Genre: Nonfiction- Science
Length: 368 pages
Audiobook Length: 10 hours and 39 minutes
First Published: 2012
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Publisher’s Description
At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams. It is to introverts—Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak—that we owe many of the great contributions to society.
In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.
Quotes from Quiet
“There’s zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.”
“Don’t think of introversion as something that needs to be cured.”
“Everyone shines, given the right lighting.”
“Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating. Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not.”
About Susan Cain
Susan Cain is the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Just Can’t Stop Talking, Bittersweet, and Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids. Her TED talk has been viewed more than 20 million times. She currently lives in the Hudson River Valley with her family. Visit the author’s website →