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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I want to share this book with all my introvert friends! Very inciteful and a helpful perspective for communicating with others.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Essential reading for all.
A lot of the information in this book I already knew but it didn't take away from how great and validating this book is for us introverts. I found myself nodding in agreement quite a few times at her insights! Extroverts can really learn from introverts if they could only try to understand them. And introverts can really learn from extroverts as well. It's all about respecting one another because the world couldn't survive with just one or the other. This is a great book I think everyone could benefit from reading!
informative
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
As a long self-identifying introvert, this one has been on my list for a while. First, the criticism:
1) I picked up my sister's copy, and she mentioned that she had a hard time staying awake while reading. This, it turns out, was my experience as well, but with my vested interest I was able to push through. The material is all thoroughly researched and I think Cain is a good writer, it's just that some of the anecdotes are similar and a bit lengthy. For the average reader with no particular interest in the topic, I don't think this will grab your attention and keep it for the entirety of the book.
2) There are many mentions in the book about how introverts prefer deep 1:1 conversations at parties as opposed to the setting of a large group. While she alludes to it in other parts of the book, Cain almost completes omits the idea that, at a party, an introvert truly desires not to speak to any unfamiliar face at all. I do like conversations with depth, but have a lot of trouble initiating this sort of thing with a stranger. At the same time, I dislike small talk unless I know I will be encountering a person again and building a relationship. Since this is not typically possible to predict, parties are not generally my scene. Not a huge point and I'm probably be a little too critical (as Cain admits, the variance in personality types dictates that no one will agree with everything she puts out there), but I would have liked to see a little more about people who aren't engaging at all - with one person or a hundred.
Those two points notwithstanding, Quiet reflected things I've known about myself for years but never thought to articulate. Memories came flooding back from my youth where I was completely content spending an entire Saturday night at home organizing basketball cards and listening to audio books. There are so many bathroom trips throughout the years that have been provoked not by a full bladder but rather by the escape it afforded from a crowded room or from the imminent threat of speaking when I'd rather keep to myself. My inherent caution is not a defect, but rather a tool for self preservation.
In addition to the realizations about my timid upbringing, it was refreshing to hear stories of grown adults going through the motions of what I always assumed was an absurd dance that I would eventually outgrow. But it's the world that needs to alter it's definition of normal, and I feel affirmed to act in the way that helps me best function at the top of my game. As a human I'm constantly comparing myself to my peers and their varying degrees of happiness and success. It sounds obvious as I type it out, but each level of achievement should be defined on a personal level necessarily taking into account the proclivities and personality of the individual. Basically, my version of success is uniquely my own, and can't possibly compare myself to a friend who is a classic "people person."
I'm currently searching for work, and reading Quiet has given me implicit permission to defend my desire to avoid a people-heavy position. Just because I find speaking on the phone all day to be totally terrifying and draining doesn't mean I lack work ethic - it simply speaks to my skills as an employee and how they can best be utilized. There are certain fields that work better for classic introverts, and I think I knew that, but Quiet helped me picture my personality fitting into a variety of positions and industries.
Overall I very much enjoyed the book, and will no doubt be reflecting on it for years to come at each critical junction of decision making.
1) I picked up my sister's copy, and she mentioned that she had a hard time staying awake while reading. This, it turns out, was my experience as well, but with my vested interest I was able to push through. The material is all thoroughly researched and I think Cain is a good writer, it's just that some of the anecdotes are similar and a bit lengthy. For the average reader with no particular interest in the topic, I don't think this will grab your attention and keep it for the entirety of the book.
2) There are many mentions in the book about how introverts prefer deep 1:1 conversations at parties as opposed to the setting of a large group. While she alludes to it in other parts of the book, Cain almost completes omits the idea that, at a party, an introvert truly desires not to speak to any unfamiliar face at all. I do like conversations with depth, but have a lot of trouble initiating this sort of thing with a stranger. At the same time, I dislike small talk unless I know I will be encountering a person again and building a relationship. Since this is not typically possible to predict, parties are not generally my scene. Not a huge point and I'm probably be a little too critical (as Cain admits, the variance in personality types dictates that no one will agree with everything she puts out there), but I would have liked to see a little more about people who aren't engaging at all - with one person or a hundred.
Those two points notwithstanding, Quiet reflected things I've known about myself for years but never thought to articulate. Memories came flooding back from my youth where I was completely content spending an entire Saturday night at home organizing basketball cards and listening to audio books. There are so many bathroom trips throughout the years that have been provoked not by a full bladder but rather by the escape it afforded from a crowded room or from the imminent threat of speaking when I'd rather keep to myself. My inherent caution is not a defect, but rather a tool for self preservation.
In addition to the realizations about my timid upbringing, it was refreshing to hear stories of grown adults going through the motions of what I always assumed was an absurd dance that I would eventually outgrow. But it's the world that needs to alter it's definition of normal, and I feel affirmed to act in the way that helps me best function at the top of my game. As a human I'm constantly comparing myself to my peers and their varying degrees of happiness and success. It sounds obvious as I type it out, but each level of achievement should be defined on a personal level necessarily taking into account the proclivities and personality of the individual. Basically, my version of success is uniquely my own, and can't possibly compare myself to a friend who is a classic "people person."
I'm currently searching for work, and reading Quiet has given me implicit permission to defend my desire to avoid a people-heavy position. Just because I find speaking on the phone all day to be totally terrifying and draining doesn't mean I lack work ethic - it simply speaks to my skills as an employee and how they can best be utilized. There are certain fields that work better for classic introverts, and I think I knew that, but Quiet helped me picture my personality fitting into a variety of positions and industries.
Overall I very much enjoyed the book, and will no doubt be reflecting on it for years to come at each critical junction of decision making.