Quiet Paperback – 1 January 2013

Wow.....this book is a real eye opener, and one of the most fascinating reads I have ever come across. I am an introvert person myself, and my whole life has been a struggle with self-worth because of this. A quiet personality is often looked upon with suspicion, and well-meaning people constantly try to push and pull introverts into being more outgoing and talkative. We are labelled as "shy" or "unsociable", and deep down I have often felt that there was something seriously wrong with me. Reading this book has given me a whole new outlook and understanding of myself.Susan Cain really hits the target when she describes the introvert personality, and many times I felt that the book was written specifically about me. I prefer deep and meaningful conversations with a close friend over a noisy party. I like working alone and never understood the hype of teamwork. Too much social interaction can be quite exhausting, and I need lots of quiet time for myself to recharge. I think carefully before I speak, and get easily bored with superficial small talk. These are all typical traits of an introvert, but unlike in the common self-help books, author Susan Cain shows us that these traits are valuble strengths, and not weaknesses that needs to be corrected.Susan Cain, herself being an introvert, has truly made it her life's mission to rectify the prevailing misconceptions and prejudice about introverted people. The foundation of the book is very strong, based on several years of research and interviews with hundreds of people from all walks of life. She gives us undisputable proof that the dominating factor behind our personality (extrovert vs. introvert) is found in our biology. We are born with a certain genetic setup, and only to some extent can we push ourselves beyond these pe-set conditions.I love the way she slashes the modern myth that open office spaces fosters creativity and interaction between employees. In reality, the effect is quite the opposite. New research has shown that in order to work efficiently and come up with creative ideas, people need a private space of their own where they can close the door and not be disturbed. Very natural if you think about it, but hopelessly "out of fashion" in the corporate world today.What I find particularly interesting about this book is the revelation that a majority of history's great thinkers, artists, scientists, inventors and leaders were considered introverts. They preferred, or even craved, solitude as a means of thinking deeply and coming up with new ideas. This agrees with my own experience; spending time alone is the only way to tap the inner source of wisdom and be really creative. The author gives many examples of introverts that have truly made an impact in human history, such as Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Rosa Parks. It's a fascinating read.As for myself, I can honestly say that this book has changed my life. It had a huge impact on how I perceive myself in relation to other people, and gave valuble insight as to why I react the way I do in certain situations. The message is that it is perfectly normal and even desirable to be an introvert, and what a relief it was to finally understand that. The result is better self-confidence and self-respect in all areas of life. I am now able to celebrate and honor my quiet personality, instead of worrying about being an unsociable freak.The world is a natural mix of introverts and extroverts, and both kind of personalities are needed in a well-functioning society. An introvert has many natural skills that an extrovert lacks, and vice versa. We simply complement each other. Unfortunately, however, extrovertism is the only quality that is rewarded in today's fast paced lifestyle. This book has the power to change all that, and make a real impact on how we design our work and school environments to fit everybody's needs. It has been called "one of the most important books published for a decade", and I couldn't agree more.If you are an introvert person, this is an eye-opening and life changing read. And if you are an extrovert person, this book will give you a better understanding of all the quiet people among family, friends and colleagues at work. For teachers, it gives invaluble information on how to handle the quiet kids in school. In a nutshell: this is essential reading for everyone, and I recommend it with all my heart.

Deducting one star only because the book came in a less than perfect condition. The inside pages were fine but the cover was damaged, there were some ink marks and the cover page was slightly bent too. But I didn't return it because I really wanted to start reading it.This is the best book I've read this year. I read quite a bit but I'm not a fast reader like I was when I was younger but this book had me glued to it. Finished it in less than a week.I would recommend this to not only introverts but to everyone. This book doesn't glorify introverts or demonise extroverts , it just talks about the strengths and weaknesses of each type.What I really like is how all her findings are backed by science and decades of research... You can flip to the end of the book to find the references and double check yourself.So it's not just an individual's personal opinion, it's facts and science ALONG with stories of people, both introverts and extroverts.I feel so validated after reading this lol. Pick it up, you won't regret it.

I am an introvert. I have been struggling my entire life to know what am I why am I behaving in the way which is uncomfortable and felt like an alien around cheerful, outgoing and talkative people.I have faced a lot of people asking the same questions repeatedly likeWhy are so quiet? What are you thinking the whole time?What will you do at home the whole day?Why don't you mingle with all in any kind of gatherings? You look so serious is there any problem? And in addition to this, I experience a distressing and weird reaction of my hand getting sweat and hearing my own heartbeat whenever I stand up in my classroom to speak up feeling overwhelmed while entering a shopping mall or a public market. These are the questions and experiences faced and felt for which I don't any kind of answer. So I started to search on the internet and even had a thought of consulting a psychiatrist but I didn't.In the process, I came to know the people who are quiet, shy, solitary, etc are considered as a category called introverts. From then I have been searching to know more about introverts like articles, videos, books, etc. I have watched Susan Cain's Ted talk and longed to read this book. After reading this book I have an answer to all my questions and struggles personally experienced.The book was well written. It gives us a detailed history of America on how the culture of outgoing, assertive, showmanship prevailed during the 20th century. It tells us the transformation of the culture of character to the culture of personality in a short period. It bursts the myth of charismatic leadership that even quiet people who think before they speak can be good leaders in their own ways. Extroverts and Introverts have their own pros and cons in every position in life and society.The second part goes into the brains of introverted kids and tries to explore the reasons for introverted behavior whether it depends on the nature of their mind or can be nurtured while growing depending on their environments.The next part describes us about relationships with introverts as it is said that for every three people there is one introvert so it can be your partner, brother, sister, friend and children.It gives a detailed description and advice on how to understand and empathize with your relationships.It is a Good Book and a definite read for everyone to understand the people around you because one third to half the world's population are introverts.It answered all my questions about my personality, I kind of felt normal not an alien😁 anymore after reading this book.