As an introvert myself, I really enjoyed this read which highlights and extols the virtues of introverts while enumerating the challenges of being an introvert in an extrovert admiring world. Susan explores the world of introverts through statistical research, psychological personality theory, and case study. Her writing is very engaging, and I think this book would be interesting to extroverts too. I definitely learned a lot about how introverts differ from extroverts, but also how introverts can be successful, even in fields that traditionally people associate with extroverts (sales for example). The book has a very favorable view of the role introverts can play in business while also taking us inside the heads of introverts and acknowledging some of the hardships they face when called upon to do things like public speaking.

All in all, I think almost anyone would get something useful from reading this book, but if you happen to be an extroverted parent of an introverted child, then I think this book should go on your "must read" list.

My only quibble with the book is that the end of the book is a little too weighted toward case studies - - which while very illuminating and interesting are not necessarily representative of the introvert population as a whole. ( )

My introverted teen and I listened to this one over a period of months every time we were in the car. I think he appreciated it. ( )

Such wonderful information! I wish I would have known this when I was young. ( )

This is a very affirming book for introverts and could be helpful to extroverts willing to take the time. ( )

Finally finished this one, which the library will be pleased about since I renewed my loan umpteen-million times. I have mixed feelings about it. At first, I was reluctant to read it because of all the hype it got when it came out and because, as a massive introvert, I was doubtful that it would really tell me much about myself that I didn't already know. However, I gave in. At the beginning I was extremely enthusiastic about it and even recommended it to several people before I was even done. Much of the information is thoroughly liberating. The book made me realize that I'm not so weird and dysfunctional after all, and it also made me realize that I am not alone in the world. It made me feel much less guilty about the times I feel like withdrawing completely from my wonderful children and husband--it wasn't them, it really was me and it was a perfectly natural reaction to the pressures of the external world that I clearly don't cope well with in abundance. It has a few little coping strategies, but mostly it is largely just validation for those of us who feel like utter weirdos on a daily basis.

On the flip side, I do have a couple criticisms. First, I feel like Cain's sense of audience is muddled. In some places she's talking to me, the introvert dealing with an extroverted American culture. In other places she's talking to those other extroverted Americans who have to deal with me. What's the likelihood of those extroverts picking up this book? Sure, maybe their introverted spouse or friend may put it in their hands, but I think it's a pretty small number who make the thoughtful decision to read about how the rest of the world functions, especially since Cain proves time and time again that the general, uninformed extroverted world thinks that we're just plain weird at best and wrong at worst. It makes me wonder if Cain's time might have been better spent focusing on a little more of the "pep talk" parts for the "wilting violets" of the world, which brings me to my second criticism: One of the final chapters discusses individual cases of an extroverted parent raising an introverted child. I am not denying that this is valuable to those in that kind of situation, but, well, see my previous argument about the number of extroverts who might actually get through the book to that point without being directed to do so by, say, a psychologist who has figured out that the introversion in an extroverted house is the issue. However, where is the help for the introverted parents raising extroverted children? It is just as confusing and painful for an introverted parent who just wants to get through the store to what she needs and then out swiftly and with as little interaction with others as possible to have a bright, outgoing child who wants to talk to everyone they pass and, worse yet, is so ridiculously adorable that people just want to continue to engage the hilarious and utterly tweet-able conversation with this small human. How does the introverted parent balance that utter misery and frustration with the overflowing pride that their kid is so awesome? I think that's a valid question and concern, and considering that Cain's primary (though obviously not only) audience is the introverted individual why on earth was this not explored?

It is unfortunate that this is where I was left with the book since it was the last chapter before the conclusion. Don't let my nit-picking get to you though, especially if you aren't a parent and can mostly just skip over that second-to-last chapter anyway. I think that there is a lot to learn and whole lot to think about with this book. ( )