This isn't a book about style but...

kerry

Has anyone read Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown? If so, want to talk about it? I also loved Susan Cain's Quiet, which is about introverts. Both authors have excellent TED talks.

11 years ago

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10 replies

Latest reply was from kerry

April

Veteran

I don't know either of those books, kerry -- can you say more about them? DH and I tend to like anything that's about introverts. One of the first books I ever gave him was Anneli Rufus's Party of One.

11 years ago

Anonymous

Maybe this thread should be moved to 'Off topic' ?

Susan Cain has a really interesting perspective on being introverted in our society. Both DH and I are introverts, as is our oldest. Cain has really helped us put words around our strengths and how to guide our daughter in a relatively extroverted culture.

11 years ago

kerry

Veteran

April, I think you'd really like Cain's book. Check out her TED talk first and see if what she has to say resonates at all. The full title of the book is Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. As a teacher and an introvert it really helped me. It made me think about why my job seems so exhausting sometimes - she makes a case for a strategy called "restorative niches" for introverts when they find themselves in an extroverted world for too long. It also made me think of all the group work we do in classrooms and how this might not always work for our introverted students. I have never heard of Party of One. I'll check it out!

Marin, do you know how to move this thread to 'off topic'? I'm new to YLF and have no idea! My daughter is 4 and I am wondering if she'll end up more introverted like her mom or extroverted like her dad.

11 years ago

Helena

Veteran

Kerry, I will be looking out for these books. I am more of an introvert and kind of think NA society has a bit of a bias against it, which can be annoying. Thanks for bringing them forward!

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Many, many of us here on YLF are introverts. We've compared Myers-Briggs test results. A huge number of INFJ and INFPs. Angie I believe is an ENFJ. (We do have SOME extroverts !)

Maybe Inge, Angie, or Greg will move this to off-topic if they see it. There's a little button you can push when you're writing the post to say what category it belongs to.

But "Book Club" makes sense, too.

Kerry, I used to teach high school. I found my work incredibly draining. I loved the students -- really love teens in general (well, when they aren't my own). But I needed to make quiet times in my day. Now I work from home and spend huge swaths of time on my own (or on YLF during breaks). It is much better for me. But I know that many people would find it lonely.

11 years ago

lynne

Veteran

One of my book clubs did Quiet a few months ago then went to see the author when she was speaking in Cleveland. For those of us who are introverts, we said it was like finding your tribe.

11 years ago

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

No wonder I like this site so much (love what you said Lynne about finding your tribe!) Definitely an introvert (INFP). Sorry... I haven't read the book but couldn't resist commenting.

11 years ago

LoriFLA

Active Member

I have read two of Brene Brown's books. I have not read her latest but want to. I agree that Brene Brown's TED talk is amazing and worthwhile. I saw the TED talk and then had to read her books.

11 years ago

leopardluxe

Veteran

I've read Quiet by Susan Cain and highly recommend it to anyone who is an introvert (or loves one). Most people I work with are very surprised to find out I'm an introvert (INTJ) because I have such a strong and outward personality. They have a misconception of what it means to be introverted.

I have recommended the book to many members of my team at work as well, since as part of a Gamer culture there are often struggles for the introverts to figure out how to operate in what is considered a very Alpha/Loudest Voice in the Room/Extrovert company culture (this is where my strong personality has no issues. I have no problem operating successfully in these environments but do require an enormous amount of quiet, alone time off-hours to recharge my mental batteries).

I've not read Gifts of Imperfection. Based on the description and reviews on Amazon it doesn't sound like something that would appeal to me, though. I've never struggled with the "Lifelong journey from What will people think?' to 'I am enough.'"

I believe in my strengths and I love to learn from failure. I'm all good with that. While I really love to get input/ideas/opinions of others on lots of topics, what they think of me does not shape or define what I think of me. As long as I'm okay with who I am as a person (kind, honest, straightforward) then that's what matters. Dunno. Maybe the description of the book just made it sound a bit too "self-help-ish" to sound appealing and I'm misinterpreting the book's purpose/intent.

11 years ago

kerry

Veteran

Suz, thanks for chiming in. I'm interested to know more about your teaching career and what ultimately made you decide to leave it. I'm currently planning a move down to the primary grades. I'm sure they'll have their own unique challenges but, as an introvert, I feel the need to connect with fewer students in a day.

I think Brene (author of Gifts) rocks on many levels but I get, leopardluxe, if it's not your thing. Many teachers I've worked with have also read Quiet. It's so useful for understanding yourself or those you work with.

Fastkat, which 2 Brene books did you read? Would you recommend one over the other?

Lynne, how cool you got to see Susan Cain speak live!

11 years ago

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