Thursday, December 20, 2012

REVIEW: Quiet, by Susan Cain

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. Published 2012 by Crown. Read by Kathe Mazur. Nonfiction. Business.

Like 1/3 or so of you, I'm an introvert. I like to be alone; I enjoy solitary activities like crafts and reading; I need my "down time" after a lot of time interacting with people. I always eat lunch by myself, for example, and appreciate time to unwind alone before my husband comes home from work. I was drawn to Susan Cain's fascinating book because I think I was looking for validation, and while I certainly found that, I also found a lot more.

Cain's discussion is quite wide-ranging. She starts out with a discussion of the history of the "extrovert ideal" in American culture in the late nineteenth and early 20th century, with the rise of cities and corporate culture. All of a sudden, the quiet, contemplative life was replaced with the go-getter fast track. People were told to be outgoing, forthright, aggressive self-promoters- and told that this was the only way to be, that anything else was unacceptable. Advertising grew by creating new reasons for Americans to feel insecure; personal hygiene and appearance mattered suddenly, and so did personality. Dale Carnegie started the self-help industry with his classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, which continues to be influential today with its tips and tricks for the shy and socially awkward. I've used the book myself to help learn easy ways to start conversations. Cain continues by profiling several prominent organizations, including Harvard Business School and Tony Robbins' seminars, that encourage and promote the extrovert ideal. Then she spends the rest of the book examining the psychological and physiological underpinnings of introversion, extroversion and introversion on a broader cultural scale and finishes by discussing how personality styles can influence family dynamics.

All in all, I found the book to be really interesting. I found most of it to be well-argued and supported, and I really appreciated the thoughtfulness she brings to the subject. As I was listening (I listened to the audiobook) I was thinking about where I fit in in all this, which personality traits and habits I recognized in myself. I can be quite outgoing when I'm doing something I care about, like when I'm at work, and I love having big parties and lots of friends, so I'm not 100% introverted, but I still saw myself in a lot of Cain's insights about how introversion works. And I don't think my extroverted side is really inconsistent with my introverted side after hearing the theory about "free traits" and how introverts (and extroverts) can adjust their personalities to their present circumstances. I was also thinking about my husband, a lawyer like Cain, and how he might appreciate her insights about their shared professional background.

I'd definitely recommend Quiet to introverts who could gain a better understanding of themselves but also to extroverts, who could better understand the quieter half of the room and appreciate what they have to offer. Even though she's quoting studies and talking about some pretty serious science, her style is accessible and no special background is needed. It's informative, fun to read and chock full of information for people all along the personality spectrum.

Rating: BUY

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great review. I got a lot out of this book as well, and I enjoyed your perspective on the way it informed your view of your own personality and habits.

bermudaonion said...

This does sound interesting. Half of my family is extroverted and half is introverted.

Naomi said...

As a sensitive and quiet introvert also, I've been meaning to read this book for awhile now. I'm glad you reviewed it so I would finally just do it. :)

Amelia said...

I really liked this book. I too listened to it and found myself getting really engrossed in a topic and taken a longer way home from work. People are surprised when I tell them I'm an introvert, and I always quote something a professor of mine said "Introverts can be very social but they need to recharge alone and extroverts can enjoy alone time but they need to be social to recharge."

Zibilee said...

I am listening to this with my husband now, and he is definitely a complete introvert, whereas I am half and half. I can relate to a lot of things in the book, but he sees himself in a lot more of it. It is a really interesting read. I need to get us back to it!

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I listened to the audio version sometime ago, and really saw myself in much she wrote. I too always eat lunch alone at work, and crave alone time. I am grateful my husband loves to watch sports as that gives me extra reading/alone time. He's great but "I'm me":)

Glad u liked this Marie.

Alexia561 said...

Enjoyed your review! As a fellow introvert, this sounds like a great read! I always eat lunch alone at work, and appreciate an empty house so I can recharge. Nice to hear that I'm not alone!

Alyce said...

I have a feeling I would really like this book, both because I like reading this sort of nonfiction and because I am introverted in some ways. I too like socializing with groups of people in some situations, but after a certain amount of time I need quiet and to be by myself to recharge.

Ryan said...

I've seen this book kicking around the blogs and it has me really interested. I used to be an extreme introvert. I have overcome my shyness but never my desire to spend time alone. Can't wait to read this.

Anonymous said...

I'm also a total introvert. I've been meaning to pick this book up for a while now. It sounds great!

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

I shall put this back on hold for me at my library. I had in my pile, on audio, and put it back because of others things. your review has convinced me I should just do it now. Sounds right up my alley.

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

I shall put this back on hold for me at my library. I had in my pile, on audio, and put it back because of others things. your review has convinced me I should just do it now. Sounds right up my alley.

Literary Feline said...

I have a copy of this one waiting to be read. I was drawn to it because I'm an introvert too and have always been interested in this particular topic. I hope to read it this next year. I am glad you enjoyed it, Marie! Great review.