I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of Anne Bogel’s Reading People, which goes into these typing sets and many more. I’ve enjoyed reviewing some of which I’m already familiar with and getting to know about a few more. She gives an excellent overview of each one, recommendations on where to learn more and identify your own of each kind, as well as some great tools for when you get stuck attempting to figure out in which camp you fall within a certain framework.

I’ve heard some say that these personality frameworks simply allow people to justify their negative behavior. I have known certain individuals to do this, but that is a misuse of them. When used properly as a tool to understand yourself and others better, they can, truly, help you become a better version of you and provide tools for improving your relationship with others, be that with friends, family members, or work colleagues. They are not meant to pigeonhole but rather be tools for formation and growth.

Reading People is a great introduction for those unfamiliar with personality typing, as well as for those who would like to dig deeper into them. I guarantee that, with an inquisitive mind, you’ll get to know a bit more about yourself {and maybe even those around you} as you make your way through this book. And it will likely have you thirsting for more!

Reading People is like sitting at Anne Bogel's kitchen table, having a cup of coffee and chatting about figuring out who you really are. I've been into personality types since my first YM Magazine quiz. Though BuzzFeed satisfies the nostalgia of those teen quizzes, I found in my HR career and adult relationships a need to understand more credible personality types than What Disney Princess Are You Based on Your Harry Potter Preferences (Belle, Accurate).
I've been a fan of Ann's blog Modern Mrs Darcy and her podcast What Should I Read Next for years. Personality types has been a frequent topic on her blog and I hoped Reading People would be a compilation of her knowledge. Even better, this is her personal journey with seven creditable personality types and their assessments. Not only does she share her experience finding legit assessments and resources for reliable results, but she shares her struggles in misclassifying herself. She gives a source of empathy that it can be hard to separate your natural tendencies with learned behavior and what culture pushes you to be. On top of that she shares how these improved her marriage or career or parenting... As a bonus, she includes more resources that take the next step to help you develop your natural potential - or even beyond it.
I recommend this to any adult looking to improve relationships, better understand others, are parents or looking to develop their careers/passions (so all adults). As an HR professional I'd love this level of self awareness and compassion for diversity in all professional talent and managers.
Even though I've read the whole book, I am not done with it yet as it will be a constant companion in my own journey to understating and developing myself to live my best life. Sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.
Personality Types represented in Reading People:
1. Meyers-Briggs
2. 5 Love Languages
3. Enneagram
4. Highly Sensitive People
5. Clifton's Strengths Finder
6. Keirsey's Temperaments
7. Introvert vs Extrovert

I received a pre-release copy in exchange of a fair review.
*Introvert, HSP, INTP, Type 5, Rationalist, Quality Time, Achiever - Strategic - Learner - Ideation - Input

Well, it only took me a year to finally finish this one (😂🤦🏻‍♀️), but don’t let that sway you– this personality book is the perfect primer on so many frameworks! I am slooooow in reading nonfiction, often liking to pick things up and read a chapter at a time, set it down and digest, and pick back up later. That exactly what I did with this one, and it was great for that style of reading.

Some of these frameworks I was very familiar with, and others were brand-new to me– my favorite chapter by far being the one on Cognitive Functions– I read it twice, read it to my husband, and then read it again. Fascinating, and hit the nail on the head for both of us!

The only thing I was a little taken aback by was the unexpected Christian references peppered throughout. It didn’t bother me, per se, but seeing as this book wasn’t explicitly marketed as such, it just took me out of the flow of it from time to time. That said, it wasn’t predominant, just surprisingly. (Also later realized the publisher was a Christian pub, so obviously this now makes sense.)

Great for those wanting to dip their toes into the many different personality frameworks out there without super-deep-diving into any one. Thanks to the publisher for including me in the launch team, and for the free copy to review!

Disclaimer: I was a member of the Reading People launch team and received a copy of this book for free. All opinions are my own!

The work behind Reading People actually started long before the actual drafting of this book. Anne Bogel (of Modern Mrs. Darcy and the What Should I Read Next? Podcast) started exploring personality frameworks as a personal project many years ago. She was fascinated by the ways in which we can categorize different aspects of our personalities, and used her growing knowledge about personality to make her life happier and to better understand the people she loves. In Reading People, Anne introduces readers to the major frameworks used to describe personality. For each framework, she gives an overview, some basics, and points to resources to use in figuring out how you can both figure out where you fit into the framework. She then takes it one step further by offering some advice for using your results to understand your needs and the needs of others in your life.

