Imagine, if you were to enter a party. There are two people that catch your eye. One is an extrovert, they talk loudly and become the center of attention. The other person is an introvert, content to have a one on one conversation in the corner.
The world is dominated by extroverts. In the office, in the classroom, in our homes, extroverts seem to be all over the place.
Susan Cain’s 2013 book, Quiet, is about the introverts of the world.
Ms. Cain examines how many introverts have forced themselves, in one degree or another, to become extroverts. They force themselves to become extroverts when it goes against their nature. Examining political leaders, business leaders and respected artists, she discovers that many of them, even if they exude the qualities of a extrovert, are really introverts.
I truly enjoyed this book. I connected with several of the people whom Ms. Cain interviewed with. I completely understand the need, after a long day, to shut out the world and be alone. This book is a must read, especially for parents and educators. In every classroom and every home, there is often a child who is an extrovert and on the other side of the spectrum, there is a child who is an introvert. The chapter on having introverted children is important because the introverted children are often lost in the shuffle compared to the extroverted child. Recognizing the gifts and abilities of the introverted child will help them to succeed in life.
I highly recommend this book and Ms. Cain’s Ted Talk.
Writergurlny 