Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read Susan Cain’s Quiet a few summers ago. I actually listened to it during really long walks over summer break, contemplating how I, as an introvert, fit in with what I thought was a mostly extroverted world. Part way through the book, Cain helped me to think about how schools tend to be set up for the extroverts — extroversion is within us all, but it does take energy to “be” extroverted when you are not naturally. As a teen, I felt like something was wrong with me, that I had to overcome what my family called “spaciness” and others called “boring.” I worked hard to fit in, never feeling like I belonged in the cliques or teams I joined. As a teacher, about 180 students walk through and out our classroom, and when the last one departs, all I want is quiet. It does not take long before I am energized with ideas for the next day. This is the power of quiet.
So when I saw that Cain had written a book for teens to celebrate the quiet power of introverts as they are figuring out how and where they belong in our world, I was so excited to add it to our summer book group. I read this with students in mind and thought of many students who need this book to validate who they are (although many of said students are much more self-confident than I was at their age). The chapters about friendship, group work, and parties were particularly good — each chapter ending in some advice for teens.
However, I was not convinced that this book was, in fact, written for teens — at least not in the style or with the tone that many of my teen readers would recognize. In some parts, it seems to be written for young teens (examples on social media and eating in the cafeteria at lunch), and in other parts, it seems to be for older teens or parents (Cain’s marriage examples, work situations). There is a slant toward, it seems, a higher socioeconomic status (can I say that?) with examples of students who are in boarding schools.
I am a fan of Quiet. It was an important book for me. I wanted this to be a book that I could give to my students who write with such power, speak with such deliberate, articulate force, and seek quiet places to eat lunch. It is, but I the writing style may minimize the impact of the message.
I’ve asked a student to read this book and let me know what she thinks.