This isn't a book that you sit down and read cover-to-cover. It took me about a month total to read the whole book, because it's the type of book you want to pick up, read a chapter or two, and then take some time to digest the information and make some observations about how it applies to you. Reading this in one sitting might give you information overload and scare you away from personality frameworks, so I highly suggest keeping it on your nightstand (or on your coffee table) to peruse slowly.

The book covers topics such as introversion vs. extroversion, highly-sensitive people (HSPs), the Five Love Languages, Kiersey's Temperaments, the MBTI and the MBTI cognitive functions, the Clifton StrengthsFinder, and the Enneagram. Anne points out that having an understanding of your personality is certainly helpful, but it's also not your destiny, and that the purpose of this book is to help you get to know yourself and others better so that you can not only be empathetic, but also play to yours and others' strengths.

As part of the Launch Team for Reading People, I was given an advance copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own.

Reading People is a wonderfully accessible primer on all things personality, so if you like to geek out on those online personality tests, then this book is for YOU! But let’s forget about personality for a minute – if you have an interest in people and in relationships, a desire to know yourself, your partner, your children, your colleagues, your friends BETTER, then this book is absolutely for YOU, too! (Oh and BONUS – if you love reading, which I’m gonna assume we all do, Anne gives great literary examples (Harry Potter! Anne of Green Gables!) of varying personality types in action!) I was semi-familiar with some of the frameworks – mainly the love languages and Meyers-Briggs, and to a lesser extent the Enneagram – and I’ve always known I’m a textbook introvert, but I feel like I have a better understanding now of what all that actually means, and how I can apply it to my everyday life. As Anne says, “We all live in the first person. I experience the world through my eyes; we all do. But each of these personality frameworks, when used thoughtfully, gives me eyes to see the world from someone else’s point of view for a while. It’s a simple way to try out a new perspective, a different worldview.”

Throughout reading this book (which I digitally highlighted the heck out of), I found myself smiling, nodding, and probably driving my husband crazy with lots of excited anecdotes! This book is not the absolute, ultimate guide on personality, nor is it intended to be. I came away with lots of resources I want to look into further. But it’s an awesome jumping off point, and I can happily recommend it! After all, “As you become aware of the amazing variety of people and experiences, your worldview changes, making you more humble, more open, more aware of the possibilities in each person you encounter.” Sign me up.

Review previously posted 9 months ago but not showing up...

Loved this book!! Anne has such a refreshingly informed but not overwhelming way of talking about personality in a way that is inspiring and gives a good glimpse into various personalities! If you love buzzfeed quizzes, you’ll enjoy this book!

This book is brilliant. Over the years, I have been interested in personality inventories, but I was more familiar with some of the inventories in this book than others. Bogel does an excellent job educating the reader about each personality inventory instrument, and she writes in a way that is easy to understand. The applications are extraordinary, how much we can learn from these scales in order to better understand others and ourselves, and work together more cohesively.

Well written, insightful look at personality types. I feel it is useful for anyone who regularly works with people or anyone looking to gain insight to social situations. Anne’s voice is relatable yet full of knowledge. Highly recommended!

I loved this book! Anne writes so well, and I learned so much about myself, and those around me, as I read about personality types. She wrote in a way that was easy to understand, and enjoyable to learn more about this interesting topic. I would recommend this book to everyone!

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is just the right balance between being an introduction to personality types and memoir. I was not familiar with the Enneagram at all, so I found this section fascinating.. This book certainly helped me to understand better both who I am (an introvert) and who others are based on their personality types. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in getting started with personality theory or just curious readers!

Reading people is a beautiful blend of personality frameworks interwoven with the author's own experiences and examples from literary favorites. Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about myself and the different personality types that I identify with, Anne Bogel went and did the deep work of uncovering a few more layers. Not only is it an enjoyable read, it will make a marvelous reference.

This was a very interesting book! I love learning about personality types and how it impacts our lives. Well done!

Definitely a must-read book for people that love Gretchen Ruben's The Four Tendencies!

Anne Bogel did a great job exploring different personality types. I loved her mix of personal stories and incorporating books and movies into the exploration. I had a hard time following the different types of the myers briggs only because I always get tangled up with all the letters and what they mean. I love how she unpacked it, but that part I will need to go back and explore again. This book did not read like a first book by an author. I loved the deep dive she did and was impressed with all the information she brought to the book.

I am fascinated with personality types, the psychology of why people do what the do, and how we can make all these different personalities get along. From the trusted Myers-Briggs to the complicated Enneagram and all the ones in between, personality quizzes can help us to understand each other while seeing one another as individuals. I learned so much from reading Reading People, except how to make everyone get along. 😉

WHEN YOU TAKE A PERSONALITY TEST DO SO WITH AN HONEST LOOK AT YOURSELF.
I know – this seems obvious. I thought so too until I read Reading People. I have taken the Myers-Briggs test about half a million times, and every time I’ve typed as the INFP personality. It wasn’t until reading this book and diving deep into that last category – Perceiving or Judging – that I realized I am actually a “J.” Why a J and not a P?

I’m naturally an empathic, highly sensitive person, which I translated as being perceiving. It wasn’t until Anne’s description of the Advocate versus the Dreamer that I realized I am the Advocate. I get completely outraged at bad, rude, and hateful behavior and tend to confront the offender.

I remember visiting the Statue of Liberty with my Grandmother and Grandpa Jack when I was thirteen-years-old. We were in a long line waiting to board the ferry when a man ahead of us started acting incredibly rude and obnoxious towards someone with an apparent disability. I was maybe 5′ and 85 pounds soaking wet, but I was ready to take that man on. My grandmother had to physically restrain me so I wouldn’t challenge that person.

That was 30 years ago – these days we know it’s better to speak up and speak out. At the time, I was not diplomatic or tactful enough to speak out without someone getting hurt.

“YOU’RE NOT CRAZY, YOU’RE JUST NOT ME.”
People tend to assume extroverts are bad listeners, hate being alone, and are irrationally “needy” for the company of others.

Y’all. Confession time. My mom is an extrovert. A shy extrovert but an extrovert nonetheless. We’ve already established I’m an introvert and an outspoken introvert at that.

When I read the above quote in Reading People I knew Anne Bogel had been inside my head and even listened in on exasperated conversations I’ve had with my mom!

I’ve asked my mom many, many times “can’t you just sit by yourself for 2 minutes?” in that condescending tone daughters tend to get with their moms when they think they’re doing something so much better. *deep sigh* It’s not true. I know it’s not. I know we are all doing the best we can with the person we are.

It’s not true. I know it’s not. I know we are all doing the best we can with the person we are. It took reading this book to realize my mom was a shy extrovert and the opposite of me. Quite an eye-opener!

Because we live in a world with many other people–people we work with, live with, and care about–we need to be not only smart about meeting our own needs but also gracious about their needs.

I hear you, Anne. Loud and clear. And I’m sorry Mom!

WHILE PERSONALITY TYPING CAN BE A GREAT TOOL TO KNOW YOURSELF, IT IS ALSO USEFUL FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
Anne wrote probably the best introduction to Enneagram typing that I’ve ever read. It was clear, concise and touched on the highlights of each Enneagram personality. She also explains how the Enneagram is more about our underlying motivations as opposed to just a strengths-based evaluation. For that reason, using the Enneagram typing for personal growth is especially helpful.

OVERALL THOUGHTS
Written with a Christian slant, Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything is a great introduction to several personality frameworks:

The Five Love Languages made popular by Gary Chapman and a staple in the Christian Church
The Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0 used by many corporations
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator used in most Psychology 101 courses,
The Kiersey’s Temperaments which I still don’t understand and
The Enneagram made popular in monasteries.
Anne writes in a conversational tone, sharing personal stories of how she determined her own type. Because she was covering a tremendous amount of material I was surprised the text did not get bogged down. The only section I did get confused was with Kiersey’s Temperaments. Probably because I’ve never heard of this particular framework.

Anne did a great job on the research of each personality framework shared in Reading People. It was fascinating to learn that the Enneagram has been around since the Fourth Century. And that it was used widely in monasteries. And that throughout history people have been described as “Sanguine, choleric, melancholy, phlegmatic. Air, fire, earth, water…” So many other interest tidbits that if you love personality typing and reading people then you’ll love learning the history behind personality frameworks.

If you enjoy knowing your personality type, getting more in-depth than those Buzzfeed quizzes, and figuring out the best areas to work on for personal growth then you’ll love Reading People. I know I did!

Too much introspection can be harmful, sure, but as Anne Bogel claims in Reading People, uncovering insights into personality – our own and other people’s – also helps us see the world from someone else’s point of view for a while. It can explain why we have a difficult time getting along with someone, why clutter irritates us so much, why we get our energy from being by ourselves, and so on. It can also improve our relationships – particularly in the way we approach conflict – and gives us the tools we need to create an environment of peace for ourselves and those we love.

