Rating: 
Summary: Some people need a test
Review: .********************************************************* The concept seems to make sense. Give people a questionaire to help them determine what personality type they are. WRONG! It may help you do this, but the same goal can be accomplished by reading any of the other books. If you read about a personality type and it fits, you will know what type you are. So what is the point in buying this book? I don't see any point. Buy a better book and if you want to enlighten someone else, give them detail, not a bunch of questions. I found this book turned people off to the Enneagram. That is the last thing you want to do. The Enneagram is enlightening. Don't become jaded about it from reading this book. Don't buy this book unless you have read any of the other books by Riso or Palmer on the Enneagram. One final point. I think Riso's other books are fabulous. Conrad B. Senior *********************************************************
Rating: 
Summary: Revised & Expanded Version Now Available
Review: A revised and expanded version of this classic Enneagram book has been published. It is titled, "Discovering Your Personality Type: Revised and Expanded" and has a publication date of May 20, 2003. It is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/061821903X/theenneagraminst/
Rating:
Summary: Revised & Expanded Version Now Available
Review: A revised and expanded version of this classic Enneagram book has been published. It is titled, "Discovering Your Personality Type: Revised and Expanded" and has a publication date of May 20, 2003. It is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/061821903X/theenneagraminst/
Rating: 
Summary: A good way to get started!
Review: As a long-term student of personality typing, I would describe this book as a "serviceable introduction" to the basic ideas behind the Enneagram. Although perhaps not as publicly well known as the Myers-Briggs personality typing system, the Enneagram is a remarkably accurate system for determining your basic personality type. This slim volume (120 pages) centers around the 144-item "Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator" (RHETI) which is one of the "standards" for determining your Enneagram type. This particular book uses Version 2.0 of the RHETI-- which makes it a couple of "generations" old as of this writing-- but I don't believe the age of the test will have a negative effect on its usefulness in accurately determining your type. The RHETI is a "forced answer" format quiz that forces readers to choose between two statements (not necessarily related)-- statements that sometimes can be very difficult to find a clear choice between. In addition to the RHETI itself, instructions and score sheets, the book includes a VERY brief introduction and history of the Enneagram, as well as fairly minimal "thumbnail" descriptions of each of the nine Enneagram personality types. There's also a VERY basic introduction to the interpretive tools for understanding your type, including Wings, integration and disintegration, and levels of health. However, if you're interested in learning about the Enneagram in ANY kind of depth (and perhaps already know your type), I'd recommend Riso and Hudson's "Personality Types" instead, which is one of my most frequently used and valuable reference books on the subject. On the other hand, if you just want a "quick and basic" evaluation, then THIS book is for you! I am generally a big fan of Riso and Hudson's books-- they seem to provide a more "balanced" view of the human psyche than other experts in this field. Helen Palmer's works are also noteworthy. Overall: I'll give it 7 out of 10 bookmarks, based mostly on the fact that it's really not TRYING to be anything but a very basic introductory book. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Thorough "Forced-Choice" Test Better than General Reading
Review: Having read widely in the fascinating Enneagram literature, I find this test indespensable in accomplishing the actual typing of a person. People and their friends often wish for one Enneagram label or another to apply to them, and Enneagram typing from general reading is susceptible to this *major* distortion. This 144 question, thought provoking, multiple choice test -- which forces a choice between the answers presented for each question -- often including either *no* answers appealing to the examinee, or *too many* appealing answers -- gives the examinee less opportunity to answer by prior self-streotyuping, and less of a hint of what Enneagram types correspond to which answers. "Forced-choice" testing, widely respected in psychological testing circles, can be uncomfortable when no answers seem a happy fit, but they are a good testing format. Even in other excellent books by Riso and Hudson -- also my favorite Enneagram writers -- the shorter quizzes don't compare in clarity to this. Don't skip this in your efforts to type yourself or a friend. This book also contains a short exposition of the Enneagram approach and types. This part is cursory, and reading one of Riso and Hudson's lengthier books will be far more satifying for this information and analysis. Helen Palmer's work is also excellent, but she takes a darker, more pessimistic view of human beings. Hudson and Riso, while recognizing each type's darker sides, present a far more balanced analysis.
