The Road Back to You

I really enjoy learning about personalities, and this book was fascinating! I learned a lot and think the enneagram is a very useful tool in relationships and self-discovery. I thought the structure of the book was helpful and covered everything well. And the wit made for an enjoyable read, even when discussing the weaknesses of each type.

If you like personality tests or want to learn more about yourself and the people around you, I recommend this book. It's a great introduction to the enneagram.

Generally I only give 5 stars if I can't think of any way the book could be improved. In this case, I would like to have seen diagrams in each chapter and I wonder if the introduction was perhaps too simple and straightforward for those with no prior knowledge of the Enneagram. That's it though.

The beginning chapters and stories are great. It then jumps right into the material you really want to read; there's no fluff here. It's only as long as it needs to be, entertaining to read, and drives home one of the most important aspects of the Enneagram; compassion and a greater understanding for people who don't see the world the way that you do. I wish everyone could grasp the importance of self-awareness and self-knowledge, and learning about the Enneagram is an incredibly useful tool in that process.

Meh.

The Enneagram is interesting, this book takes it way too seriously in ways that I found somewhere between an astrological horoscope in the LA Times and the old 4 humors approach to medicine and personality. The Enneagram has gained popularity recently especially in some religious contexts and has been said by some to be ancient.

Many people who take the Enneagram “seriously” understand that it is a tool not a serious diagnostic methodology. It can help with conversation, introspection, growth, self-analysis but it has no foundation in any sort of data or study. Myers-Briggs, Taylor-Johnson Temperamental Analysis, The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), DISC profile are all tests that attempt to determine personality type and tendencies or characteristics associated with those types and all of them have their limitations. I had an work colleague who took the DISC test way too seriously. I think I have taken all of the above tests, and am not sure they helped me in any way.

I don't mind these kinds of tests and they do in fact give some fodder for good conversation given the context of those conversations. I find people who take them tend to give them more credence than they deserve and lock themselves into a narrative about who they are that may or may not be helpful.

We meet with friends on Sunday afternoons and this was our book of choice for the last few months. The test and descriptions gave us opportunity to get to know one another better and to talk about things we may not have talked about without it. As far as that goes, the Enneagram was helpful for discussion, most of the time we had quizzical reactions to the descriptions in the book.

Personally, I had a hard time with the style of the author, and the certainty with which he described the different roles. It felt very conclusive. Also, my copy of the book had an odd smell to it - unlike that new book smell, maybe that influenced me.

Summary: This nonfiction work explores the personality discovery tool known as the Enneagram. It looks at 9 different personality types, explores the strengths, weaknesses, and “deadly sin” of each, and offers the reader help in living more successfully within his or her personality type within a Christian framework.

This book is a great tool to help you become a better friend, family member, and member of the community at large.