Rating: 
Summary: I cannot say enough good things about this book.
Review: I cannot say enough good things about this book. I finally read it, after letting it sit on my shelf for more than a year. I wish I had read it sooner, and frankly I wish I had read it ten years ago; it would have saved me a lot of grief. On the other hand, would I have understood it ten years ago? I'm not so sure.
I absolutely loved the writing style, and another reviewer despised it. I turned out to be the same TYPE as one of the authors, so I wonder if that makes a difference. See? Already I am trying to apply the type theory to the problem of differing points of view.
I do agree that the book is very difficult reading, and that the authors did talk very early about some things as if we understood it already, however I was very lucky. I stayed with it and at some point I had an a-ha moment about part of the theory that I didn't quite get. I re-read some of the earlier parts, and all of a sudden they made perfect sense. The theory really is very beautiful, and consistent with itself, and other theories. I really credit the good writing with getting the theory across in a very accessible way, if you stick with it and are open-minded.
Finally I want to mention that I started reading "Do What You Are" by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger first, before reading this book. I do like that book very much, but one thing I couldn't do with that book was properly figure out my type. I could narrow it down, but not very well, because other close types seemed so attractive. Reading the first sections of Gifts Differing helped me figure out my own type much more quickly and confidently, and by the end of the book I was absolutely sure. It was amazing. Now I've gone back to reading the other book, and I am getting a lot more out of it since I can focus on my proper type. I love it.
Rating:
Summary: It will change the way you think
Review: I find there are few books as inspiring, deep, necessarily disturbing and as interesting as Gifts Differing. I became interested in this issue by accident and stumbled upon "Gifts Differing". Isabel Briggs had an extrodinary mind and this is shown in the analysis, insight and material in this book. The strong point of Isabel Briggs is she explores the darker sides of the human personality that later writing (i.e., Keirsey) seem to miss out completely and hence are very superficial and unrealistic in their desciptions of human beings. I think there is lots of potential, should she still be alive to adapt and improve this theory. It is a shame that it is mainly a tool for employment consultants, because it is really much more profound that that. If Isabel were alive I would surely want to meet her.
Rating:
Summary: It will change the way you think
Review: I find there are few books as inspiring, deep, necessarily disturbing and as interesting as Gifts Differing. I became interested in this issue by accident and stumbled upon "Gifts Differing". Isabel Briggs had an extrodinary mind and this is shown in the analysis, insight and material in this book. The strong point of Isabel Briggs is she explores the darker sides of the human personality that later writing (i.e., Keirsey) seem to miss out completely and hence are very superficial and unrealistic in their desciptions of human beings. I think there is lots of potential, should she still be alive to adapt and improve this theory. It is a shame that it is mainly a tool for employment consultants, because it is really much more profound that that. If Isabel were alive I would surely want to meet her.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting background
Review: I got this from the library, and I have to say I'm glad I didn't buy it, because once I read it I had no use for it. It's not something you'd want to refer to in the future, unless maybe you were doing a research paper. I thought some of the explanations of the different preferences were interesting. But the writing style was dull. It was a very scholarly book, and thus not particularly readable. It came across as a textbook, which I wasn't expecting for some reason.
Rating:
Summary: This Book Is A Classic
Review: I've studied type for years, I am a qualified practitioner of type, and I teach type at the college level. Type exists in its current practical, useable form because of the work of Isabel Briggs Myers, summarized by her in this fine book. Please do not take the advice of the reviewer who recommended Keirsey's book for assessing your own type. Find a qualified practitioner and take the MBTI; discuss your results; and validate your type with an expert. And read and enjoy this wonderful book which is just filled with insightful and useful information about type.
Rating:
Summary: THE book on Myers-Briggs Typology
Review: If you are at all interested in the Myers-Briggs personality typing system, this book should be number one on your reading list. Unlike 95% of the books on the subject, this one is not a bunch of pop pyschology fluff. This is one of the only books on the subject with any depth at all to it. And it's a good thing it does, seeing as it was written by the co-creator of the MBTI herself, Isabel Myers. Unlike other "Please Understand Me" or "Type Talk", this book actually deals with the Jungian basis of personality, and not just the four letters associated with each type. The Jungian personality typing system is based on the concept of dominant functions. ENFPs and ENTPs for instance are both "Extraverted Intuitives", which is what defines the way they think more than anything. (And ENFJ, on the other hand is an "Extraverted Feeler"). You won't be taught these concepts in most other books on the subject. Isabel also eloquently explains why the MB system is different, especially concerning introverts, from Jung's original system. If you're interested in MB personality types and actually wish to read a book by some one who knows what they are talking about and isn't just writing to sell pop psyschology best seller, read this book. This is also a must read if you have been trying to reconcile Jung with the MBTI and have had trouble doing so.
Rating:
Summary: THE book on Myers-Briggs Typology
Review: If you are at all interested in the Myers-Briggs personality typing system, this book should be number one on your reading list. Unlike 95% of the books on the subject, this one is not a bunch of pop pyschology fluff. This is one of the only books on the subject with any depth at all to it. And it's a good thing it does, seeing as it was written by the co-creator of the MBTI herself, Isabel Myers. Unlike other "Please Understand Me" or "Type Talk", this book actually deals with the Jungian basis of personality, and not just the four letters associated with each type. The Jungian personality typing system is based on the concept of dominant functions. ENFPs and ENTPs for instance are both "Extraverted Intuitives", which is what defines the way they think more than anything. (And ENFJ, on the other hand is an "Extraverted Feeler"). You won't be taught these concepts in most other books on the subject. Isabel also eloquently explains why the MB system is different, especially concerning introverts, from Jung's original system. If you're interested in MB personality types and actually wish to read a book by some one who knows what they are talking about and isn't just writing to sell pop psyschology best seller, read this book. This is also a must read if you have been trying to reconcile Jung with the MBTI and have had trouble doing so.
Rating: 
Summary: Useful background, but won't help you discover your type
Review: This book gives an overview of the history and theory behind the widely used Myers-Briggs personality type inventory, and briefly but thoroughly summarizes the characteristics of each personality type as well as the "groups" of related types. This is straight from the horse's mouth: Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Briggs, developed the inventory based on Jung's theory of psychological types, and tested it extensively before it became widely used. The book is generally well organized, easy to read, and clearly written, with occasional touches of humor. But it won't help you identify your type if you don't already know it -- I recommend Kiersey's "Please Understand Me" for that. Still, it's a good resource if you already know your type and want to find out more about it. (Incidentally, you don't have to swallow Jung's psychological theories whole in order to find the Myers-Briggs useful!)
Rating:
Summary: A must read for any Myers Briggs scholar
Review: This book reveals much about the birth of the Myers Briggs personality theory. First, readers can see that the theory has very practical origins. It was born out of observing personalities of MANY people. It was meant to be used in a very hands-on way. It was never meant to be a tool used only by psychologists. It was meant to be used by anyone who wants to understand self and others. Another key point that emerges from this book is that differences are good. The theory does not treat personality traits as pathological, needing repair. On the contrary, the authors recognize that the varied types of personalities add unique, valuable qualities to the world. There are other sources that explore this topic in a more detailed, scholarly way. However, this book sets the context for the origin and the intended use of the theory. Therefore, it is a must read for any student of personality.
Rating:
Summary: Roadmap to what lies behind the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Review: Written with exqusite care, Gifts Differing is one of those rare books to be pondered and reread. I first read it in 1980 when it first came out, and my copy is dog-eared and much underlined. It is not for casual reading, or a quick approach to finding out about one's personality type. Wanting to get Carl Jung's ideas of the psychological types out of the psychiatrist's office into general use, she wrote Gifts Differing to lay out the theory for general readers, with care and in detail. It is a classic, will never be "out of date," and I strongly recommend it for anyone who has been affected by her instrument, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and wants to go deeper into the ingenious theory she fleshed out from Jung's work.
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