Y’all, I finished reading a book. This has been my only New Year’s Resolution for several years now and for who knows how many reasons (hi, Type 7 here), I have never completed it. Until Unfiltered Enneagram.
This book is the kind you can’t put down, yet want to take in every bit of wisdom, so I’ll be reading it again more slowly and taking time to reflect more thoughtfully. First read through was an Enneagram roast of me and everyone I love (and don’t love so much), and I guffawed throughout, so a warning: do not read in a public space if your own solo laugh embarrasses you.
In Unfiltered Enneagram, Liz holds us and all our weird parts in humor and honesty, but also in rocksteady belief in each of us. It sucks to have to admit how we suck, but this book doesn’t condemn us to that mess, rather provides a laugh and a way forward. Read it, it’s not that bad.

Both the account @RudeAssEnneagram and this title are hilarious and wise. I love that this title was written by an enneagram 8, is critical of chaotic personality test culture, is full of thoughtful and actionable advice, and is funny in the most poignant way. Thanks to this read, I've finally been convinced that I'm not allowed to type other people AND that 2's and 4's are friends...not food. Thanks, Elizabeth!

As a person with a pretty basic understanding of Enneagram (any fellow 5s out there??) and a follower of @rudeassenneagram, this was exactly what I expected! Informative, casual, sometimes rude but mostly the tone of an older sibling who is just trying to look out for you, this was a great entry-level introduction to enneagram.

I thought the approach of self-compassion made this stand out a bit from other basic literature I've read on enneagram, making it a tool to be leveraged rather than something that defines everything about you. I did find the voice of this a bit too casual sometimes, I could see the constant "lil"s and "babe"s grating on people who are not into that kind of thing. It was also a bit repetitive, which I think made sense for what this kind of book is (she even mentioned at the beginning that she knew people would skip directly to their Type and never look back, so doubling down on information is important for the skippers), but even within each section it feels like everything could have been summarized in two pages of bullet points. She also does not go into how to type yourself really, so you kind of have to go into this book generally knowing what type(s) you might be and then find what resonates, so I'd recommend having at least a general idea of where you fall beforehand.

In the end, I felt rightfully dragged and also given a few actionable tips to tend to the parts of me that need some tender care. If you're looking for a readable, accessible, and often a bit silly intro to the Enneagram, this is a great one to go with!

The Unfiltered Enneagram is an honest and humorous look at a long standing personality assessment and growth tool. Personally, I love the Enneagram and, for that reason alone, have read a number of books on it. In her “Author’s Note” to start the book, Elizabeth Orr says that what she’s written “is not principally about the Enneagram,” but rather about self-compassion gained through use of the Enneagram. Truthfully, I’m not really sure that that came through for me. I did love the questions at the end of every chapter that stimulated this thinking a bit (especially for my dominant type and wing) but I don’t think that thread of self-compassion was very dominant throughout the entire text - at least not any more than any other Enneagram book I’ve read.

It’s a fun read, that’s definitely lighter and more humorous than other books that I’ve read on the topic, but not worth buying if you’re looking to get a whole lot more than what you’ve previously read on the subject matter.

The book itself is well put together and based on that merit alone deserves four stars.

Thanks to Convergent Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Most books on the Enneagram will give outlines for each of the numbered types that people will try to explore to figure out who they are, what their friends or family likely are, or what book characters will be. In this book, instead of descriptions that feel generic, Elizabeth Orr explores the shadows of each Enneagram type. She lists the core beliefs, fears, defense mechanisms and vices of each type. It's all done in down to earth language, it really feels like you're sitting with someone knowledgeable about the topic outlining the things you really needed to know that simply aren't found in most books.

I love how approachable this is, because other books I've read on the topic seem to make sense in the moment but are ultimately forgettable. This one has a very conversational style, and there are even action plans at the end of each chapter so that each personality type can look inside themselves and start doing the work to reverse the nasty habits they developed with time. I feel this is the best part of each chapter for readers to take away.