Rating:
Summary: Thorough "Forced-Choice" Test Better than General Reading
Review: Having read widely in the fascinating Enneagram literature, I find this test indespensable in accomplishing the actual typing of a person. People and their friends often wish for one Enneagram label or another to apply to them, and Enneagram typing from general reading is susceptible to this *major* distortion. This 144 question, thought provoking, multiple choice test -- which forces a choice between the answers presented for each question -- often including either *no* answers appealing to the examinee, or *too many* appealing answers -- gives the examinee less opportunity to answer by prior self-streotyuping, and less of a hint of what Enneagram types correspond to which answers. "Forced-choice" testing, widely respected in psychological testing circles, can be uncomfortable when no answers seem a happy fit, but they are a good testing format. Even in other excellent books by Riso and Hudson -- also my favorite Enneagram writers -- the shorter quizzes don't compare in clarity to this. Don't skip this in your efforts to type yourself or a friend. This book also contains a short exposition of the Enneagram approach and types. This part is cursory, and reading one of Riso and Hudson's lengthier books will be far more satifying for this information and analysis. Helen Palmer's work is also excellent, but she takes a darker, more pessimistic view of human beings. Hudson and Riso, while recognizing each type's darker sides, present a far more balanced analysis.
Rating:
Summary: Take the test
Review: Take the test...Either by buying this book or visiting the website. I think its worth the time to take the test, because a person could easily misjudge their type. When I began reading Personality Types by Hudson and Riso I thought I might be a type 2. But after taking the test I found that I was a type 4. This book doesn't offer a lot of additional information about the types, but is perfect for someone who wants to find out their type and read a little bit about what it means. I think this is also a great resource if combined with "Personality Types"...Which I believe is Hudson and Riso's best book along with "The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The complete guide to psychological and spiritual growth for the nine personality types." Take the test and you'll find out not only your primary type, but your wing AND your levels in all the other types which can be VERY revealing. For example, as a type 4 if I show high levels of 2 then that actually means I'm going in the wrong direction psychologically....Or that maybe I've been in a situation that demands 2 behavior...Or that I've been interatcting with someone who is a 2. In addition, you can retake the test in the future to see where your levels are at. A must have in your enneagram library and even a fun gift for those who don't know anything about enneagram.
Rating:
Summary: good starting point to figure out what type you are
Review: The enneagram is a personality typing system; individuals fall into one of nine personality types (reformer, helper, motivator, artist, thinker, loyalist, generalist, leader or peacemaker). Individuals can predict & analyze their thoughts & behavior based on their personality type. When I first learned about enneagram, I thought it was some kind of hocus-pocus new-agey alternative fluff, but the typing system has a strong historical grounding and it makes so much sense. This book is helpful if you're new to the concept of enneagram, or if you're familiar with the enneagram but want to discovery or confirm your type. I would not recommend it if you know your enneagram personality type already and are interested in learning about the type . The book provides a simple 144-question survey somewhat remniscent of those interest tests we all took in high school (would you prefer to play tennis or keep score in a tennis match? conduct research in a lab or sell books?). Each question gives two choices; you must choose one -- sometimes it is tough, but the forced choice leads to an answer.
The book is most useful as a typing and diagnostic tool. The descriptions of the nine different personality types are short, barely enough to scratch the surface. Once you know your type, you'll probably want to consult one of Riso's other works to learn more about what the type means.
Rating:
Summary: good starting point for those curious about the enneagram
Review: This book is helpful if you're new to the concept of enneagram, or if you're familiar with the enneagram but want to confirm your type. I would not recommend it if you know your enneagram personality type and are interested in learning about the type. The book provides a simple 144-question survey somewhat remniscent of those interest tests we all took in high school (would you prefer to play tennis or keep score in a tennis match? conduct research in a lab or sell books?). Each question gives two choices; you must choose one -- sometimes it is tough, but the forced choice leads to an answer. The book is most useful as a typing and diagnostic tool. The descriptions of the nine different personality types are short, barely enough to scratch the surface. Once you know your type, you'll probably want to consult one of Riso's other works to learn more about what the type means.
Rating:
Summary: good starting point for those curious about the enneagram
Review: This book is helpful if you're new to the concept of enneagram, or if you're familiar with the enneagram but want to confirm your type. I would not recommend it if you know your enneagram personality type and are interested in learning about the type. The book provides a simple 144-question survey somewhat remniscent of those interest tests we all took in high school (would you prefer to play tennis or keep score in a tennis match? conduct research in a lab or sell books?). Each question gives two choices; you must choose one -- sometimes it is tough, but the forced choice leads to an answer. The book is most useful as a typing and diagnostic tool. The descriptions of the nine different personality types are short, barely enough to scratch the surface. Once you know your type, you'll probably want to consult one of Riso's other works to learn more about what the type means.
| 
