Book Review: Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything by Anne Bogel

If the viral Buzzfeed-style personality quizzes are any indication, we are collectively obsessed with the idea of defining and knowing ourselves and our unique place in the world. But what we're finding is this: knowing which Harry Potter character you are is easy, but actually knowing yourself isn't as simple as just checking a few boxes on an online quiz.

For readers who long to dig deeper into what makes them uniquely them (and why that matters), popular blogger Anne Bogel has done the hard part--collecting, exploring, and explaining the most popular personality frameworks, such as Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, and others. She explains to readers the life-changing insights that can be gained from each and shares specific, practical real-life applications across all facets of life, including love and marriage, productivity, parenting, the workplace, and spiritual life. In her friendly, relatable style, Bogel shares engaging personal stories that show firsthand how understanding personality can revolutionize the way we live, love, work, and pray.

I am a huge personality nerd. It started in college when I had to take my first personality test. I have forgotten what it was, but ever since then, I have been obsessed. I read anything I can get my hands on personality books. I feel that it helps me be less awkward and deal with people better if I can understand out of which framework they see the world out of. Plus I LOVEEEEEE  Anne Bogel’s blog Modern Mrs. Darcy so I was convinced I would love her book.

What I Liked

Everything!! I liked how she broke down each framework and explained in detail on how to use it. I have to admit when I was in college I to mistype myself. I was so desperate to fit in and be “popular” that I completely reinvented myself and gave answers according to that, but it was all a big mask. On the inside, I was riddled with anxiety and could never figure out why. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with bipolar that  It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with bipolar that I found the courage to take off the masks and learn about who I really am, and now I know that I am a Highly Sensitive person, an introvert, and an IFJP I am also 5 on the Enneagram. When I was in college I made the mistake of trying to type myself into the person I WANTED to be instead of the person I WAS. This cause untold number of problems. I now can type myself to the person I AM. I have given up trying to be anything but what I am so it is easier to admit now that I am a big geek who hates humanity.

I loved how she went into depth about each framework and what it meant and how you could apply it to your own life. Like I have this friend who must do everything by the book. I am more of the “rules are just guidelines” kind of person, but after reading this book, i feel I can understand this friend more and hopefully lesses the number of frustrated feelings with her.

What I Didn’t Like

I pretty much loved this book. If I HAD to pick something that bugs me is that she did not go more into depth on the enneagram chapter. She explained that it would point out your faults and make u all sad which is accurate from what I have read on my type (type 5). But I feel this is just an introduction to the frameworks and most importantly how to APPLY it to your life, so I am not going to be nitpicky.

OMG, I LOVED THIS BOOK GO OUT AND BUY IT NOOOOOWWWWW. Anne Bogel is a gifted writer, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next. I have never known how to apply the frameworks that I have read in my life, but after reading this book, I now have a better idea. Already it has saved me and a friend a couple of awkward moments. I can see how someone would be so inflexible that they gave up their dreams because they were scared of something while I go after me with my whole soul.