It’s not too often that a
self-help book makes it onto the bestseller list, let alone one about the
“meek” introvert. But that’s exactly
what happened with Susan Cain’s Quiet:
The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. This proves a few things: one, there are a
lot of us out there; two, we’re sick and tired of being misunderstood by
extroverts; and three, we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.
I’ve read many books about
this subject, but none come close to being as well-researched and well-written
as this one. I found myself nodding my
head all the time in agreement, thinking “Wow, someone finally gets me!” Cain delves into a multitude of topics, from
making the case that quiet people are often the ones who have the best ideas to
how to deal with introverted children.
When I taught school, I tended to “fake” being an extrovert a lot, and
only wish that I had read this book then so I wouldn’t have forced introverted
children into so much group work. My
school was big on group work, but this book says that it’s imperative that the
groups be structured enough that those children are comfortable.
As my office is getting
ready to move from the dreaded open floor plan to an even BIGGER open floor
plan, so much of this book can refute why that shouldn’t happen. I loved Quiet
and plan on recommending it to all my introverted friends and family -- we’re
not alone!
MY RATING - 4
