Enlightening, eye-opening, validating!
Customer Rating: 
I got so much out of reading this book. I picked it up on a whim, wondering what the advantage of an introvert might be, suspecting that I was one. Goodness me, I had no idea I was so introverted, or how much of my life it really impacted. Now, all these little nonsensical things about myself throughout my life suddenly have an explanation, and more importantly I feel validated for being me! I got 26 out of 30 on the book's questionaire, so I can proudly call myself an introvert. Marti helped me understand also that, being left-brained, I'm quite happy living an introverted life, whereas my sister, a right-brained introvert, struggles with the limitations. It was also surprising to find that my husband is fairly extroverted and the relationships section has been really helpful for me to understand where he's coming from and how we can get along better.
If you even slightly suspect that you are an introvert I highly recommend reading this book. You will feel much better about yourself, even if you didn't feel badly to begin with!
A Book That Brings Introversion Out of the Shadows
Customer Rating: 
Just recently, someone I greatly respect was denigrated by a third party, simply for being "an introvert." Never mind that this man's career path practically demands the ability to "think deep thoughts" alone, to study for hours on end, and to project a public image of quiet reflection. It was his natural reticence that drew the criticism - the aversion to noisy crowds, in which it is difficult to follow the thread of a conversation. The demands of a shallow public. In spite of his many talents and abilities, this man was practically labeled "antisocial" because he's not a natural at glad-handing.
Introverts get a lot of this. Ask ten people to explain what introversion is, and you'll get ten completely different explanations. On one end of the spectrum, you'll get people like my mother, who saw introversion as something close to godliness. As a daughter, I was a dream come true for Mom, who was quite shy. "You don't need lots of people around," she'd say. "You're independent - not like those other kids who always need crowds and noise." Well, yes, those qualities can certainly give a teenager clear advantages, not the least of which is a resistance to peer pressure. But plenty of teenage introverts isolate themselves from healthy relationships, allowing neuroses to incubate. They grow up to be Ted Kaczynskis or Jeffrey Dahmers.
On the other end of the scale are those who see every introvert as an antisocial psychotic. Our tendency not to self-disclose readily attracts suspicion, distrust, even fear in some who grew up differently.
The truth behind introversion is a combination of upbringing and brain chemistry. As a child (with no siblings to boot), I already knew that our family was a trio of individuals who were easily overwhelmed by crowds and noise. But that didn't explain why I felt a periodic need to run back into the house and sit alone in my room when a half-dozen friends and I had congregated for an ordinary afternoon at the local playground. There were no words to explain that feeling of being overwhelmed by sensory input - of needing a quiet respite to sort it all out before going back for more. My mother's praise of my "independence" didn't extend to being "rude."
It was only a couple of decades later that a friend made reference to the "battery" analogy - extroverts begin to feel depleted when alone for too long, and need the company of others to recharge, while introverts feel their equilibrium draining away with too much social and verbal interaction. That was the first time I'd discerned any understanding of this "eccentric" side of myself, and it spurred me to learn more about it. Marti Olsen Laney's book goes a long way toward explaining these factors.
Laney often writes from a personal perspective, and for some readers, this may detract from the overall effectiveness of her message. I found the biggest weakness in the book to be some of her advice to parents of introverts. In some instances, one gets the impression that introverts are not just a statistical minority, but a rather fragile and precious subgroup who need to be handled with kid gloves. Surely I'm not the only introvert who's tired of being approached with caution.
Beyond this one shortcoming, I would recommend The Introvert Advantage to any reader who still views introverts in one dimension.
