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
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• 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."
  
  

Additional comments:

 

• 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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