|
Quiet
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £3.00
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £3.00, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Special Offers and Product Promotions
-
Seasonal Offer:
This title is part of our Seasonal Offers promotion.
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
I can't get Quiet out of my head. It is an important book - so persuasive and timely and heartfelt it should inevitably effect change in schools and offices (Jon Ronson The Guardian )
Susan Cain's Quiet has sparked a quiet revolution. In our booming culture, hers is a still, small voice that punches above its weight. Perhaps rather than sitting back and asking people to speak up, managers and company leaders might lean forward and listen (Megan Walsh The Times )
Quiet is a very timely book, and Cain's central thesis is fresh and important. Maybe the extrovert ideal is no longer as powerful as it was; perhaps it is time we all stopped to listen to the still, small voice of calm (Daisy Goodwin The Sunday Times )
A startling, important, and readable page-turner (Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth )
Mark my words, this book will be a bestseller (Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment )
Susan Cain's Quiet has sparked a quiet revolution. In our booming culture, hers is a still, small voice that punches above its weight. Perhaps rather than sitting back and asking people to speak up, managers and company leaders might lean forward and listen (Megan Walsh The Times )
Quiet is a very timely book, and Cain's central thesis is fresh and important. Maybe the extrovert ideal is no longer as powerful as it was; perhaps it is time we all stopped to listen to the still, small voice of calm (Daisy Goodwin The Sunday Times )
A startling, important, and readable page-turner (Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth )
Mark my words, this book will be a bestseller (Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment )
Product Description
Our lives are driven by a fact that most of us can't name and don't understand. It defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose, and whether we blush when we're embarrassed.
That fact is whether we're an introvert or an extrovert.
The introvert/extrovert divide is the most fundamental dimension of personality. And at least a third of us are on the introverted side. Some of the world's most talented people are introverts. Without them we wouldn't have the Apple computer, the theory of relativity and Van Gogh's sunflowers.
Yet extroverts have taken over. Shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as being negative. Introverts feel reproached for being the way they are.
In Quiet, Susan Cain shows how the brain chemistry of introverts and extroverts differs, and how society misunderstands and undervalues introverts. She gives introverts the tools to better understand themselves and take full advantage of their strengths.
Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with real stories, Quiet will permanently change how we see introverts - and how you see yourself.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Apologies for the long review, but I believe this book merits a lot of discussion.
I discovered 'Quiet' by Susan Cain when, in frustration after being criticised for not having a great aptitude for making small talk with strangers, I googled the word 'introvert'. I know myself well enough to know that my lack of small-talking skills in busy environments or large groups is essentially hardwired into my brain, and I wanted to know if there was anyone who could empathise with this or if I was simply an aberration. Fortunately I found 'Quiet', and it's been one of the most helpful, timely and affirming books I've ever possessed.
'Quiet' not only gives insight into the neurological makeup of introverts, but also includes a lot of helpful information about how an introvert can make the most of his or her way of thinking. For example, Cain points out that the brain chemistry of extroverts makes them reward-driven, while introverts are far less so. So she suggests that when it comes to a career, introverts need to 'find their flow' - that is, an activity that can make them feel rewarded solely by the process of immersing themselves in their work, rather than by the 'reward' pay-off sensation that often drives extroverts to achieve.
Cain is enough of a realist to understand that there are many situations in life where introverts necessarily have to act extroverted, which can put introverts in a dilemma because it may seem as if we're being deceptive or disguising our true selves to the detriment of our emotional wellbeing. However, acting extroverted can be justified, Cain suggests, in pursuit of achieving the goals of our 'core personal projects': if you find something you care about enough, you can choose to find the willpower to appear extroverted where necessary in order to achieve it. I have found this to be a very helpful principle that I can use to determine when and where to put on my 'extrovert' face.
I'd recommend 'Quiet' to anyone who is introverted or highly sensitive, anyone who is in a position of leadership of any kind, and anyone who is in any sort of relationship with someone who is perplexingly reclusive or quiet. If you are an introvert, reading 'Quiet' may give you the affirmation you rarely receive in a world that fixates on 'bringing you out of your shell'. In fact, reading it may give you enough self-acceptance to repair the damage done by the social exclusion/stigmatisation that introversion can bring, and make you a lot more confident in social situations. I work in a busy environment surrounded by people constantly competing for my attention, but since reading 'Quiet' I have found that not only do I no longer feel bad about finding my work environment hard to handle, but I can also actually handle its demands so much more easily.
One final note: Cain has been criticised for mixing up her labels - sometimes she seems to be describing introverts; other times, the highly sensitive. However, this isn't such a big problem when you consider that the premise of 'Quiet' is essentially that silence, thoughtfulness, seriousness and a propensity for solitude are underrated in our culture, and that people who embody these characteristics tend to be either introverted or highly sensitive or both. Moreover, there is a huge overlap between introversion and high sensitivity. Cain adresses this issue in a note at the back of her book, and it seems clear to me that her purpose isn't to label people or cause us to label ourselves, but to make us all more aware and respectful of the different values embodied by different people.
