Quiet
I've been meaning to read Quiet for years. My mom read it when it first came out, and she really enjoyed it. And then it kept showing up on the best non-fiction lists. Year after year it remained one of the must-reads. So when I finally got my hands on it, I dove in.
The book is about introversion, and it ended up being both more science-based and more balanced than I was expecting. Rather than a straight "rah rah introverts" treatise, it argues that we need all kinds of people and that introverts shouldn't be overlooked simply because they're quieter or more cautious. Sometimes those are exactly the qualities you need.
The book charts the rise of extroversion in the United States and how it became the default expectation everywhere, from classrooms to businesses. Everyone is expected to work well with others and make their voice heard and be agreeable and personable and gregarious. But some situations call for people to put their egos aside, or to sit and think for a bit.
Cain also looks at a bunch of research that proves that some of our cultural myths are flat out wrong. For example, brainstorming as a group isn't nearly as effective as brainstorming individually. And open-plan offices foster anxiety, not communication.
I really enjoyed this book and the deep look at the differences between introverts and extroverts. A lot of time is spent discussing what they can learn from each other, and how they can effectively communicate with each other. Both types of people exists, and both have their strengths and weaknesses. And we would all be better off if we leveraged all of those strengths.
The book is about introversion, and it ended up being both more science-based and more balanced than I was expecting. Rather than a straight "rah rah introverts" treatise, it argues that we need all kinds of people and that introverts shouldn't be overlooked simply because they're quieter or more cautious. Sometimes those are exactly the qualities you need.
The book charts the rise of extroversion in the United States and how it became the default expectation everywhere, from classrooms to businesses. Everyone is expected to work well with others and make their voice heard and be agreeable and personable and gregarious. But some situations call for people to put their egos aside, or to sit and think for a bit.
Cain also looks at a bunch of research that proves that some of our cultural myths are flat out wrong. For example, brainstorming as a group isn't nearly as effective as brainstorming individually. And open-plan offices foster anxiety, not communication.
I really enjoyed this book and the deep look at the differences between introverts and extroverts. A lot of time is spent discussing what they can learn from each other, and how they can effectively communicate with each other. Both types of people exists, and both have their strengths and weaknesses. And we would all be better off if we leveraged all of those strengths.
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