Shyness: A Bold New Approach (Paperback)

~ Bernardo J. Carducci Ph.D. (Author), Susan Golant (Author) "Shyness, one of the most common of human experiences, is fraught with mysteries..." (more)
Key Phrases: shy symptoms, nonshy people, shy life, Mary Beth, New York, Jerome Kagan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Psychology professor Carducci defines shyness as a "personality trait" rather than as an emotional disorder or mental illness. In fact, he asserts, nearly everyone suffers from shyness to some degree and at some time in life. For some, due to combinations of biology, environment, experience and psychology, shyness can cause a lot of trouble. Acknowledging the handicap this trait can become, particularly in current Western culture, Carducci attempts "not to turn introverts into extroverts" but rather to teach readers to live a "successfully shy life." Beginning with a questionnaire to determine the reader's level of shyness and its impact on daily life, Carducci suggests many techniques for coping with specific social, workplace and personal situations, including meetings, interviews, dates, speeches, presentations, networking and party small talk. He recommends keeping a "shy life journal" in which to record experiences and resolutions for "expanding your comfort zone." Carducci also includes descriptions of pertinent brain activity and useful information for parents and teachers of shy children.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Bernardo J. Carducci has written a hopeful, inspiring book that helps shy people to overcome self-defeating behaviors, respect their unique qualities, and lead lives filled with greater intimacy and self-acceptance. I highly recommend it!" -- John Gray, Author Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

"Shyness is a rare treat for all those who are currently or formerly shy. Bernie Carducci beautifully blends a personal concern for helping shy children and adults with useful advice based on sound research and clinical wisdom. It is surely the best book on the subject since my own appeared many years ago." -- Philip G. Zimbardo, author of Shyness: What It Is, What to Do About It --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060930683
• ISBN-13: 978-0060930684
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #445,353 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise, easy to understand, and utlimately life changing., January 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shyness: A Bold New Approach (Hardcover)

Carducci`s book on shyness opened up a new world for me, years of painful first encounters and the turmoil of being afraid. The inability I had to make the simplest amount of small talk kept me from making new friends and being more successful in my career. Those days are over, I now understand that there is a whole new world out there for me to discover and enjoy.I am no longer afraid. I will only hope others who are shy will find this book so, that their worlds may be alive like mine is now!

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars carducci's approach is empowering, November 14, 2000

By	Donald R. Fleck (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews

I studied five popular books on shyness in the past few months, and I like Carducci's because his approach is based on intimate, detailed knowledge of shy people, as well as on his involvement with a Shyness clinic. Other books approached shyness from the point of view of theory (e.g. cognitiv/behavioral or psychodynamic) and missed the many methods of managing shyness that come directly from knowing shy people well. Two things I found overwhelmingly strong: 1) he works from a strengths perspective, looking at shyness not as a deficit, but as a personality trait whose inhibiting effect can be greatly reduced with dedicated individual effort, and 2) he has a method which is clear, goes step-by-step without the need for professional guidance, and is extremely easy to follow. It does take work....but you can get to "the successfully shy life."

46 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not at all helpful..., June 2, 2005

By	a reader - See all my reviews

I had to stop reading this after the first chapter or two. It has a real "blame the victim" tone to it, and basically asserts that shy people are selfish, and think themselves all-important. On the contrary, most shy people have huge problems with self-confidence around others, and yet are some of the most generous people around. Don't buy this book if you're shy and are tired of being talked-down to and patronized by somebody who DOES NOT understand shy people and what they experience in life. I'm very shy, and have enough self-respect to put this book back on the shelf.