Reviews
of the Enneagram Books
Co-authored by Elizabeth Wagele
and Renee Baron
-
The
Enneagram Made Easy
- Top
Ten list of Quality Paperbacks for the Bay Area by the San
Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle
.
- Bob
Tallon in Enneagram Monthly, July, 1997:
"A generous use of cartoons, and a humorous, breezy style distinguishes this
book. The first chapter deals briefly with history and moving around the Enneagram
(the Arrows, Wings, Centers, and How to Find Your Type). The rest of the book
consists of nine type chapters which begin with a chart of the type at its best
and worst, and a personality inventory (a chicklist of 20 statements). Chapter
topics are covered by short statements in a "bullet" format, a short narrative,
or an illustrative cartoon. The cartoons show the thoughts of the type, or thought
of the person the type is interacting with; situations or nonverbal behaviors
that are characteristic of the type; or simply a caricature of how the type
appears in comfortable or stressful situations. The topics covered are relatively
the same for each type, but vary slightly depending on what is most characteristic
of the type in question . The final chapter, "How the Enneagram and the Jungian
Types Fit Together," is a 23 page explanation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
and how it relates in the Enneagram."
- The
Berkeley Monthly:
"The first accessible explanation of a mystical Middle Eastern system designed
to sort out the complexities of human beings. The tone is consistently cheerful,
with Wagele's cartoons providing comic relief. 'The cartoons give an immediate
picture,' Baron says. 'People recognize themselves through them.'"
- Referenced in Mademoiselle
Magazine.
- Reviewed in Time Out of the Contra Costa
Times.
Are
You My Type, Am I Yours?
- David
Walsh in Enneagram Monthly, July, 1997:
"The opening quote by Victor Borge, "Humor is the shortest distance between
two people," neatly describes the overall approach of this book. The authors
blend humor, cartoons, pithy sayings, and Type material to provide a very
useful and readable introduction to the Enneagram and relationships. Each
Type chapter leads the readers through a series of steps designed to help
the readers ascertain their type, including descriptions of the type's "best"
and "worst" characteristics, a short "Personality Inventory," and descriptions
of the sub-types. Chapters also include sections on what the various types
say about each other, things they would never dream of doing, and how to get
along with each type. In addition to the type-specific chapters, the authors
have included material on type "lookalikes", and on the correspondences between
the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Enneagram type. The content is
firmly grounded in Enneagram principles and the humor brings an added dimension.
The result is a very thoughful tool for introducing the Enneagram."
- Clarence
Thomson in The Enneagram Educator:
"In one page they give a cleaner, more modest explanation of the relationship
(and lack thereof) between one's Myers-Briggs types and one's enneagram strategy.
It is a simple diagram, but it would take me a thousand words to explain it."
"'Things each type would never dream of doing' gives you a back-door look at
each type. If you know what a three might do, at least by motive, then ask what
things they would seldom if ever do. The authors are quite gutsy; they say they
know what each type won't do, and they get concrete and vivid." "The writing
is sprightly, clear and unpretentious; their knowledge of the enneagram is thorough
and refreshingly well-grounded in reality. There is no talk of esoteric states
or soul- shuddering experiences. This is by real people for real people, and
written for dog-eared use."
\
- Bill
Reinka, Book Reviewer for the Berkeley Insider:
"I think you have a runaway best seller! The cartoons are great!! It's like
a parlor game."
- Anita Hamm, therapist and Enneagram
teacher:
"I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! I want to use it as the text for all my classes. You
give so much valuable, clear, thorough information. This will be a really wonderful,
lucid contribution to the Enneagram world. You might as well just send me a
case when it's published."
- Phil Gerrard, Former Chief of Donnell
Library Center of The New York Public Library:
"Every page is so inventive and incredibly appropriate. You have a lot to be
proud of."
- Gary Foltz, technical writer:
"It's superb in clarity and accuracy. The cartoons are vital."
- Maylie Scott, Enneagram teacher:
"Zippy and fun. I like the cartoons."
- Gemma Von Knopka, student, aged 14:
"I received your book on my birthday. The cartoons are hilarious. I have introduced
this book to friends and we laugh trying to figure out what type of person you
are. You did a great job. I'm sure it will become a best seller."
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