Calling all introverts, or
half-introverts! (I’d guess one of those phrases accurately describes a
majority of the thoughtful, book-wormish readers of The Writer, not to mention
its contributors and editors.) Your bible has finally arrived, and it is
perfectly titled Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop
Talking, by Susan Cain.
Introverts of the world, unite! If you're tired of quiet substance and competence losing out to the cult of personality, this is the book for you. If
you’re tired of the silliness and mistaken judgments foisted upon quiet,
reflective people by extroverts, this is the book for you. If you’re tired of
chatterboxes in general and their endless public cell-phone conversations in
particular, this is the book for you. If you’re tired of self-centered people
who don’t listen, this is the book for you. If you’re not a joiner and think
group process in general is overrated, this is your book. If your idea of the
perfect cruise is a ship called The Introverts’ Dream where every room has a private
balcony and all of the souvenir T-shirts read “Leave Me Alone” or “No Talking;
I’m Busy Processing,” this is the book for you.
OK,
I’m kidding around. Seriously, though, Quiet is a very stimulating book. Quiet
makes some noise. Here’s a little bit more about it, from author Cain:
“Before I became a
writer, I practiced corporate law for seven years, representing clients like JP
Morgan and General Electric, and then worked as a negotiations consultant,
training all kinds of people, from hedge fund managers to TV producers to
college students negotiating their first salaries. My clients have included
Merrill Lynch, Shearman & Sterling, One Hundred Women in Hedge Funds, and
many more. I went to Princeton University and Harvard Law School.
“From all this you might guess that I’m a
hardcore, wonderfully self-confident, pound-the-table kind of person, when in
fact I’m just the opposite. I prefer listening to talking, reading to
socializing, and cozy chats to group settings. I like to think before I speak
(softly). I’ve never given a speech without being terrified first, though
I’ve given many. And somehow I know that everything I’ve ever accomplished, in
love and in work, I owe to these traits, annoying though they may sometimes be.
I’ve explored this paradox in [the book].”
-- Ron Kovach, senior
editor, The Writer