by Darragh,
Yesterday, after the dust had settled from the craziness of my week, I decided to take some time off to recharge. As an introvert I love being with my friends and family but I also NEED time to be alone. I made a cup of tea and settled into my couch where I could read, dream and relax. I was reading a book called Quiet: Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I found myself wondering about other books about introversion. Are there any? How are we represented in literature? The next time I was at work I started searching and was surprised to find how many books there were about introversion or with introverted characters that I had already read!
Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain. Susan changed the way we see introverts and the way they see themselves with her TED Talk and her book for adults. But she noticed that a lot of her fans mentioned childhoods of enforced extrovert ideal and she knew a book for kids needed to be written. A must read for any introvert or anyone who knows one!
Fangirl: by Rainbow Rowell. Cath is basically a professional fangirl. She has a ton of followers waiting for her next installment and a twin sister who no longer shares the same obsession. When Cath and her sister go to college they fall in with different crowds; Cath with quiet writers like herself and Wren with a more outgoing group. Fangirls everywhere will recognize Cath’s struggle to merge her fan-life with her real life.
How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford This book revolves around the dramatic relationship between Beatrice (Robot Girl) and Jonah (Ghost Boy) They’re not exactly dating, and their relationship is too intense and demanding to be called a friendship. It’s a little hard to say much more without giving spoilers but this is definitely worth a read. I think it’s because it captures the feeling of isolation so common in high school or the feeling of displacement, even within your own family! It’s a book about outcasts and how their relationship helps each of them become so much more than they ever were.
Glaciers: by Alexis M. Smith. Told over the course of a single day this is a story of Isabel, a quiet library employee moving through life working with damaged books, pining for the love of a man who fixes her computer and dreaming of a perfect vintage dress. It’s perfect for quiet people who love language and quiet reflection. Can be read in one day or savoured over many.
