Publisher and Publication Date: Baker Books. September 19, 2017.
Genre: Nonfiction, reading, personality types.
Pages: 226.
Source: Complimentary paperback copy from Baker Books. I was not required to leave a positive review.
Rating: Very good.

Amazon

Anne Bogel is the creator of the popular blog Modern Mrs. Darcy and the podcast What Should I Read Next? Her popular book lists and reading guides have established Bogel as a tastemaker among readers, authors, and publishers. Bogel lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Introduction: When we talk about someone’s personality, we’re referring to those characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make that person unique. Page13.

When I read any book it is always cover to cover. This includes reading the preface, foreword, and introduction. The introduction in Reading People is insightful, applicable, and engaging. Bogel points out, “we truly want to know about ourselves.” This is why we take those silly tests or surveys on Facebook. But truly understanding out personalities requires us to dig a little deeper than what social media offers. When we understand ourselves, we know why we act and react the way we do in certain situations. It helps us to understand other people and respond to them.

Bogel’s goals in this book:
“1. provide an overview of the frameworks that have been the most helpful to me;
2. make this important information a lot more accessible and a lot less intimidating; and
3. highlight the kind of valuable insights that come from understanding personality.”

My Thoughts:
One of my favorite types of nonfiction books is reading about personality types. It’s been a few years ago that I read Quiet by Susan Caine. It was then I discovered I am an introvert. Through a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, my personality type is INFJ. Another site to take a free test is 16 Personalities. I’ve actually taken a few of these tests. All tests state I’m an INFJ. INFJ means Introversion/Intuitive/Feeling/Judging. AKA the Advocate. I wish I’d known this information when younger. It would have helped to make decisions about college and career. It helps me to understand why I react the way I do in certain situations. I now have a reply when people tell me I’m weird.

What I love about Reading People:

1. The writing style is relaxed, transparent, informative, and engaging.
2. In taking a personality test, it is important to take it based on what I am really like and not what I wish I was like.
3. Bogel encouraged me “to make peace” with who I am.
4. Chapter 3 is on highly sensitive people. That’s me. I certainly dwell on things longer than I should. Experiences seem to effect me more. And I notice things other people miss.
5. Chapter 4 is on the love languages. Personalities need and respond to certain love languages. This is a perfect chapter for those in a new relationship or for any person wanting to understand this aspect of life.
6. Bogel teaches what the personality types are strong at and what they need to work on. For example, “Judging types are in danger of missing new info because they’re too focused on closure, on achieving the goal.” Page 121.
7. The last subtopic is moving past the education of our personality, and on to how to grow positively in our personality.