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 introvertsRosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniakthat 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 introvertsfrom 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.

Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader's guide and bonus content

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hi, I'm Susan Cain, the co-founder of Quiet Revolution (www.quietrev.com) and the author of the bestsellers Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts (Dial Books, May 2016), and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can't Stop Talking (Crown Publishers, Jan. 2012). I'm also the co-founder of the Quiet Schools Network and the Quiet Leadership Institute.

Before I became a writer, I practiced corporate law for seven years, representing clients like Goldman Sachs and General Electric. Then I started a negotiation consultancy, training all kinds of people, from hedge fund managers to TV producers to college students negotiating their first salaries. My clients have included Merrill Lynch, Shearman & Sterling, One Hundred Women in Hedge Funds, and many more. I went to Princeton University and Harvard Law School.

From this you might guess that I'm a hardcore, wonderfully self-confident, pound-the-table kind of person, when in fact I'm just the opposite. I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings. I like to think before I speak (softly). I've never given a speech without being terrified first. And somehow I know that everything I've ever accomplished, in love and in work, I owe to these traits, annoying though they may sometimes be. I've explored this paradox in my book.

I live on the banks of the Hudson River in an 1822 captain's cottage with my beloved husband and sons. My favorite activities are reading, writing, lounging around cafs, and doing the mambo with my family. I use a lot of old-fashioned expressions. A few times a year, I try to like cooking. I'm insatiably curious about human nature. I'm a proud member of the Invisible Institute, a small authors group whose members include Pulitzer Prize winners, New York Times bestselling authors, and some of the most inspiring human beings in New York City.

REVIEWS:

An important book that should embolden anyone who's ever been told, 'Speak up!'
People

Cain offers a wealth of useful advice for teachers and parents of introvertsQuiet should interest anyone who cares about how people think, work, and get along, or wonders why the guy in the next cubicle acts that way. It should be required reading for introverts (or their parents) who could use a boost to their self-esteem.
Fortune.com

Rich, intelligent...enlightening.
Wall Street Journal

An intriguing and potentially life-altering examination of the human psyche that is sure to benefit both introverts and extroverts alike.
Kirkus, Starred Review

Cain gives excellent portraits of a number of introverts and shatters misconceptions. Cain consistently holds the reader's interest by presenting individual profiles, looking at places dominated by extroverts (Harvard Business School) and introverts (a West Coast retreat center), and reporting on the latest studies. Her diligence, research, and passion for this important topic has richly paid off.
Publishers Weekly

This book is a pleasure to read and will make introverts and extroverts alike think twice about the best ways to be themselves and interact with differing personality types.
Library Journal

An intelligent and often surprising look at what makes us who we are.
Booklist