This is a deceptively slim volume that you can read through quickly, yet come back to time and again to gain more wisdom from it.

I loved this fun approach to the enneagram! And it opened my mind to ponder aspects of my own enneagram and how to challenge it to become more compassionate of myself and the world

I have followed Liz's account on Instagram for a VERY long time and, as an enneagram 5, knew I NEEDED this book as soon as she announced it existed. I was PUMPED to be given this ARC when I requested it. The Unfiltered Enneagram is, yes, another book about the enneagram, but it's written with Liz's great sense of humor and wit. I LOVE her voice haha. She's hilarious, but she also cares about people and she enjoys the enneagram. All of these things are clear in this book. I can't say I learned too many new things since I've investigated (hehe) the enneagram for years at this point, but some of the phrasing she used did require me to look at myself and other types in a new way and, as most of these kinds of books do, force me to step back and take a look at myself and ways that I might be able to change my behavior to be better overall. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in learning more about the enneagram and getting a good laugh in in the process. I've already purchased a copy for my sister!

I am someone who has been personally "attacked" by the instagram account "rudeassennegram" so I was delighted by the chance to read Elizabeth Orr's book. It was smart, insightful, and really interesting and engaging to read. I loved it.

I did like this book overall, and the content was good. However, I am not a big fan of the tone/presentation of the information. It makes it hard for me to focus on the information when it feels like the author is trying too hard to act like a "cool" friend than to just present the information. It's totally great to show some personality in a book like this, but this one felt a little bit overkill to me.

If there’s one thing outside of books that I find fun to talk about it’s the enneagram.
Captured in my bio, I’m am a Type 1, proud and extremely flawed 😂

📖For those who don’t know The Enneagram:
This concept is a personality/motivation identification tool that helps you know how you can work better with people around you and be an asset to others who don’t carry your strengths. Much like Myers-Briggs personality types, the enneagram dives deep into your identity and the fears/talents that might be associated with your type.

📖For those who know The Enneagram:
…. liz makes this a fun and heartfelt approach to poke fun and heal yourself at the same time. She does a great job of clueing you in on some basic ways to keep your head above water and understand how someone like you can really do great things in the world. 🌍

For some fun, I included my favorite quotes from the book on each enneagram type! Let me know which ones you like the best 😂

✨If you are looking to read this book (which you should it’s hilarious), make sure you know your enneagram type or take one of the free tests you can find online!

A beautiful and honest representation of the Enneagram that goes far beyond common tropes and memes. Well written and easily readable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

This was definitely a fun read. And it is a unique book on the subject, but so specific in its tone and content that it may appeal to a less wide readership. It's irreverent in the best possible way, but don't expect something for either newcomers exclusively or experts. It is perfectly positioned for the audience of the author's instagram page, which is it broadens what can be contained there but doesn't break new theoretical ground.

I DEVOURED this book! It’s one that will live on my nightstand for quick reference again & again. It’s like a tell-all book, but about everyone, no holds barred. In today’s climate of divisiveness “The Unfiltered Enneagram” should be required reading on empathy & self-compassion. Orr masterfully uses her cut-throat humor as a tool to get right to the point to call you out, explain why you’re like this, call you out some more, help you forgive yourself, & then suggest actionable steps you can take so you don’t get back on your bulls***. I laughed out loud (many times), I cringed at my own hard truths, & I learned a helluva lot about myself & the rest of the enneagram types. But most of all I learned how to maintain self-compassion in the midst of self-discovery. I truly cannot recommend “The Unfiltered Enneagram” enough!

I have read a lot of books about the Enneagram in recent years, since I've found it helpful for personal growth and for better understanding some of my fictional characters. This book isn't the worst that I've read, but it's near the bottom of the barrel. I would only recommend this to fans of the author's popular Instagram account, and even then, I'm not sure how much of the material would actually be new to her existing following.

