Rating: 
Summary: Fun, Quick Read - But Needs More Substance
Review: Pros: The book neatly covers issues important to introverts - dating, parenting, socializing, work. Each introvert might find a few useful tips. Most fascinating to me was the chapter on biology and genetic causes of introversion and extroversion. It reassures that you're not alone - there are other introverts out there! Cons: Though called "Introvert ADVANTAGE", it's more coping than celebrating. It dwells on introvert inadequacy, guilt, shame and paralyzing fear. The author seems biased towards her personal experience - right-brained, probably an F (feeling), and married to an extrovert. The book is confusing from a Meyers-Briggs/Keirsey (INTP, ESFJ, etc) standpoint since she divides almost ALL personality traits as introvert or extrovert. There are style issues as well: The font is large. Many chapters feel introductory at best. Frequent long, rambling stories about the author's family and patients. Hard statistics and clinical/medical studies are sporadic. A lot of "conflict resolution" tips are touchy-feely self-help rather than introvert or extrovert related. Overall: The book is a quick and easy read, and fun to flip through. The best chapter is personality brain chemistry. While the book could improve from further editing and more research study citations, it is still a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Rating:
Summary: Book Lacks Hard Data
Review: Some illuminating tidbits here and there, but too often the book lacks hard data. The author makes broad extrapolations from personal or anecdotal experience and then presumes that all introverts are like her or the people she interviewed (many of whom I suspect to be her psychotherapy clients, which would automatically skew her "data.") She rarely cites specific scientific studies to back up what she's saying (although many studies exist on the topic)and thus the reader is left with gnawing doubts about what's a personal viewpoint and what's scientific fact. She goes on endlessly, for example, about introverts' "low energy" with virtually no national survey cited to prove that such a startling assertion is based on reality. She goes on about her own low energy so much that one begins to suspect that what she herself may be suffering isn't introversion but mild depression. Too, she tries noticeably hard to distance herself from "shyness," insisting again and again (she doth protest far too often) that she is not, when again and again she describes bouts of social anxiety whenever in large groups of people. Although she tries to tease out introversion from shyness, one powerful study she does finally present (and with an illustration no less)shows that the introvert processes socializing through a neural fear center much more often than do extroverts. Although she tries to make a case that the introvert's thinking process is slower because it is more complex, in fact it appears to merely go through inhibitory pathways that the extrovert's brain often skips. Even worse than all of this, though, is the labeling and typecasting and the general message that we're all probably "stuck" with our personality limitations so we might as well accept them and be happy with them. I'm not comfortable buying into such self-fulfilling prophecy. I think we're more malleable than that. If you're happy being an introvert, wonderful. But if you're not, you can always improve your social skills and, at the very least, take baby steps outside your comfort zone.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Overview! Lots of stories and examples!
Review: THE INTROVERT ADVANTAGE is beautifully organized and chock full of information. Explanation of brain chemistry and how Introverts and Extroverts store and retrieve information differently was especially enlightening. I'd be reading along and would wonder--'What about--?' And I'd turn the page and there would be the answer. (I was curious, for instance, if all introverts thought in pictures and voila! There, on pages 88-90 was a segment titled The Right Brain!) THE INTROVERT ADVANTAGE is filled with insightful facts presented accessibly. It includes stories and examples, and offers useful suggestions and coping mechanisms to help 'Innies' thrive in an Extrovert world.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for self-validation,but not the best written book
Review: There are not a lot of books out there that profiles an introverted person and tells you that it's ok being so. I'm glad to have found this book, because it really validated my personality and made me feel normal.
However, I agree with Mollyjoy's review, the author seems to be bias towards her own situation, i.e. her being an introvert married to an extravert, she listed more advantages for this kind of couples, whereas other kinds of pairing she listed more problems.
A lot of information in this book were based on quotes from other books, from interviews in preparation to write this book, not much based on her own knowledge, studies, or her clientele experiences, which really takes some substance away from this book.
That said, this book does give a lot of good points, some interesting insights (such as how an introvert's brain differs from an extrovert's) and offers some practical advice from which an introvert can benefit.
If I had to do it all over, I would still buy this book, it's just that I would advise reading it with a grain of salt.
Rating:
Summary: I'm normal!
Review: This book describes me to a tee, and that's what is so empowering about it. I've always felt socially inadequate but this book showed me that I'm not a misfit, I'm a perfectly normal introvert (textbook, in fact)! We have our own strengths to be proud of. From that understanding the author guides you in ways to function more successfully in an extrovert environment. The book is easy to read and made me want to learn more about how my temperment may affect other areas of my life. I recommend it not just for introverts, but anyone who has an introvert as a spouse, child, family member, or employee.
Rating:
Summary: That's only the half of it.
