The book that started the Quiet Revolution
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.
Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader’s guide and bonus content
My Review
I have been blogging about this book by breaking down all my highlights and underlines to really discuss this book in greater detail. All of these insights are on my blog – http://coffeeforthebrain.blogspot.com/
This post is just a review. I am not going to go into my thoughts and the specific facts and ideas of the book. Rather I am reviewing it as a whole.
Overall, this is a MUST READ! It is important for people to understand introverts. It is beyond being shy or socially awkward. There are many misconceptions about being an introvert as is there are many misconceptions about many things in our world today. This book helps to break down the information and explain the world of introverts and how they fit into our American society that strives on being an extrovert.
This book was an important read for me personally as it helped me to understand myself a bit more clearly. It was vital for me as an educator to remember how different people respond and react to situations in life. It was important that as an educator I meet their needs as well. It was vital for me as a parent as I have children at both ends of the verts – introvert and extravert.
The book flows very well. There are a ton of research studies shared and discussed. There were a few spots that I glossed over as I just did not see the need to spend time on the issues being discussed. However, 90% of the book was very solid and I marked my book up with so many notes, thoughts, and highlights.
This is probably one of the most important reads I have read in the past 5 years. If you have not read it, please do and let it lead to some reflecting and discussions with others.
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