed because my work has an open floor plan & it makes me crazy. Sometimes I bring my headphones so that I can drown out the noise that makes it difficult for me to focus.
Possibly my favorite part of the book is the quotation Cain uses at the beginning of the Conclusion: "Our culture has made a virtue of living as extroverts. We discourage the inner journey, the quest for a center. So we lost our center and have to find it again." -Anais Nin
Pamela 3265I enjoyed this book, but like her TED talk better. Sometimes I felt that all of the scientific details interrupted the flow of the book. I was listening to the Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds Audio CD during the same period of time that I read this book and that experience made some of the points in the audiobook even clearer.
As an introvert, I realized why I enjoy cruises so much. I don't participate in the group activities so I have a whole day of downtime while the ship is sailing to its destination. Then I can enjoy the tours at each stop and have a full day of downtime on the way back to port. It's wonderful!
I'm an introvert, and I found this book eye-opening and informative. The "restorative niches" bit was so nice to read because I need those in my life. I have three social activities planned for next week and I feel like dying lol.
The first part of this book brought back memories. I was in Toastmasters for years to overcome public speaking anxiety. And, yes, it really works! I remember being mesmerized by a Tony Robbins infomercial. I had to participate in years of brainstorming sessions that I hated. I would have much rather had to time to think about the questions and submit ideas online. Interesting that the author states that online brainstorming is actually more effective than traditional group sessions! I am very interested in the brain studies and the biological/genetic connection, like the high and low reactivity in infants study and the parts of the brain that respond to different situations.
The line I really appreciated the most in this book was, “What if you wish there were more, not fewer, reflective types in the world?”
I'd picked this up several years ago in a Buy-2-get-1 sale and hadn't got around to it. So perfect opportunity. I'd thought myself an extrovert for years until I took a Myers-Briggs assessment for a teamwork/etc. seminar at work and found out that not only I was classified as an introvert - an ISTJ to be precise - but that the "I" part of the assessment was the part where I'd answered questions consistently as an introvert. All the STJ questions I'd answered all over the map and were "wobbly". What?!
So I was intrigued by the beginning of the book where introvert/extrovert characteristics are described. Yes, I find that crowds of people wear me out and I'd rather chat with a few friends in an intimate setting than say a crowded bar. Yes, I'd rather stay in quietly than go out. Yes, I would rather hide in the ladies rather than give a speech. I need to shut my office door and turn on piano music when I have a complicated task at work. But I'm noisy, forward, and bossy. But I also hate conflict.
Huh. So it was interesting while reading through the book to see so many puzzle pieces fall into place chapter by chapter. Apparently I've been a pseudo-extrovert for ages by being so good a mimic of other extroverts (I was on a dancer for years, as well as in band and choir and drama) that I fooled myself!
I found that the last section of the book - the "prescriptives" - didn't flow as well as the earlier sections. It felt very choppy, even though many of the suggestions and points made were very good. It's very clear that while we have all this research, no one has done any practical work to demonstrate that flexible learning plans, classrooms, and offices work best to accommodate different personalities and styles.
I thought the book was informative. I really need to work at being more of an extrovert, I hate being asked questions in meetings and being put in a spot-light. Hate management coming around saying they need to ask everyone these questions and need answers to what we think right now. I need to be able to sit down and form my answers and get my words in order. I think to much into questions. I hated multiple choice tests in school for that reason:) It could be A if they're asking about this, but it could also be C if they're...Don't like looking like an idiot in front of people.Hate conflict. 30+ years and there is only one person I can yell at and it takes them really pushing. Arguing at work in a reasonable tone has some coworkers going yessss... looking and talking over me and continuing on with where they were going.
Hate parties, family reunions (LOTS of loud boisterous relatives so not looking forward to the end of June), prefer working alone or with 2-3 people that I know well. Really don't like pretentious people. I don't think I could have made it through Tony Robbins (just reading about him makes me dislike him)
Though I don't fully fit, nobody really does. I have to have music playing in the car, loud upbeat music. I like action movies and dry humor comedy shows, don't like chick-flicks, romance movies etc.
But as with most introverts, I must have a book, or the 17 I have checked out right now....
