Quiet Book Summary - Quiet Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Quiet summary

Susan Cain

The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking

4.4 (428 ratings)
21 mins
Table of Contents

    Quiet
    Summary of 10 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 10

    Extroverts tend to like noise and need stimuli, whereas introverts mostly prefer to be alone and think.

    How can you measure or define someone’s personality? One way is to figure out where a person falls on the introvert-extrovert spectrum.

    Extroverts are sociable and outgoing. They like to interact with others whenever they get the chance. They enjoy being in the spotlight and going out frequently; they need to be surrounded by people. For them, social status is directly indicated by social connections, so they want as many acquaintances, Facebook friends and followers on Twitter as possible.

    In search of success, extroverts are prone to exuberance and euphoria. They need acknowledgement from the people around them and strive for quick successes. If, for example, they lose money on the stock market, they then invest even more money to try to quickly turn this loss into a win.

    Introverts, in contrast, prefer to be in calm situations and like to think long and hard about the mistakes they have made. If they have lost money speculating on the stock market, they’ll probably stop and take time to analyze the market again before investing more.

    The introvert’s tendency to meditate on experiences and sensory stimuli enables her to effectively undertake and complete artistic and intellectual projects. Introverts are able to yield profits on the stock market in times of crisis and, throughout history, have produced some of our cultural milestones like Schindler’s List and the theory of relativity.

    Introverts can do such things because they enjoy spending time quietly by themselves, or with small groups of people, and find it easy to talk about personal and social problems. While extroverts tend to have many superficial acquaintances, introverts prefer fewer, albeit deeper, friendships.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Quiet?

    Key ideas in Quiet

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Quiet about?

    Quiet (2012) focuses on the strengths and needs of both introverts and extroverts. These blinks describe the situations in which both personality types feel comfortable and the ways in which each can use the potential of their personality to the fullest.

    Who should read Quiet?

    • People who want to better understand the introvert personality
    • Team builders hoping to help introverts and extroverts collaborate
    • Anyone interested in the benefits of being introverted

    About the Author

    Susan Cain, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, is an American author and self-described introvert.

    Categories with Quiet

    Books like Quiet

    People ❤️ Blinkist
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked

    Start growing with Blinkist now
    28 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    91%
    Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
    *Based on survey data from Blinkist customers
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial