At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled “quiet,” it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society-from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.

Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.

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

Fast Company’s #1 Best Business book of 2012
INC Magazine’s Best 2012 Books for Entrepreneurs
People Magazine’s 10 Best Books of 2012
GoodReads Nonfiction Choice Award Winner
Audible’s #1 Non-Fiction book of 2012
Amazon’s Best Books of 2012
Library Journal’s Best Books of 2012
Kirkus REVIEWS’ Best Books of 2012

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 introverts…Quiet 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

“In this well-written, unusually thoughtful book, Cain encourages solitude seekers to see themselves anew: not as wallflowers but as powerful forces to be reckoned with.”–Whole Living

“Superbly researched, deeply insightful, and a fascinating read, Quiet is an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to understand the gifts of the introverted half of the population.” –GRETCHEN RUBIN, author of The Happiness Project

“Quiet is a book of liberation from old ideas about the value of introverts. Cain’s intelli­gence, respect for research, and vibrant prose put Quiet in an elite class with the best books from Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and other masters of psychological non-fiction.” –TERESA AMABILE, Professor, Harvard Business School, and coauthor, The Progress Principle

“Susan Cain is the definer of a new and valuable paradigm. In this moving and original argument, she makes the case that we are losing immense reserves of talent and vision because of our culture's over­valuation of extroversion. A startling, important, and readable page-turner that will make quiet people see themselves in a whole new light.”
–NAOMI WOLF, author of The Beauty Myth

“Superb…A com­pelling reflection on how the Extrovert Ideal shapes our lives and why this is deeply unsettling. Based on meticulous research, it will open up a new and different conversation on how the personal is political and how we need to empower the legions of people who are disposed to be quiet, reflective, and sensitive.”
–BRIAN R. LITTLE, PH.D., Distinguished Scholar, Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Cambridge University

“A smart, lively book about the value of silence and solitude that makes you want to shout from the rooftops. Quiet is an engaging and insightful look into the hearts and minds of those who change the world instead of tweeting about it.”
–DANIEL GILBERT, professor of psychology, Harvard University, author of Stumbling on Happiness

Author Biography

SUSAN CAIN is the author of the acclaimed “New York Times "bestseller"QUIET: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can't Stop Talking, "which is being translated into over thirty languages and was named the #1 best book of the year by "Fast Company” magazine. Cain's book was the subject of a TIME magazine cover story, and her writing has appeared in the “The New York Times; The Atlantic; The Wall Street Journal; O, The Oprah Magazine;” Salon.com;""Ti­me.com; PsychologyToda­y.com, and other publications. Cain has also spoken at Microsoft, Google, the U.S. Treasury, and West Point. Her record-smashing TED talk has been viewed over 4 million times, and was named by Bill Gates as one of his all-time favorite talks.
She has appeared on national broadcast television and radio including CBS “This Morning,” NPR's “All Things Considered,” NPR's “Diane Rehm,” and her work has been featured in "The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, Wired, Fast Company, Real Simple, Fortune, Forbes, PEOPLE, Scientific American, USA Today, The Washington Post, CNN, "Slate.com, and many other publications. She is an honors graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School. She lives in the Hudson River Valley with her husband and two sons.