On the pages of Reading People, Bogel arms us with easy-to-absorb information, as well as handing us the keys to truly know ourselves and those we love. She gives an overview of several personality frameworks, including:

the Five Love Languages
Keirsey’s Temperaments
the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (and the Cognitive Functions that go along with that)
the Clifton StrengthsFinder, and
the Enneagram

Bottom Line: For anyone who can’t get enough of those personality quizzes that invade social media, this is the book you need to read! If you’ve ever asked yourself, ‘Why does my spouse (or parent or child or friend) do that?’, this is the book you need to read! Reading People by Anne Bogel is conversational, educational, and applicable to everyday life. The frameworks she presents have the potential to be eye-opening and life-changing for those who take the time to truly understand themselves and others. There’s a lot of information here, but Bogel’s engaging style sets you at ease and feels like a chat between friends. While I do wish there had been more time devoted to ‘ok, now I understand myself better – how does that play out in my interactions with other types?’, the author also leaves us with a list of recommended reading for further study. Now that I know what I want to know, this list points me in the right direction to find out what to do with what I know.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Have you ever thought about how your personality affects the way you interact with your spouse, children, family, co-workers, or friends? Have you considered that maybe the difficulty you are having with someone may be because your personalities are struggling with each other? By understanding how your brain works and why someone is reacting in a specific way to something you have said or done, could change your view of that whole situation.

Anne Bogel of the popular Modern Mrs. Darcy blog has been fascinated with personality traits for several years. If you were one of those teens that took every quiz in a magazine asking why kind of friend you are or who should you date next, then I bet you are also taking the wide variety of quizzes on social media. Quizzes range from which Harry Potter character you are to which state should you really be living in, to what book genre you should be reading based on your personality. Everyone seems to be taking them and sharing the answers with their friends.

But, Bogel takes this one step further by encouraging us to really find out what makes us the person we are. But, as Bogel points out, taking every personality test out there doesn't matter if you aren't honest with yourself about your own personality and that of those you spend time with. Yes, her book is based on research but she shares it with readers in a conversational manner. She doesn't overwhelm the reader with statistics but instead explains how that research on personality trickles down to the everyday person. The key is no personality is better or worse than the other, it just means we might be better suited towards another for marriage, or towards a certain type of career.

Reading and re-reading this book over the last couple months has encouraged me to look into my own personality traits. By taking various online assessments, I am fairly confident that I am an ESFJ of the Myers-Brigg personality types. Then doing research related to that type of personality has offered numerous "Aha" moments in my own life and relationships with others. It's been life-changing as I no longer feel like I have to make excuses for my own feelings. It has also opened my eyes in regards to our children. Taking various online assessments can help point them in the right direction for a major in college or a career option. Seeing that our daughter is quite possibly an introvert, opposite to my extroverted behavior, has allowed me to loosen up a bit regarding her social interactions.

As someone who works in the school system, the chapter that focused on Highly Sensitive People (HSP), especially children, offered me a whole new viewpoint on how to best educate and communicate with students that fit that category. Feeling things strongly, noise, and overstimulation are all things that may cause of HSP to shut down. So, when a student asks if they can work without a partner or to work in the hall, may be a sign that their surroundings are causing their brain to shut down. This may not be the case in every situation, but knowing your students, your children, your co-workers and the environment that will make them successful can make your relationship with them so much more cooperative.

Ultimately, READING PEOPLE offers the reader a chance to understand the people that are important in your life. Recognizing and accepting the way they interact with the world may be different from you and that is A-Ok.

3.5 stars. I received a review e-copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The most basic way to explain this book is that it focuses on personality - types/traits/etc. It covers many different theories and ways to understand yourself and your quirks better, and I found myself really enjoying Bogel's familiar writing and simple way of sharing information interspersed with her own anecdotes and her own personality types and traits. The book is split into chapters, each one is well-researched and well-written, but I did find myself not completely involved with some of the things that Bogel said - this could be because of my own background in Psychology study. I was familiar with many of the theories that Bogel wrote about, so I didn't really need each introduction, but I did enjoy the crash course on each one nonetheless.

An interesting book from a friendly writer. Definitely recommend if you are interested in understanding your personality better.

What an intuitive and enjoyable read! It was a perfect overview, made personal by the author's intriguing stories about her own experiences. I can't recommend this one enough if you'd like to understand yourself and others better.

This book was incredibly informative and gives you an intimate, inside look at the things that make up the actions of those around you. If you are someone who is interested in the habits of those around you and how you can better understand what make people tic and what drives them to make the decisions that they do, this book is for you. The thing that make this book so much different than any other psychology books I have read is that it never made me feel like i was reading a textbook. I appreciated that it read like you were talking to a friend.