Quiet

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking
By Susan Cain
Crown, 2012. 333 pgs. Nonfiction

Success in American society is often thought to require a confident, outgoing personality. Susan Cain’s amazing new book claims this aspect of our society is something that should be changed. She lauds the qualities of the quiet, inflective souls that recharge in solitude and are too often content to remain in the shadows. She provides inspiring stories of introverts that have used their inherent abilities to benefit many, including Dale Carnegie, Albert Einstein and Dr. Seuss.

Cain’s research is expansive and impressive, her conclusions insightful and encouraging, and her book an easy recommendation to pretty much anyone. I do not seem to be able to praise this book enough. It explained my own personality with almost scary accuracy and with research claiming that at least one in every three Americans is introverted; it is likely to describe someone close to you as well.
“Quiet” is poised to be a standout nonfiction title for 2012. A position it rightly deserves.

CZ