It seems introversion is a hot topic lately. Society is starting to realize an introverted person isn't actually shy, socially inept, or inadequate in any way. The person simply draws energy from different sources than extroverts do. Often, the person is also a great listener, thinker, and collaborator.
I recently finished reading Quiet: The Power of Introversion in a World That Can't Stop Talking. A coworker was talking about the book when I said "Ooh, I need to read that." Her reply was, "You? Why?" It amused me that I had her fooled into thinking I'm an extrovert. The book actually addresses this. It explains that introverts are sometimes heads of Student Council or PTO, or they are talkative and able to sell ideas on the job - this sounds counter intuitive, but it comes from passion. If an introvert is passionate about something, he/she can easily act as an extrovert. However, some quiet alone time will also be necessary to balance this out and re-energize.
The idea of quiet alone time seems to be getting more acceptable with age. I have friends who will say no to Friday night plans because they'd rather be at home alone, and I sometimes do this too. It doesn't imply depression, and it's certainly more accepted than it was in our 20s. We introverts are overstimulated all week by speaking up at meetings, making small talk, and sitting in shared spaces, so sometimes we just need to avoid people altogether.
Don't get me wrong; I admire and often envy extroverts. I'm just glad that the word is out that it's ok if you prefer to express yourself in writing, and you don't like to talk about yourself, and you'd rather have a few friends than a ton. I recommend this book to any fellow introverts. It won't change your world, but like Lean In, it will give you a lot of "Holy crap, I'm not the only one who does/thinks that?!" moments. I don't recommend the author's TED talk though; from the few minutes I watched, it sounded like she was complaining rather than explaining.
On another note, The Rosie Project is also a great book. It's a love story overall, but it's also a really interesting insight into the mind of someone with Asperger's.
