The Myers-Briggs and Book Reviews

For years I have enjoyed studying the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Individuals who complete the MBTI are given a four-letter personality type, one of sixteen possible combinations. The individual letters and their combinations communicate things about a person's personality and approach to life.


My type is ENFJ - Extraverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging. One description for this type is:  Popular and sensitive, with outstanding people skills. Externally focused, with real concern for how others think and feel. Usually dislike being alone. They see everything from the human angle, and dislike impersonal analysis. Very effective at managing people issues, and leading group discussions. Interested in serving others, and probably place the needs of others over their own needs. . [From the website Personality Page. You can read a full description of ENFJs here.]


Recently I have started to wonder if I would be a better book reviewer if I was an S - a Sensing type - rather than an N. Those with an S preference use their five senses to take in information while Ns rely on instincts and intuition. N's are all about the big picture. One activity to illustrate the difference is to put the Ns in one group and the S folks in another. Then ask the group to write down words related to "leaf." And you do this verbally. The S group will typically describe leaves - crunchy, green, stem, veins, autumn, etc. The N group's answers can be all over the map - Leif Erickson, Leif Garret, leaf in a table, etc.


I read book reviews from other bloggers and there's all this great detail. I look at mine and they are pretty short. I use a lot of the same words to describe books I like. I try to summarize the big picture and let readers discover the details on their own. 


This was illustrated recently when I finished a new book. Through the last couple chapters, my heart was racing. The author had thrown me a curve I never saw coming and it was absolutely brilliant. All the pieces were woven together perfectly.j


I finished the book right before going to bed and I couldn't get to sleep afterwards. My mind kept replaying how perfectly things came together in the story. I thought about how I wanted to talk to students about the book. I thought about how I wanted to review the book on my blog. I was thinking things like, "Amazing," "Brilliant," and "Clever!" I was thinking about characters I liked and the great "voice" of the main character. So much of what I loved was reflected in impressions and feelings that I couldn't translate into words. 


I hope I can do the story justice when it's time to post a review because this was one of the best books I've read in the last year - and I read a LOT of books! I imagine this one could be my favorite book of 2012.