The Introvert's Way

October 8, 2012
In this thought-provoking treatise on the quieter types, Dembling, the blogger behind Psychology Today’s “The Introvert’s Corner,” proposes a wholesale rethinking of what it means to be an introvert. Readily acknowledging that introverts “can come across as bitchy or dickish sometimes,” Dembling (The Yankee Chick’s Survival Guide to Texas) argues that the stigma surrounding introversion might be assuaged if introverts—and extroverts—began “understanding and accepting” the characteristics of the former as assets rather than deficiencies. She notes that some folks believe introverts to be antisocial, shy, or narcissistic simply because they don’t appreciate how creativity can spring out of silence, or how watching can be as satisfying as interacting. Dembling offers practical tips for introverts in social situations, as well as illuminating information on differences in brain chemistry among introverts and extroverts. Though far from a scientific study (the author admits she’s “big on empirical evidence,” and some of her ideas are “awfully difficult to prove”), Dembling’s account is refreshingly candid and straightforward—”I am an introvert,” she writes. “And there’s not a damn thing wrong with me.” Agent: Penny Nelson, Manus & Associates.