Quiet: The Power of Introverts

How to thrive in a world that can't stop talking.

by Susan Cain

The Diane Rehm Show (NPR) Takes On Shyness and Social Anxiety...

The upsides of shyness and introversion...on NPR

Published on August 18, 2011 by Susan Cain in Quiet: The Power of Introverts

...and I was one of the panelists. It was a wonderful experience. Diane Rehm is a kind of national icon, and it was an honor to be in the same room with her, speaking into gigantic microphones on a subject I care about deeply. My only frustration was that we were barely able to scratch the surface in the hour-long program -- it really would have required a full day to do it right! There was time, though, to touch on a few things that are important to me, including the difference between shyness and introversion, the evolutionary basis of these personality traits, and the powers of the quiet.

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The other guests were evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson (whose fascinating work I wrote about in my New York Times article and in my book); psychiatry professor Dr. Liza Gold; and psychology professor (and author of the book, Curious) Todd Kashdan.

The show aired recently -- if you'd like to listen in, please go here. Would love to hear your thoughts. Were any parts especially interesting to you? What would you have liked to see covered that we didn't have time for? Also, many new people subscribed to this blog after hearing the show -- I'm so glad you are here, and especially welcome your comments. Thanks!

If you like this blog, you might like to pre-order my forthcoming book, QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.

Also, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Get blog updates, plus a chance to win a half-hour coaching phone session with me. (Periodic drawings.)

For earlier posts on the Power of Introverts, please visit my website here.

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Susan Cain is the author of QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, a popular blog and forthcoming book about introversion.

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