Personality Insight: What Does YOUR Favorite Book Reveal About You?

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Personality Insight: What does your favorite book reveal about you?


Your reading list is one of the few things that reveals both who you are and who you want to be, says psychologist Sam Gosling, Ph.D., author of Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You. "The type of book you prefer to read reveals your tastes and values, and the stories you identify with can show what you hope for in your own life." Just find your favorite book below to learn more about YOUR story!


If you prefer...
Thrillers or mysteries
(The Lost Symbol; The 8th Confession; Nine Dragons; The Associate; A Is for Alibi)

You're an outgoing risktaker!
"You're high up on the extro-version scale," says Gosling. In fact, vicariously solving a crime - and getting goosebumps along the way - is like candy for your nervous system. That's because you're most comfortable when pushing the envelope, even when that "envelope" is a page-turner. Reading a heart-pounding mystery or thriller is proven to clear the stress cobwebs from your mind. It's no wonder you're virtually anxiety-proof, with a high tolerance for risk!


Biographies or memoirs
(Eat, Pray, Love; What I Thought I Knew)

You're an independent alpha!
Tales of great men and women triumphing over obstacles reflect your keen leadership skills and sense of destiny. More important, they show your respect for out-of-the-box perspectives. In other words, you like to read about standout folks who have their own ways of doing things, because you're similarly independent. In their personal stories, you see parallels to your own life - and draw inspiration as you create a path to success that can't be found on any map.
Romance(The Secret History of the Pink Carnation; The Time Traveler's Wife; Remember Me?; Cutting Loose)

You're and imaginative empath!
You tend to score highly on personality tests measuring for warmth and understanding," shares Gosling. And it's this heightened ability to empathize that allow you to identify with the swooning story lines. Indeed, whether you're choking up at a heroine's reunion with her dashing duke or tearing up at your daughter's kindergarten graduation, you feel everything intensely, and beccause of that, your life is every bit as colorful as your favorite fiction.


Science Fiction or Fantasy
(Twilight; The Host; Anathem; Cry Wolf; the Resurrectionist; Last Dragon)

You're an open-minded nonconformist!
To really enjoy science fiction or fantasy, you have to give yourself over to the plot and believe in the impossible. That kind of open-mindedness means your brainpower "runs counter to the norm" confirms Gosling. For you, being receptive to different points of view doesn't mean you simply listen -you actually take everything into consideration and often change your mind based on new information. Even though that sounds logical, its's surprisingly rare, say psychologists. And so are you!
Every genre under the sun

You're a curioius wit!



Because diversity is the key to intellectual curiousity, the variety of books in your library reveals your hunger for knowledge. Blessed witha unique combination of creativity and logic, you want to be exposed to as many different authors as possible - from Dan Brown to Danielle Steele -because you crave an endless supply of ideas. The result? A mental arsenal of information you can draw upon anytime you need to make a point - as you love to do - gently and without judgment, of course. Humble enough to know that you can always learn more, and enlightened enough to realize that sharing your expertise is the best gift you can give, you have a balanced approach to life.

Resource: Womans World Magazine, Nov-09-2009 Issue, Volume XXX, Number 45, P.47

Ok, I don't really know what personality trait I have here. I used to like romance novels but I hate them now, I LOOOOVE Thrillers and mysteries, but I mostly like non-fiction books - not just biographies or memoirs but books like - famous serial killers or, the man that can eat metal or.. you know, something along those types, and I don't mind science fiction too much as long as it's not too lame... I don't know.. I give up...