Customer Reviews

Personality Type (Jung on the Hudson Books)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most people who know their Myers-Briggs type don't have a valid understanding of what it means. They interpret INFP to mean Introversion+iNtuition+Feeling+Perceiving, when it REALLY means Introverted Feeling with Extraverted Intuition. These are known as "functions", and up until this book, I never understood them. Functions like Introverted Feeling are difficult to understand, hence the simplification of seeing your MB type as simply four variables. With this book, you will understand much more than just what your behavior shows, but in HOW you THINK and UNDERSTAND. This is probably the Deepest book on the subject I have yet to see. It is definitely not for beginners, however for the advanced student of Myers-Briggs, it is definitely a treasure to keep. For a REAL understanding of the Myers-Briggs types and yourself, read this book immediately.

Hello. As an INTJ/INFJ ... I found this book to be fascinating, and of course, extremely useful. I completely share the view that this is not a good introduction to MBTI, if only because (especially if you're a pretty strong J like me) you need to have some headspace around the terms and concepts in order to really dive into this amazing book.

There are a few truly remarkable things about this book that I'd enjoy pointing out here to possible readers...

Some MBTI books out there do not focus enough on the basic fact that we are often our own worst enemies in a very predictable sense. We all have our own version of enjoyable living, and while our Dominant (1st) Function is on autopilot to take us there, if left UNCHECKED, it will INEVITABLY run out of control and float too far from shore, and take us to our own private living hell... it is rather terrifying, when you think of it. According to Ms. Thomson, the remedy for this is your Secondary (2nd) Function, which intervenes to regulate your Dominant Function's Dictatorship of you.. however, what usually happens (and has happened to me - it hurts to think of this) your Tertiary (3rd) Function steps in to tell you that the world is against you, and then (this is where it gets really freaky) your horrid Inferiour (4th) Function, which certain people refer to as your 'beloved child' but is really a self-destructive mutant waiting to ruin your lifestyle, finds an opportunistic hole and takes over. According to my research, somewhat irresponsibly, some MBTI books either imply or directly counsel people to develop their inferiour (4th) function in order to achieve a kind of personality 'wholeness'. Ms. Thomson profoundly and convincingly (because you yourself can see the evidence if you reflect upon recent or current crisis') smashes that concept to bits. Rather, she suggests relying on development of the Secondary Function in order to give some space for that Inferiour function to emerge in a benign way. Ms. Thomson does not pull punches here: the 4th function is NOT a helpful function - not because there is something wrong it, or with any of us, but because by its very nature it is misapplied. But we do not have to cut it out of our lives (or use it to our inevitable personal pain) if we strengthen our Secondary function, which moderates and checks our entire personality spectrum.

...this is getting long, hm? Okay, almost done. Sorry, I just love this book!

A special note to INTJs and INFJs (and anyone else who wants to keep reading :)

As a member of this extremely rare, but immensely powerful segment of people, do yourself an immeasurable favour, and get this book if only for the chapter on INxJs. Nothing I have read in any other book, or online, is as powerful as this chapter in terms of the sheer number of NERVES that it hits. Most other books tend to revere INxJs as the visionaries and the cerebral, otherworldly types. And it can be nice to read something that says such lofty things. But this book, while not being offensive or confrontational, takes a HARD look at these two types and really digs deep into the problems that we can face; problems that we ourselves can create and then get stuck in. I believe we, more than any other type, NEED tools like this book because no other type is as crushed by mistakes as we are. Unlike even INTPs who can blame the quality of the data, or lack of data, on a mistake, we will internalize it and it will enter our endless intuitive loop. Really, I can't do justice to this section of the book. The very least I can tell you (isn't this so INxJ of me????) is that in my research NOTHING comes CLOSE to this kind of insight. But be prepared for some ego shots. The first time I read this chapter, some months ago, I got very angry. Only re-read it the other day and faced the music...

Anyway, I can't say enough about this book. 5 stars is not enough. Thank you Ms. Thomson.

As an INTJ I have been fascinated by MBTI for over 10 years and I have read many books. I highly recommend Lenore Thomson's book because she takes a biological left brain / right brain approach and combines it with a deep understanding of Jung and personality evolution. I especially appreciate that it is normal to turn to your lesser functions to re-evaluate your life periodically, especially at times of perceived "crisis." This is not a book for beginners, the subtle differences in functions are used with laser precision and require a good understanding of MBTI. She uses interesting examples drawn from the funny papers and Star Trek. In a society of extraverts (75% of the American population), this book helps to clarify the strengths of a society which values the diversity of personality type rather than one which values conformity.

When I first read David Keirsey's "Please Understand Me" it was eye-opening, but now looks simple compared to Lenore Thomson's book. Excellent descriptions of the real meaning of extraversion and introversion. I found the effect of inferior and tertiary functions under stress particularly enlightening. Her use of cartoons and pop-culture references as examples helps keep things understandable, but make no mistake that this is still a pretty heavy read.

The chapters on types, categorized by dominant function, were dead-on for ISTJ and ESFJ and likely are for the others as well - I found myself shaking my head and thinking, "So THAT'S why they act that way!!!!!" I've personally observed those types in action the most and can attest to their worldview and the influence of their tertiary function.

The only fault I found, if it can be called that, is the lack of a section on intertype relations, but there are other books on that.

