If you like snarky writing, short chapters, and information about the daily life of a typical introvert, this may be the book for you. I have a handful of books about introversion on my shelf, and this is the one I have the most fun reading. This sounds cliche, but I literally laughed, cried, and/or nodded along in agreement on every page.
Dembling’s tone is witty and sometimes sarcastic, but always fair to both extroverts and introverts. She is not the kind of introvert who has a “poor me, I have it so hard” attitude, nor does she think that introverts are better than extroverts, which I really appreciate. Her chapters are only 3-5 pages long which make it easy to pull out of a purse or backpack (or nightstand) and read a whole chapter here or there.
A sampling of the 48 chapter titles:
- The Great American Racket
- Born to Be Mild
- What Quiet Says
- Magic Words to Plug Energy Drains
- I Like People, Just Not All People All the Time
- Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call…Well, No, Maybe We Won’t
- The Party Predicament
- The Bathroom and Other Survival Skills
- Saying Yes When You Want to Say No (and Vice Versa)
- The Online Extrovert
- Because They Love You
- First, Leave the House and Other Tips for Making Friends
- Mistakes Introverts Make
I wish that I could buy every introvert (and the extroverts who love them) this book. Sadly I do not have enough money for that, but if you have $14 lying around, love a quick read, and could use some sassy but respectful perspective on the joys and struggles of being an introvert, I’d suggest picking this one up.
If you’re more into the serious and researched approach, and if you don’t mind (or even love) longer chapters, I have another introversion book in mind for you. Click here to learn more about that one.