The Enneagram is… an interesting topic to discuss, that’s for sure. I’ve had a lot of conversations with a lot of friends about both this book and the Enneagram in general, and I guess this review reveals a little about both.
I don’t personally believe that the Enneagram is a tool backed by science. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not a helpful tool. I don’t believe that the 9 Enneagram numbers even begin to capture the essence of a human being’s personality or thought process. It is extremely reductionist to suggest that the Enneagram can accurately describe a whole person. Of course, not everyone who “likes” the Enneagram would suggest that, but some would.
The book, of course, discusses each of the 9 Enneagram numbers. It does at least a decent job at that, although I felt like the author describes a couple numbers unfairly, choosing to focus on their negatives.
I think the real value from this book is the discussion, both internal and external, it stirs up. In the process of reading this book, you’ll reflect on each number and think about which number(s) you relate to most closely, and which you don’t. You’ll think about friends and family and what numbers they fit into, and how that may influence the way they think and see the world. In this reflection process, you’ll end up learning things about yourself and those around you, and I think that’s the value of the book, and by extension, all unscientific “personality tests” (which, in my opinion, includes almost all of them).