Book Review: Ever thought you were weird for needing quiet time?


Book Review of:

Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain

I decided to start adding a book review to my blog: not all about eco-fashion. Just books I’ve read and thought you might find interesting. I love getting a good tip about a book! I hope you do, too.

In Quiet, the author takes a deep and wide look at what does it mean to be an introvert. I was surprised by some of the famous people who were introverted at heart: Rosa Parks, Mahatma Ghandi and Eleanor Roosevelt, to name a few. It was also interesting to find that the definition of “introvert” is not clear-cut, but rather varied according to who is defining it. There were themes, of course. I fit the bill perfectly.

She spends quite a bit of the book making a point of what introverts have to offer the world, with an occasional feel of maybe being slightly defensive? But it is an interesting read, showcasing the sometimes surprising benefits that an introvert’s special qualities can bring to a situation.

While the first half or so of the book takes the reader on an exploration of introversion, what it is, examples of individuals and their contributions, the second half goes more on the side of advice. Personally, I found the former more interesting, but the latter may be of assistance, particularly for parents of introverts (not my kids!) or educators who will have a mixture in their classrooms. There are good tips about leadership styles and public speaking. And even some discussion of conflict resolution.

If you read it or have read it, I’d love to know what your thoughts are!