I discovered 'Quiet' by Susan Cain when, in frustration after being criticised for not having a great aptitude for making small talk with strangers, I googled the word 'introvert'. I know myself well enough to know that my lack of small-talking skills in busy environments or large groups is essentially hardwired into my brain, and I wanted to know if there was anyone who could empathise with this or if I was simply an aberration. Fortunately I found 'Quiet', and it's been one of the most helpful, timely and affirming books I've ever possessed.
'Quiet' not only gives insight into the neurological makeup of introverts, but also includes a lot of helpful information about how an introvert can make the most of his or her way of thinking. For example, Cain points out that the brain chemistry of extroverts makes them reward-driven, while introverts are far less so. So she suggests that when it comes to a career, introverts need to 'find their flow' - that is, an activity that can make them feel rewarded solely by the process of immersing themselves in their work, rather than by the 'reward' pay-off sensation that often drives extroverts to achieve.
Cain is enough of a realist to understand that there are many situations in life where introverts necessarily have to act extroverted, which can put introverts in a dilemma because it may seem as if we're being deceptive or disguising our true selves to the detriment of our emotional wellbeing. However, acting extroverted can be justified, Cain suggests, in pursuit of achieving the goals of our 'core personal projects': if you find something you care about enough, you can choose to find the willpower to appear extroverted where necessary in order to achieve it. I have found this to be a very helpful principle that I can use to determine when and where to put on my 'extrovert' face.
I'd recommend 'Quiet' to anyone who is introverted or highly sensitive, anyone who is in a position of leadership of any kind, and anyone who is in any sort of relationship with someone who is perplexingly reclusive or quiet. If you are an introvert, reading 'Quiet' may give you the affirmation you rarely receive in a world that fixates on 'bringing you out of your shell'. In fact, reading it may give you enough self-acceptance to repair the damage done by the social exclusion/stigmatisation that introversion can bring, and make you a lot more confident in social situations. I work in a busy environment surrounded by people constantly competing for my attention, but since reading 'Quiet' I have found that not only do I no longer feel bad about finding my work environment hard to handle, but I can also actually handle its demands so much more easily.
One final note: Cain has been criticised for mixing up her labels - sometimes she seems to be describing introverts; other times, the highly sensitive. However, this isn't such a big problem when you consider that the premise of 'Quiet' is essentially that silence, thoughtfulness, seriousness and a propensity for solitude are underrated in our culture, and that people who embody these characteristics tend to be either introverted or highly sensitive or both. Moreover, there is a huge overlap between introversion and high sensitivity. Cain adresses this issue in a note at the back of her book, and it seems clear to me that her purpose isn't to label people or cause us to label ourselves, but to make us all more aware and respectful of the different values embodied by different people.
76 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
In `Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking', introvert ex-corporate lawyer, Susan Cain, describes and illustrates a body of mostly US-centric research into personality types, which she divides into introverts and extroverts. Throughout the book, she weaves in her personal tales of inner transformation once she takes on board both the strengths and weaknesses of being an introvert, growing up and working in an American culture that appears to value and reward extrovert behaviour above all.
In the two and a half page conclusion of the book, she summarises maybe all you need to know about the strategies that introverts can adopt to take full advantage of their strengths (measured decision-making; empathy; analysis of situations based on sustained observation and reflection; intuition; ethical stances; preference for deep and meaningful social contacts; love of quiet and replenishing spaces etc).
Susan Cain comes across as sincere, sensitive, thoughtful and brave - as one might expect from her description of the typical introvert nature. She argues passionately that introverts, including those who come to the USA from a more culturally-introverted country, feel criticised and undervalued for being the way they are - shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as being negatives.
In some social and educational contexts, introversion is even seen as a kind of mental illness or learning disadvantage that must be cured. The author in fact acknowledges that constant exposure to extrovert behaviour; the pressure to perform in an inauthentic and pretend-extrovert manner; or just to `fit in' to a brash, noisy, insensitive world can be physically and emotionally damaging to someone more introverted.
The language and tone used in the book is that of American popular psychology and, as such, may grate on the European or British reader. Moreover, as most of the named people, cultural references, research and contexts mentioned are US-centric, I found this book somewhat frustrating. I hesitated between giving the book 3 or 4 stars, but recognise that introverts, like myself, need all the encouragement they can get!
In the two and a half page conclusion of the book, she summarises maybe all you need to know about the strategies that introverts can adopt to take full advantage of their strengths (measured decision-making; empathy; analysis of situations based on sustained observation and reflection; intuition; ethical stances; preference for deep and meaningful social contacts; love of quiet and replenishing spaces etc).
Susan Cain comes across as sincere, sensitive, thoughtful and brave - as one might expect from her description of the typical introvert nature. She argues passionately that introverts, including those who come to the USA from a more culturally-introverted country, feel criticised and undervalued for being the way they are - shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as being negatives.
In some social and educational contexts, introversion is even seen as a kind of mental illness or learning disadvantage that must be cured. The author in fact acknowledges that constant exposure to extrovert behaviour; the pressure to perform in an inauthentic and pretend-extrovert manner; or just to `fit in' to a brash, noisy, insensitive world can be physically and emotionally damaging to someone more introverted.
