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My Take On The Introvert Advantage

Posted by Chris Berry on August 6, 2008 in Introversion

I’ve come across a great number of posts on other blogs lately about a book titled The Introvert Advantage by Dr. Marti Laney. Yesterday I decided to see what all the fuss was about, and dropped by my local bookseller to pick up a copy. I was disappointed to see that the book was stuffed with a tremendous amount of filler material in the form of lists and sidebars scattered throughout the text. This is usually an indication that a book lacks substance, so I put it back and looked around the store for something a little meatier. On my way out, I impulsively grabbed it back off the shelf and added it to my purchases.

My initial impression turned out to be correct. While there is good information in the book, roughly half of the pages are filled with silly checklists, distracting sidebars, and repetition of key points ad nauseam. I would have enjoyed it much more if she had kept it concise and said everything just once. This book would be much better at 150 pages than at 315.

I enjoyed the early chapters of the book which focus on defining introversion, and on the physiological differences between introverts and extroverts. She also goes into great detail about the difference between shyness and introversion, which is a source of confusion and misunderstanding for many people.

The second section of the book focuses on relationships, with chapters on dating and marriage, parenting, socializing, and the workplace. I found the chapters on marriage and parenting most informative, and I picked up a few good pointers for dealing with my introverted son. I also relived a few painful experiences from my own childhood trying to relate to my extroverted parents and siblings.

The third and final section of the book was a major disappointment. Here the author attempts to provide instructions for creating a life to suit our introverted nature, and she contradicts herself at every turn. One moment she tells us to accept ourselves for who and what we are, and the next she reverts to the tired advice of learning to act extroverted.

It is obvious that Dr. Laney and I are at opposite ends of the Thinking vs. Feeling continuum, and every aspect of the book reflects her touchy-feely nature. While her advice may be quite helpful to other feeling introverts, those of us on the rational end of the spectrum will find it off-putting and downright silly.

The greatest shortcoming of the book is that Dr. Laney lumps all introverts into one category, and she portrays us as lethargic creatures unable to think on our feet. Since the book is based almost entirely on interviews with her patients, it reflects only the experiences of introverts in psychotherapy. A sampling that more accurately reflects the introvert population as a whole would have resulted in a very different book.

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