I nominated this book as a Group Read so was really pleased when it was voted for so overwhelmingly. But now that I've read it, I feel a bit underwhelmed. Hopefully introverts who haven't come to terms with their "introvertedness" would find it helpful in offering a boost to their self-worth and validation that "there are others like me", but I'm old enough now to have reached that conclusion for myself, and to make sure that I allow enough solitary re-charging opportunities.However I did find the observations on sensory sensitivity being a sign of introversion from birth, and suggestions on parenting an introverted child enlightening.
This was a life-changing book for me. I am an introvert and being able to understand that it is OK to be one has made me so much more comfortable with who I am. I have grown up in a world where it was believed that I could not succeed without being an extrovert. I wish this book had come out when I was younger, to help me be more comfortable with my career goals and help me to raise my children.
ColetteGQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
I read this a few years ago and decided to reread it. I found it very enlightening and picked it up because I am an introvert. While I not agree in whole with her summations I certainly so tinges of myself and my extrovert husband. It is a great read.
I read this for the last challenge and wasn't too impressed. But I haven't been able to get the Stephen King book from the library, so I reread this one.I had two basic problems with this. For one thing, all her conclusions felt like common sense to me. Nothing that made me say "Wow, who would have thought?"
Second, though I appreciated that she discussed the actual details about the studies she mentioned, she often went into so much detail I lost track of her point and had to check out the chapter titles to see what she was trying to say.
Ultimately my view didn't change upon a reread - I don't think she had enough material for a book and was underwhelmed by the result.
An interesting read, but most of it seems common sense. Maybe I was expecting too much after all the hype. It did help me feel more ok with being somewhat "anti-social".
As a pretty strong introvert myself (INTJ, with a strong bias to I & J), a lot of what Susan Cain talks about in the first half to two thirds of this book, resonated very strongly with me. Especially the sections about noise, open plan offices and wanting to be in the corner at parties. I was also interested that over a third of people are like me, and it helped me understand more about why I was like I was as a child, and why I seemed so different. Admittedly, I still feel I'm on the outside quite a bit, but maybe that's as much as anything because I can't really do a good job of being a pseudo-extrovert for any length of time.
I particularly liked in the section on the differences between Asian and Western views on quiet, although I'm not sure if I would have put it down to introversion, per se, as much as a more respectful culture. "Westerners" could do with having a lot more respect for each other!
Melissa wrote: "So it was interesting while reading through the book to see so many puzzle pieces fall into place chapter by chapter...I found that the last section of the book didn't flow as well as the earlier sections.
I have to agree with this. Having enjoyed the first sections of the book, and being engaged with it enough to enjoy the middle, I found the last couple of sections something of a struggle. I'm not sure if it was because it felt a bit repetitive, or whether it was just that the earlier parts of the book were the bits I was really interested in, and I didn't need the case studies.
Teri-k wrote: "I don't think she had enough material for a book and was underwhelmed by the result. "
I'd probably qualify that by saying that while she had some good material, I don't think she had enough material for a book of this length. Perhaps it needed to be shorter or more concise to give her points a bit more cohesion?
I enjoyed this. Agree with others that the conflation of creative / studious characteristics with introversion was a bit annoying, but I can see why she might have used it as a bigger hook for her premise. And yes, lots of it was statement of the bleeding obvious, but the studies (like the one on high-reactiveness) were interesting.I was intrigued by the self-monitoring discussion - I struggle with making too much of a rod for my own back by being low self-monitoring.
Glad that I finally was able to read this book. Although I consider myself an introvert, I believe that I have developed situational extrovert tendencies. I've never really been afraid to talk to people but I really crave the quiet times to recharge.
I did find this book interesting as I haven't heard much about introverts or extroverts before so it was pretty much all new information for me. It was easy to recognise a lot of qualities in there that I have.Whist I liked the information I wasn't really a fan of the writing. I found it disjointed and hard to get into. Like Trish I struggled getting through the last couple of chapters.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (other topics)Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds (other topics)
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (other topics)
Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds (other topics)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (other topics)
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The requirement for task 20.10: You must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.