The language and tone used in the book is that of American popular psychology and, as such, may grate on the European or British reader. Moreover, as most of the named people, cultural references, research and contexts mentioned are US-centric, I found this book somewhat frustrating. I hesitated between giving the book 3 or 4 stars, but recognise that introverts, like myself, need all the encouragement they can get!
96 of 102 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Susan Cain presented a wonderful speech to the TED conference regarding the difficulties faced by introverts in a world that prizes extroverts. Both have strengths and weaknesses, but education systems and working styles have become geared to the extrovert skill set, to the point where introversion is seen as an undesirable weakness, almost a mental illness, and must be overcome. It's acceptable to spend 4 hours in a meeting with 20 people achieving nothing, but not to sit on your own for half an hour and complete the work from start to finish.
Susan's 20 minute speech was fascinating and I eagerly awaited her book, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed now it's here.
Part autobiography, part social commentary, the book adds very little to Susan's TED presentation. If anything, it detracts from it. The book is directly written for the American audience - American people talking about American research and life in America, so by the end of was craving something with a wider net of references.
The practical advice to introverts is interesting, but mainly because it acknowledges that constant exposure to extrovert behaviour can be damaging to someone more introverted (been there!), but could you really afford to turn down a job because the desk layout wasn't right for your introvert needs? Do you really have a paediatrician recommended `engagement skills' group that your nervous toddler can attend?
As someone who's more introvert than extrovert, the book made me feel a little hopeless, rather than a little empowered.
For anyone who's ever wondered whether their choice to get an early night, rather than go out and party, really does lead to a diagnosis of social phobia, low self-esteem and childhood confidence failure, Susan's work is liberation. But I'd recommend taking 20 minutes to watch her full TED presentation rather than buying the book.
(Small NB - the book cover is white and porous. After half a day in a bag the book's ruined.)
Susan's 20 minute speech was fascinating and I eagerly awaited her book, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed now it's here.
Part autobiography, part social commentary, the book adds very little to Susan's TED presentation. If anything, it detracts from it. The book is directly written for the American audience - American people talking about American research and life in America, so by the end of was craving something with a wider net of references.
The practical advice to introverts is interesting, but mainly because it acknowledges that constant exposure to extrovert behaviour can be damaging to someone more introverted (been there!), but could you really afford to turn down a job because the desk layout wasn't right for your introvert needs? Do you really have a paediatrician recommended `engagement skills' group that your nervous toddler can attend?
As someone who's more introvert than extrovert, the book made me feel a little hopeless, rather than a little empowered.
For anyone who's ever wondered whether their choice to get an early night, rather than go out and party, really does lead to a diagnosis of social phobia, low self-esteem and childhood confidence failure, Susan's work is liberation. But I'd recommend taking 20 minutes to watch her full TED presentation rather than buying the book.
(Small NB - the book cover is white and porous. After half a day in a bag the book's ruined.)
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Quiet bySusan Cain
I don't normally read non-fiction, except for gardening books and cookery books, but the Daily Mail recently did a 2 page feature on this book and it sounded very interesting, so I... Read more
Published 10 days ago by June Doll
Another exercise in navel gazing for over anxious introverts!
Yes I am one, an introvert I mean! Also I'm one of the rarer types (INFP if you need to know). When I discovered this many years ago it did explain a lot. Read more
Published 14 days ago by A. B. Mcmullon
A quiet call to arms!
As an introvert myself, I was quite fascinated as to the insights that might be contained within this book, but ready to be disappointed with yet another thinly disguised self help... Read more
Published 16 days ago by David Pearce
Introversion explained like I never seen
"Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" is a non-fiction book written by Susan Cain and published in 2012. Read more
Published 16 days ago by ManInsideTheHelm
Hallelujah! At last ..........
What a brilliant book! A must read for all of us who dislike parties and would much rather see our friends one on one (or maybe two on one) than in a big group; who are bored... Read more
Published 17 days ago by C. Craven
An excellent argument for the acceptance and strengths of the...
I really enjoyed this book. In the interests of self awareness, and just a curiosity for the subject I've read many books that deal with the subject of how to get along in the... Read more
Published 17 days ago by Alan H
Raises a few noteworthy points
I found the book very American which was the downside but it did get me thinking about various aspects of how society relates to being extrovert or introvert. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Jan
Interesting
I have really enjoyed Quiet. Cain is a thorough and considered author, and has clearly done her research for the book. The book is very business-heavy, but no worse off for that. Read more
Published 18 days ago by jennyreads
I'm not quiet, everyone else is too loud!
The title of my review paraphrases a line of a song by the much-misunderstood John Entwistle. Generally seen as introverted, Entwistle was a great example of Susan Cain's character... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Ms. Felicia Davis-burden
A thoughtful read
I loved this book, as a natural introvert (according to the brief personality quizzes contained within). Read more
Published 21 days ago by R. Tait
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Psychology & Psychiatry > Specific Topics > The Self, Ego & Personality
- Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Self Help > Practical & Motivational
- Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Human Biology > Neuroscience
- Books > Science & Nature > Popular Science > Human Biology > The Brain
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
