Includes bibliographical references (p. [277]-323) and index.

The north and south of temperament -- The extrovert ideal. The rise of the "mighty likeable fellow" : how extroversion became the cultural ideal ; The myth of charismatic leadership : the culture of personality, a hundred years later ; When collaboration kills creativity : the rise of the new Groupthink and the power of working alone -- Your biology, your self? Is temperament destiny? : nature, nurture, and the Orchid Hypothesis ; Beyond temperament : the role of free will (and the secret of public speaking for introverts) ; "Franklin was a politician, but Eleanor spoke out of conscience" : why cool is overrated ; Why did Wall Street crash and Warren Buffett prosper? : how introverts and extroverts think (and process dopamine) differently -- Do all cultures have an extrovert ideal? Soft power : Asian-Americans and the extrovert ideal -- How to love, how to work. When should you act more extroverted than you really are? ; The communication gap : how to talk to members of the opposite type ; On cobblers and generals : how to cultivate quiet kids in a world that can't hear them -- Wonderland -- A note on the words Introvert and Extrovert.

Demonstrates how introverted people are misunderstood and undervalued in modern culture, charting the rise of extrovert ideology while sharing anecdotal examples of how to use introvert talents to adapt to various situations.