The latest book from the BritMums book club was Quiet – The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I was excited to read this book but the fact it’s taken me so long to post a review probably speaks volumes.
After a couple of weeks (hopefully not months) I am still only 49 pages into this book. I normally try to read a few chapters every night, unless I am completely captivated by a book in which case I read it whenever I can (whilst preparing meals, bathing the children, etc).
According to the blurb on the book this is the book that started a quiet revolution:
For far too long, those who are naturally quiet, serious or sensitive have been overlooked. The loudest have taken over – even if they have nothing to say.
It’s time for everyone to listen. It’s time to harness the power of introverts. It’s time for Quiet.
Perhaps it’s unfair to write a book review when I’ve only read one and a half chapters but I found it a bit like walking through treacle, more lesson in American history than I would have expected from this type of book.
There are four sections: The Extrovert Ideal; Your Biology, Your Self; Do All Cultures have an Extrovert Ideal? and How to love, how to work. There are lots of really positive reviews on BritMums and elsewhere so I know I will have to persevere with this book and perhaps start another chapter. For now I shall be reading the next BritMums book club book which looks a lot more like my kind of book!
I read this one really slowly too but i think for the opposite reason because I felt I needed to ‘absorb’ it. It is great to see differing views of the book. I particularly found the ‘is temperament destiny?’ chapter and beyond interesting. and ch 11 was really useful in practical terms for if you have kids that are introverts. Look forward to reading your next review of the next book. x