Review: This book is a cut above much self-help gup because the author discusses the structure of the brain and theorizes about the relationship between certain neurotransmitters and personality types (extroverts get off on dopamine and need to work hard to produce it; introverts, on the other hand, suffer from dopamine overload but are efficient processors of acetylcholine). Most of the book, however, is devoted to overly simplistic generalizations about the two personality types and to lots of admonitory language (do this, do that, don't do this). Moreover, the author's suggestions tend toward redundancy, describing rather than addressing the very behaviorisms an introvert might wish to alter (e.g. the advice to think ahead of each social encounter or to limit the number of such potentially stressful events would seem merely to enforce existing behaviors). The author might have avoided some of the reductive generalizations by focusing less on "introverts" and more on "introversion" as a common human experience (not the least of the reasons that "Hamlet" remains the world's most popular play). By insisting on two personality types, Laney creates a profile that is likely to be unrecognizable to many readers who may have considered themselves candidates for the "introvert advantage." For example, she asserts that introverts are overwhelmed not only by social gatherings and meetings but by public places such as malls and casinos. But is the latter aversion due to introversion or is it a "phobia"? As enervating as an introvert may find public performance or thinking on his feet, he may find the "anonymity" of crowds, ballparks and the like energizing if not exhilarating. (The author explains how she stayed in her hotel room while her extrovert husband prowled the casino downstairs. On the other hand, while my extrovert spouse remained in her hotel room reading a math book, this shy introvert made the rounds of every casino on the strip.) The author seems to think that the greatest challenge an introvert might confront is attending a social party, while overlooking the more real concerns of the introvert: fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of being "seen through" (the "J. Alfred Prufrock" syndrome). More case studies, more examples, more attention to the work of "existential" psychologists such as R. D. Laing or Kierkegaard himself ("truth is subjectivity") would certainly seem preferable to the do's and don'ts. On the other hand, the book may be helpful to readers who have not as yet connected there "tiredness problem" with their personality type.
Rating: 
Summary: this is a great celebration of introversion
Review: This book is written for the 25% of the population who need alone time to recharge their batteries, the 25% of folks who look forward to the end of the work week and a quiet Friday night at home, the 25% who cringe at the idea of ending the dayweek at a crowded bar's happy hour. The book lets those those of us who have ducked into the restroom for a few moments of quiet during a party, or who think that returning merchandise to a department store is a high-anxiety mission, know that we are not alone. The author treats introversion as something to be celebrated rather than something to be cured. She emphasizes all the ways in which introverion is useful in society and valuable in relationships. Two things I particularly liked -- the quotations at the start of each chapter and throughout the test -- comments about still waters running deep, music is in one's own thoughts, etc.; and the discussion of different types and apsects of introversion, such as right-brained and left-brained introverts and Jungian theory. The author goes into the biology of introversion, such as the genetic causes of introversion and the different ways in which introverts & extroverts process neurotransmitters, which is fascinating. The author does a good job of distinguising between introversion and shyness, a difficult concept for those folks. I am by no means shy, so sometimes people who do not know me well (and even those who do) don't consider me as an introvert. However, I relish my privacy and alone time. My go-nonstop extrovert friends don't understand why I have no interest in going out after a day at work, or how I can spend an entire weekend alone. This book helps provide me with an explanation for them. The author also provides a number of practical tips on monitoring and regulating your energy levels, how an introvert can best deal with both introverted and extroverted mates & children, how to deal with parties, social situations, and work situations. I found this section to be the least useful, but other readers might disagree.
Rating:
Summary: Changed my World View
Review: This book literally changed the way I look at myself and the world! I suddenly realize and embrace the fact that I am an introvert and that is not a negative thing. I am extremely grateful to the author for helping me understand my place in the world. Before reading the book, I had a tendency to compare myself with the 75% of extroverts out there - always finding myself coming up short. I knew I couldn't be like them but "society" taught me I needed to be like them to cope, have success, be, do, achieve, what have you. What a relieve to read how normal I am by measuring myself not by the standards of an extrovert but by the standards of a right-brained introvert. I now find it easy to accept the differences in communication styles of introverts and extroverts. I understand that there are differences. And both temperaments are valid and useful - but different. I highly recommend this book to all introverts who have become frustrated by not measuring up in an extroverted world. With understanding comes compassion.
Rating:
Summary: Changed my World View
Review: This book literally changed the way I look at myself and the world! I suddenly realize and embrace the fact that I am an introvert and that is not a negative thing. I am extremely grateful to the author for helping me understand my place in the world. Before reading the book, I had a tendency to compare myself with the 75% of extroverts out there - always finding myself coming up short. I knew I couldn't be like them but "society" taught me I needed to be like them to cope, have success, be, do, achieve, what have you. What a relieve to read how normal I am by measuring myself not by the standards of an extrovert but by the standards of a right-brained introvert. I now find it easy to accept the differences in communication styles of introverts and extroverts. I understand that there are differences. And both temperaments are valid and useful - but different. I highly recommend this book to all introverts who have become frustrated by not measuring up in an extroverted world. With understanding comes compassion.
Rating:
Summary: New Perspective
Review: This book offers great new perspective into what makes us different. I like many things about myself, mostly an introvert, as well as about extroverts. Now, I understand some of their perspectives much better and helps me think more appropriately about our human actions and reactions. The book gives general good-lifestyle advice later in the book which makes for a good all-around book to read.
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