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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking – Susan Cain

23rd August 2019
Quiet book cover

Introduction

Quiet is a book about introverts (or intraverts in academic term). The content of this book is based on the author’s research and personal experiences.


Author

Susan Cain is a writer and blogger. She specializes in the field of psychological non-fiction. She has a blog on psychologytoday.com. The author was a lawyer and negotiations consultant before becoming a writer. She is the co-founder of Quiet Revolution, a company with initiatives in the areas of children, lifestyle and workplace.


Content

The book has 4 parts with an introduction and a conclusion. Part 1 is about the extrovert ideal, Part 2 talks about the influence of nature and nurture in temperament, Part 3 discusses about the culture difference in the extrovert ideal and Part 4 is about the tips and practical guides for introverts to survive or flourish in the world.


Review

This book strikes a chord with me because I am a self-confessed introvert. As the author told, not every introvert is socially awkward but introverts shine when they are in their comfort zone. Introversion is a result of nature and nurture; the author substantiates this claim with plenty of scientific results. In a world where extroverts stand out, introverts seem to be on the sidelines. However, culture plays a role in this distinction.

Introverts may act like an extrovert if they learn to adapt. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, introverts require quiet time for themselves in order to be productive. No one can pretend to be someone else forever. The author mentions about free trait agreement where an introvert sets a timetable specifying time to be own self and time to step out from comfort zone. This will help to desensitize an introvert to try new things.

Overall, I find this book to be quite useful if you are an introvert and find it hard to cope in an extroverted world. This book will show you that introversion is not a trait to be ashamed of and provides guidance on personal life, work life and parenting.


Quotes

  1. The trick is not to amass all the different kinds of available powers, but to use well the kind you’ve been granted.
  2. True self-esteem comes from competence, not the other way around.
  3. The key to flow is to pursue an activity for its own sake, not for the rewards it brings.
  4. Introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation.
  5. Righteous behavior is not so much the good we do behind closed doors when no one is there to praise us; it is what we “put out into the world.”

Rating

2 out of 3 stars



Interested in Quiet?

You may get the book from Kinokuniya Malaysia through the link below*.

Get the book here

*Disclosure: The above link is Involve Asia affiliate link. Thus, I may earn a small commission when you purchase the book through this link.

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