The first chapters cover some Enneagram basics and clear up some common myths and misconceptions, and the author explains her vision for the book. Basically, she recognizes how people often use the Enneagram typing system as a way to justify their bad behavior, and she wants people to recognize how self-knowledge and self-compassion can help them grow, instead of staying stuck in unhealthy patterns. I appreciate that, and I totally agree that the Enneagram gets misused as an ego-stroking, self-justifying exercise, when it's really a path to emotional and spiritual development.

However, her approach throughout the book is alternately harsh and patronizing, and even though the snarky tone is supposed to be humorous, I think I only laughed once. I didn't find this clever, and mostly just felt like the author was trying too hard. I don't have anything against snarky or dark humor, but this just felt harsh, and despite the publisher's claims that this book is "witty" and "hilarious," I rarely even found it amusing.

In the chapters about each of the nine Enneagram types, the author shares a lot of really basic information in a harsh, off-putting way, going back and forth between blasting people for their perceived failings and then saying things like, "Oh, my sweet [type]..." when sharing encouragements and advice. It felt really patronizing to me, and she makes lots of sweeping statements about what people are thinking, feeling, and doing, without accounting for differences in people's personalities or maturity levels, even within a single type.

She assumes that everyone is expressing the most dysfunctional and immature versions of their type, and she also suggests that if you balk at these descriptions, that's just because you see yourself in them and don't want to face your dark side. I can assure you that I balked at descriptions of every type, not just mine. I also don't think that the self-compassion side came through well.

I found this book much too harsh, without enough humor or good advice to offset the negativity. The author suggests different paradigm shifts and practices that the different types can adopt, but none of them stood out to me. The whole book is pretty basic. The author doesn't say anything new, and just says familiar things in a different way. If her tone appeals to and amuses someone, then it can be a good fit, but I didn't find anything fresh or helpful here for myself.

Also, even though this is from a Christian publisher, there is no faith-based content. The author is a university chaplain, but she explains at the beginning of the book that because of young people's suspicion against organized religion, she's just going to talk in general and pluralistic terms, without bringing her faith into it. That's her choice, and it's a fine approach, but the mismatch between her intent and the marketing is frustrating. If this hadn't been listed as Christian nonfiction on NetGalley, I wouldn't have requested this, and wouldn't have wasted my time on it.

As an unabashed Enneagram enthusiast, student, and reader, I heartily recommend Elizabeth Orr's THE UNFILTERED ENNEAGRAM. Her enthusiasm surges throughout this energizing, so-frank-it's-hysterical guide to what is often draped in pedantic, impenetrable drudge. This book is like no other guide I've ever read, so entrancing, so authoritative that I was washed over with insights about myself, others, life itself. I loved every moment of it, feeling like I was sitting with her over a cup of hot tea in my kitchen, late night conversations that transformed my ideas, shook them up and turned them inside out in all the very best of ways. A true masterwork and major contribution to the field. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I follow this author on Instagram and love her account. I enjoyed a different look at the Enneagram and the fact that there were useful steps that each number can take to get to the healthiest version of their personality, including baby steps. I think this is best for someone who has already read other Enneagram books and/or looked into it before, as it doesn't have a lot of info to help you type yourself.

This book discusses the 9 Enneagram types. I enjoy reading about the Enneagram, but this book just was not for me. I like the idea of employing humor to reflect on motivations and behaviors, but did not find this as humorous as I hoped it would be. I also did not love the tone, writing style, and sometimes even the content. I liked the general outline of the book though. I am sure some other folks will appreciate this perspective on the Enneagram more.

Thank you NetGalley and Convergent Books for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I, a Type Six (aka the Loyal Skeptic), got read to filth and I still came back for more. 10/10, no notes, absolutely read like I was being roasted in a comedy show.

Really enjoyed the writing style here! The chapter headings grabbed me first. (Feeling called out, lol). Witty and wise is right. Hopefully I know more Enneagram now. Thanks for the ARC!

Sadly, I DNFed this. I just couldn’t get into it. I’m sure others who are really into enneagrams will love this but it just wasn’t for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of an arc in return for an honest review.