About the Book

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.

Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace to Harvard Business School, from a Tony Robbins seminar to an evangelical megachurch, Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects. She talks to Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash, backslapping atmosphere of American schools. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked. And she draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts.

This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.

About the Author

SUSAN CAIN is the co-founder of Quiet Revolution and the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking, which has been translated into 40 languages, has been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than five years, and was named the #1 best book of the year by Fast Company magazine, which also named Cain one of its Most Creative People in Business. Cain is also the author of the bestseller Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts, and the co-founder of the Quiet Schools Network and the Quiet Leadership Institute. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Her record-smashing TED talk has been viewed more than 14 million times and was named by Bill Gates one of his all-time favorite talks. Cain has also spoken at Microsoft, Google, the U.S. Treasury, the S.E.C., Harvard, Yale, West Point and the US Naval Academy. She received Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership, the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and was named one of the world’s top 50 Leadership and Management Experts by Inc. Magazine.

About the Reviews

This is the book I wish all my friends and family (and girlfriend) would read to understand how I actually work.

It's hard to explain, this introvert business.

People don't get why:

• I hate malls
• I get exhausted after amusement parks
• I spend most of my day alone
• Small talk makes me want to stab forks into my eyes
• I don't have a lot of friends, and I'm okay with it
• You can find me reading in a cafe on a Friday night... and not because I'm depressed
• I hate networking
• Sometimes I go into moods where I don't want to see people for a week, or a few - and no, I don't hate them

It's almost like THE manual.

Part of the book basically describes us - how we work.

And the other part is really interesting since it covers the strengths and "counterpoints" of being an introvert. It talks about how introverts make great leaders, are capable of lots more empathy, and get people on a different level than extroverts.

To be honest, before I read this book I don't think anyone really did a good job of talking about WHO WE ARE (I'm starting to sound like a cult leader here), how we're different, and why that's a good thing.

A book that the world definitely needed.

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I am an introvert who struggles to conform in this world and what this book did for me was basically validate a lot of secret thoughts I've always had AND back them up with actual psychological studies. It's a very interesting read and a liberating read for someone who identifies as an introvert. It is not a self help book, but more so a compilation of clearly summarized psychological studies. The way it helped me is secondary and it helped by making me feel assured that everything I think and feel is completely normal and that there are many others out there like me who struggle in the same ways.

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Have you ever read a book that just resonates through you like the low but overwhelming hum of a giant boat engine? This book is, without a doubt, one of my favorite reads. There are a few chapters I feel weren't necessarily as powerful, but the overall message is "It is OK to be an introvert. You are outnumbered, over-spoken and out-self-promoted, but that doesn't mean you aren't powerful. You have some pretty strong advantages so long as you know how to harness them. There is hope and a place for an introvert in today's extrovert ideal." If nothing else, Susan inspired me (a strong introvert) to stop shying away from my outgoing personality and simply find balance by giving myself some downtime to recharge. I can stop feeling like there is something inadequate about me just because I find quiet time and alone time refreshing.

Product Info

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (January 24, 2012)
Language: English
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,610 customer reviews

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