For the territory Thomson covers, this book is an excellent reference and I'd highly recommend it to the hardcore student of type. Those unfamiliar with Jung or MBTI may want to read a more basic introduction to the concept first.

If you are after a simple introduction to personality type, then I suggest you read up to page 55 and no further. Thereafter, buckle your seat belt for another 350-page-long ride that reaches parts of the Jung/Myers-Briggs theory that other books do not reach.

Lenore Thomson has two unique talents that are evident in this book. The first is that she understands Jung's theory of psychological types like no other. The second is that she is able to explain complex psychological concepts in terms that the layperson can easily understand. "An Owner's Manual" pushes back the boundaries of our understanding of Jung's theory and makes it relevant, applicable and meaningful to the reader.

If you are a fan of Isabel Briggs Myers, her contemporaries and followers, then this book will take your understanding a step further. If you are a fan of Keirsey's writings on temperament, then you may find "An Owner's Manual" seems to come from an unusual angle. This is because - and not a lot of people know this - the Jung/Briggs-Myers theory differs from Keirsey's in some key respects (even though they use the same letters). In that case, my recommendation would be to read Linda Berens' writings on temperament - they are more up to date than Keirsey's, more relevant to most modern experts' understanding of personality type, and she explains temperament in a way that fits much better with the exposition of Jung's theory of personality types in "An Owner's Manual".

If you only want your car to take you from A to B, and expect others to service it, then an "Owners' manual" is irrelevant to you. But if you want to look under the hood of your personality, then this is a "must have" book.

I highly recommend this book. As the title suggests, it really is an "Owner's Manual" that explains exactly why humans perceive and decide differently and how these differences combine to create distinct patterns of personality. Thomson's book mines the depths of our innate psychological structure, both conscious and unconscious, both right and left brain. Her book presents a clear explanation of personality typology and the eight Jungian psychological functions in a way that is enlightening and useful.

I am certified to administer the MBTI and have read just about every book on personality typology. I must say that Lenore Thomson's book is the one that made everything click into place. I only wish that she had written it earlier so that I could have read her book first. She provides wonderfully illustrative and entertaining examples that bring to life her clear descriptions of the eight functions. Most importantly, Thomson shows the right/left brain orientation of each function and how each function operates very differently in both the introverted and extraverted modes.

In sum, this book is a must-read for beginners and professionals alike. For those that use it as a manual to understand their potential and keep their balance throughout life's journey, the rewards are guaranteed to be plentiful. Thomson is a gifted author who has married a mastery of theory with a wealth of personal experience to create a classic book that keeps giving with each rereading.

Quite a few books have been published on Myers Briggs, an amazing effort to make sense of the most complex things in the world -- people. Still, some of the books written in the last 10 years just cannibalize information from each other without really adding fresh perspective or content.

Lenore Thompson's book is very different. She makes you think about the system with fresh eyes and uses metaphores that make abstract concepts appear familiar. For instance,the Star Trek officer team act as exemplars of functional preferences -- Scottie is a Sensor, while Kirk is an Intuitive; Spock is a thinker while McCoy is a feeler -- with examples of tension in specific episodes.

Even more, she adds some ideas about the implications of type that really make you step back and re-examine yourself and others.

The book is very well structured so that you can skip to the sections you like. However, the text is a little dense sometimes and isn't the easiest introduction to the subject. For that, I recommend "What Type Am I? : Discover Who You Really Are" by Renee Baron.

Good luck

Having already read tons of books on MB-Jungian type, I really doubted that I would derive any incremental benefit from reading this one. I was wrong.

I can say without reservation that this book is the best of its kind. Thomson simply fleshes out MB-Jungian concepts in greater detail and with greater insight than other such books. She also makes particularly effective use of references to pop culture and literature to demonstrate her ideas.

For anyone interested in truly understanding MB-Jungian type, I would recommend first reading some introductory book to get the basics. I would then follow up with this book to really flesh things out.

I am not a student of personality typing, nor am I a student of Psychology. I discovered this book through a business communications class and have found the theories discussed to be very insightful. This is one of the better books on this subject that I have found. The broader theory of personality typing according to Meyers-Briggs is discussed in full detail, and there are large sections on each personality type. She brings in every day examples pinning a particular comedian to a personality type. She does give many Star Trek examples as well. I choose this book over others because of the depth she goes into the general as well as the individual personality types.
Why was this useful in everyday life? Knowing a bit about this helps me realize how I come across, and how to communicate effectively with others. You approach introverts in a different way than an extovert. Some people want big picture details, and others was fine details in everything. You can save yourself a lot of time in dealing with people if you understand them. Myers-Briggs isn't about helping people with their issues, but it is a way of knowing how they relate to others and the world. Its wonderful to sum up a situation by understanding where all parties involved stand. This is a great book for this, and her writting style is very easy on the non scientific mind and the casual reader.

I really thought everything had been written on typology. Boy was I wrong! I am only a quarter of the way through this book, but I am in awe of how much awareness and insight Thomson packs into this book. Thomson stands above even David Keirsey on really bringing to life personality types. The way she tackles how people go through the pathways to type development is almost poetic. I can't recommend this book enough. I only wish I'd found this book 2 years ago when I was going through some big changes in my life. (Written by an INTJ).