The Enneagram of Parenting
Book Reviews
- Made the list of Body Mind Spirit's 50 Best
New Titles.
- Read the review by Ginny Cusack from the
Enneagram Monthly
- Clarence Thomson in The Enneagram Educator:
"...Wagele knows the enneagram
thoroughly (she co-authored the highly popular Enneagram Made Easy) and knows
children from raising four and doing extensive interviewing. With cartoons,
sophisticated psychology and good clear writing, she helps parents raise
their children using the insights of the energies of the enneagram. Easy to
read and understand, deceptively profound and thoroughly helpful. This [book]
works."
- Chiori Santiago in Diablo:
"A few years ago, East Bay therapist Renee Baron teamed up with
illustrator Elizabeth Wagele to produce a lighthearted, simplified
guide entitled The Enneagram Made Easy. The book was an immediate
hit, and it's still one of the best selling guides to the enneagram. This month,
HarperSanFrancisco issues Wagele's book The Enneagram of Parenting.
Filled with her witty cartoons, the book describes "nine styles of children,"
gives tips to help parents determine your child's personality style and suggests
strategies for coping with each."
"'The enneagram can show you whether you're unconsciously expecting
your child to be an imitation of you.'"
"'Parents need to examine themselves,' Wagele says. 'Sometimes
they can be shocked by how different they are from their kids. The enneagram
can open their eyes and allow them to see differences they knew were there
but didn't want to admit. For me, that made parenting more exciting
because I changed from thinking I could do something to change my kids
to watching them develop and getting to know them.'"
Reviews of the Books Co-authored by Elizabeth Wagele
The Enneagram Made Easy
- Made the Top Ten list of Quality Paperbacks for the Bay Area
by the San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle.
- 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."
- 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."
What People Are Saying About the Enneagram Books Co-authored by
Elizabeth Wagele
- 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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