The Introvert's Way by Sophia Dembling

I recently figured out that I am an introvert! I've never been shy and I love people (mostly), but as I've gotten older and have kind of grown into myself, I have noticed that I really like to be alone, I prefer reading a book to most other activities, I hate talking on the phone, I dread parties...and so on. I've felt guilty about these preferences and dislikes as well, and have felt pressure from others to feel differently. So figuring out that at least 50% of the human population is like me and that introverts have a whole set of strengths that are different from those of extroverts....well, it's been very cool to figure this all out about myself (I love figuring things out about myself!) and I am eager to read more about this whole extrovert thing.

So I had high hopes for this book. What I THOUGHT I was going to read was a description of what it is to be an introvert and some "practical ideas for dealing with others and feeling fine about [myself]", as the blurb on the front cover promises.

But that's not quite what this book delivers. I actually learned more about being an introvert from this list than I did from this book. There were a few interesting studies that the author extrapolated from to make some informed guesses about introverts, but most of this book was gleaned from her own opinion and experiences and from blog posts from other self-proclaimed introverts. All interesting enough... but NOT interesting enough to actually fill a WHOLE BOOK.

The book was repetitive and fluffy and a disappointment. Admittedly, there is not very much out there about introverts as "normal" people and for years folks have equated introversion with shyness or even neuroticism, but it seems like more thought and organization could have been brought to bear on an actual BOOK claiming to be all about the introvert. Hm. Oh, PLUS, this author has no children (she has a husband, though) so she leaves out a huge component of an introvert's life. She made no effort to include any information about what seems like possibly the most important thing in an introverted mother's life: her children. Strange. She makes some guesses about what an introvert might feel about his/her children, but this book is mainly about parties. Why to go to a party, when to leave a party, how to work a party, why one shouldn't have to go to a party, how to take a break from a party.. and on and on. There's also some slamming of extraverts, a lot of "yay for us!" about introverts and some pretty uncharitable and self-centered mantras. It was all very casual and chatty, just like an article in a magazine. But for a book claiming this:

"For the 70 percent of highly sensitive people who are introverts, The Introvert's Way will give them practical ideas for dealing with others and for feeling fine about themselves, just as they are--loving quiet, solitude, and deep conversation."

it was way too lightweight. I felt that I had wasted a lot of my time reading an entire book when there were probably only about 3 chapters that actually provided any interesting information. Sigh.

Sex: no
Bad language: surprisingly, there was a little bad language. It always surprises me when a "science"/information book has bad language in it. Somehow that kind of language doesn't seem to be consistent with a person who thinks and studies and stuff. Or maybe I just have different ideas about grown ups than other people do. Boy, I'm kind of grumpy this afternoon, aren't I? Hm.