The Shyness Guide: Alternative Ideas and Advice for 21st Century Introverts, Social Phobics, Highly Sensitive Persons, and Those With Autism, ... Mutism, or Avoidant Personality Disorder

by Alan Conrad

The Shyness Guide offers a different view of shyness, and a different approach to the problems shy people encounter in the non-shy social world. Alan Conrad believes shyness is natural in most shy people, that it is a remnant from humanity’s pre-historic past, and he insists that shy people can cope with the social world without suppressing their shy nature. He says they possess hidden strengths that, combined with acquired knowledge, will allow them to cope with the social world while remaining their own true selves. Conrad has provided advice for shy people since 2006 on his website (www.alanconrad.com), now also known as www.shyhighway.com.

Genres: Self Help

206 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2013

Reviews

[Verna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book about shyness! Mr. Conrad's theory of shyness is different from any other book I have read on the subject and I have read quite a few. He feels that shyness is an evolutionary defense mechanism left over from our hunter-gatherer past not compatible with today's modern socialized world. He sees shyness as part of a larger picture that includes social phobia, highly sensitive people, autism and Aspergers, mutism and Avoidant Personality. He suggests accepting your shyness as positive and not an aberration of nature as others more sociable label it. Lot of good advice to shy people struggling to live, love and work within the confines of an incompatible and stressful environment. The Shy Highway (www.shyhighway.com).

Update: A new edition of this book has been published. I will add to my original review after I read the new edition. I look forward to it!

[Verna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this updated edition of The Shyness Guide.... This is an excellent book about shyness and a whole lot more. I got so much out of the first book and this second version is even better. I particularly liked the author's references to other books that he found helpful while writing this book. I plan on reading those books too. If you are interested in the subject of shyness in all it's variants and manifestations, you need to check this work out. I plan on keeping this book handy and will refer back to it often. It's just a treasure trove of information. Absolutely fascinating to read too!

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very grateful for this perspective on a 'loner' as I am.
I feel more comfortable about my place in this world, not as a deviant but just as an older being in social madness. More confident I can find my own way and don't need to be cured at all.

Will read it again and following up with the extensive bibliography.

[Mimo Valente · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not very sure about this book. There were 3 reviews from the same reviewer giving 5 stars. Unbalanced?

[Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book and started to read it immediately and about 2 hours later I've finished it.
I'm glad I came across it by accident and I can't understand why it isn't more popular. It should be. I would recommend it to everyone who uses the word shy for himself. The title already says that he goes a bit into autism and is mentioning Social Phobics, Highly Sensitive Persons and people with Asperger's Syndrom, Selective Mutism and Avoidant Personality Disorder.

It has interesting views about how it could be possible that genes from the past still remain in our DNA. So to say that social people, with newer genes and non-social people, with older genes, exist. Of course it's only a theory.
The author is also describing the problems with living as a shy person in general, in the working world and goes into the topic of shy people and love.

The main message he wants to give you with this book is that you shouldn't try so hard to be an extrovert person, when you aren't one. If you are looking for a book with specific how-to tips this probably isn't for you. Here it's mainly about the acceptance of it. But it could be a step before the how-to.

[Verna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book about shyness! Mr. Conrad's theory of shyness is different from any other book I have read on the subject and I have read quite a few. He feels that shyness is a evolutionary defense mechanism left over from our hunter-gatherer past not compatible with today's modern socialized world. He sees shyness as part of a larger picture that includes social phobia, highly sensitive people, autism and Aspergers, mutism and Avoidant Personality. He suggests accepting your shyness as positive and not an abberation of nature as others more sociable label it. Lot of good advice to shy people struggling to live, love and work within the confines of an incompatible and stressful environment. The Shy Highway (www.shyhighway.com).