Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams. It is to introverts—Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak—that we owe many of the great contributions to society.
In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts–from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.
Today we make room for a remarkably narrow range of personality styles. Weʼre told that to be great is to be bold, to be happy is to be sociable. We see ourselves as a nation of extroverts—which means that weʼve lost sight of who we really are.
If you are an introvert, you need to read this book. If you have an introvert in your life, you need to read this book. Introverts will learn so much about themselves, and extroverts will be able to better understand introverts.
Being an introverts has always been something I was self conscious about. My entire life I have been told I am quiet, shy, etc. I always saw this as a bad thing and wished I was more of a extrovert.
In Quiet, Cain shares extensive research behind why being an introvert is something to embrace and teaches the reader how to use it to their advantage whether in the workplace or in their personal lives. I found the chapters of navigating relationships between extroverts and introverts to be particularly interesting!
I can not remember the last time I have walked away from a book feeling so empowered. There were so many passages that I have highlighted and saved for reference. I am surrounded by introverts in my real life and I want to put this book into all their hands. I truly think it can be life changing for some readers.
Have you read Quiet? Do you consider yourself more of an introvert or an extrovert?
