Being a proud introvert myself it was inevitable that I’d write an Introvert’s Review of Quiet by Susan Cain. The book has sold over 2 million copies since 2012 when it was first published. Susan Cain is an author and a lecturer, and is best known for this particular book redefining what being an introvert is all about.
Quiet by Susan Cain – What to Expect
Susan Cain being an introvert is a good start for the book. She gives an insight into what it’s like to be an introvert. Susan Cain didn’t stop there and interviewed multiple well-known introverts, people in various environments and of different ages. The book gives a great insight into how introversion is seen by different cultures and how the preference for extroversion in the West began.
The book includes interviews with students of Asian background. Those cultures show a preference towards introversion, therefore living in the West can be quite challenging. Cain showcases that well by finding out about students’ backgrounds, their family dynamic and their childhood. She also writes about the introvert’s current-day struggles.
Susan Cain also connects with students at Harvard Business School, notoriously known to favour extroverts in their programmes. In an environment created for extroverts to thrive, she manages to find an introvert to interview.
The book is full of interviews with lecturers, professors, teachers, students, all seemingly in pursuit of finding a way to also accommodate introverts in a world that can’t stop talking.
My Thoughts on Quiet
To be completely honest, it wasn’t quite what I had expected. Maybe it just took me a while to get into the book, but it felt quite dry. As Cain comes from a lawyer’s background, much of the book focuses on the corporate world, CEOs, fellow lawyers and professors. While their stories were interesting, it wasn’t something I could relate to, despite being an introvert.
Probably the most interesting part for me was the author diving into the Christian culture that favours extroverts these days. That is particularly interesting because quite a few of the major personalities in the Bible were clearly introverts (think Moses or Paul who’d rather write letters than speak in front of people).
Overall it was an interesting read and I wish more leaders read it to realise how much is expected of introverts that is simply not in their nature. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Introverts have plenty of strengths that are also described in the book based on various different research.
So what’s my introvert’s review of Quiet by Susan Cain? I’d give the book 4 stars out of five and would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about what it’s like to be an introvert. But don’t expect the most captivating read of your life.
You can find more of my book reviews here.