Tag: Enneagram

REVIEW: The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up by Chestnut and Paes

REVIEW: The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up by Chestnut and Paes

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and a print copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

I have read a lot of Enneagram resources over the last 4-5 years, but I think this is the first one that has felt like the chapter for my type was written expressly for me. I don’t know if that is a commentary on the quality of this book or the fact that one of the authors shares my number. It might even just be the perfect intersection of this resource and my journey with myself and the Enneagram. But I feel seen and understood and called out at a whole new level with this resource. Each section – and sometimes each paragraph – ties perfectly to something I am experiencing or recognizing. It’s almost too much on target.

The book opens with a brief introduction, but the bulk of it is focused on each of the 9 types. The type chapters start with a brief narrative about little One or Six and the journey to type behaviors and reactions. This piece for my type was different than anything I have read before. I rarely identify with childhood references to my type, but reading this, I felt like someone was in my mind and heart as a kid.

The chapters all follow a pattern – the narrative, a list of common traits, patterns, passions, wings, shadow sides, blind spots, etc. Having read a lot of resources, I am used to the content starting to sound the same. This felt like a fresh take on things I have read – nuances and insights I hadn’t caught or heard expressed in such a way before.

The overall premise of the book is developing enough self-awareness through the Enneagram to “wake up.” Too often we operate in “zombie mode,” letting our personalities lead while we try to secure what we crave through these patterns that rarely work as we want them to. And that idea of raising self-awareness to the point of making healthier patterns really appeals to me.

This is going to the top of my Enneagram resources list along with The Road Back to You, Millenneagram, The Enneagram Goes to Church, and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram. You can read more reviews and discussion of Enneagram resources here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd A. Wilson

REVIEW: The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd A. Wilson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and InterVarsity Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

“If I would have known the Enneagram, I would have been a much better pastor.”

This is the confession that launches this resource about the role the Enneagram could play in the Church. The author comes to the discussion from a standard evangelical background. He works from the assumption that the reader has at least a passing knowledge of the Enneagram – this is not a resource for beginners. There is a chapter on triads, stances, and orientation to time, but it is there to give readers a common background and language for the rest of the book, not as an introduction for novices.

The content includes a look at the nine types as pastors as well as in leadership roles. There’s a chapter on the types related to preaching and teaching as well as chapters on worship, congregational care, and conflict. There’s also a great discussion at the start of the book about whether or not the Enneagram even belongs in the church. The author’s bottom line to readers, especially pastors, is to pursue self-awareness which in turn will help in all aspects of pastoring.

Review

This is an exceptionally good resource. The tone and writing is conversational, and the content is applicable in many settings, not just in churches. (Personally, I though the author came on pretty strong at first, and when he revealed his type in the book, that made more sense. I was quickly able to settle into his writing style, though.) The teaching is solid as it relates to pastors and pastoral roles, but it could also apply to teachers (especially the chapter on preaching) and helping professionals (especially the chapters on conflict and congregational care). I got a TON out of this, and I don’t fit into any of these roles right now.

It was fascinating to me to apply the content to my current and past church experiences. It was easy to see where this information could have helped heal some of the hurts we have seen in our churches over the years.

The material here is challenging in all the best ways. There’s lots of references here to church history, scripture, and Enneagram leaders and teachers, which I enjoyed immensely. This is a must-buy resource for me, and I am looking forward to reading through it again! You can read my reviews of other Enneagram resources here. (There is one use of the word “tribe” in the book as an expression of a like-minded group, which might be offensive to some readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

REVIEW: Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger

REVIEW: Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DK Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

This opens with introductory information on the Enneagram including four pages per type in an overview. The book also introduces concepts like wings, stances, centers, and subtypes. I was sad to see it comes with a quiz. As I have said before, your Enneagram type is notoriously hard to discern with a quiz. Quizzes work well when evaluating observable behaviors. But the Enneagram is all about motivation. You may have several types who eschew conflict, but their reasons for doing so will differ. When I took the “quiz” here, I had five numbers with the same overall score. The goal of the quiz is to help readers narrow down the 9 types to 2 or 3. For me, I would have had 7 from the quiz.

When it comes to the introductory material, I would not recommend this book to Enneagram novices. Other than the quiz, there’s nothing “wrong” with the material at all. The introductory material is just pretty thin. I feel there are other resources that are better – The Road Back to You and Millenneagram to name a couple. They spend more time on the basics. (You can read my reviews other Enneagram resources here.)

Where this resource shines, though, is in the information on empowerment. The author splits the book into two sections – self-empowerment and relational empowerment. Self-empowerment includes things like self-care and empowered thinking, while relational empowerment includes boundaries, etc.. The author gives both general information on these various topics as well as Enneagram-type specific examples and suggestions. I found the Enneagram-specific pieces fascinating.

I am not sure I personally would get enough out of the empowerment pieces to add this to my Enneagram library. BUT I could see therapists and spiritual directors (although there is no faith component to the book) who work with people of a variety of types in empowerment tasks getting a LOT out of those pieces of this resource. I will definitely recommend this one to my helping-professional friends for their work.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2020 Favorites

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2020 Favorites

Posted on by Jaymie

There were moments in 2020 when I despaired of ever finding my reading groove. There were others where reading was the perfect escape. What a unique year in so many ways! Here are some of my reading statistics for 2020. (If you’d like to see my past Year in Review/favorites posts, you can go here.)

2020 Stats

Through the course of 2020 I read 342 books.  There were 35 more that I started but did not finish. I started the year intending to take my time, maybe read FEWER books but really savor them – and maybe even remember them once the year was done. In reality, though, that  didn’t happen. I committed to reading a large number of books for publishers which kept me turning pages all year long.

Of those 342, the break down for target audience is

  • 47% adult
  • 19% teen/young adult (including both prose books and graphic novels)
  •   5% older middle grade for readers 10-14
  • 18% middle grade (standard middle grade prose books as well as kids graphic novels)
  •   8% picture books
  •   2% transitional chapter books and early readers

The main genre breakdown is

  • 24% Fantasy
  • 18% Realistic/Contemporary
  • 18% Romance
  • 21% Mystery
  •   6% Science Fiction
  • 11% Nonfiction in various categories (36 books – My goal was at least one per month, so I exceeded that.)

This year most of the books I read were review copies from publishers – 216 books. (63% of the total – more than double what I read from publishers each of the last two years, and 4x 2017.) I also read 44 books from my To Be Read shelves, including 15 brand new books (read within 2 weeks of acquiring them), as well as  60 books from the library. I also re-read 16 favorites this year – not nearly as many as I wanted to re-read.

In 2020, I had a goal of reading 1 nonfiction book each month, specifically from a stack of spiritual growth resources I set aside for the year. As I mentioned,  I met the numerical goal, but I didn’t get to every book in the stack. (And I added several books, too!) I used the Book Riot spreadsheet (which is customizable!) again, which was super helpful in tracking my books for the year as well as helping me with monthly stats. You can check out the 2021 version here. I already have mine customized and ready to go for my first read of the new year.

In 2021, I need to scale back my ARC reading. While I love discovering new books, new authors, and new series – as well as continuations of my favorite series – I found myself wrestling with what I needed to read vs. what I wanted to read all throughout 2020. I have committed to 80 ARCs already for 2021. That means weeks where I have two or three reviews to post per day in order to stay on track with release dates as much as I can. That becomes a reading obligation, which does not leave room to read whatever I feel like – or to take any time off for a break.

Speaking of breaks, I took 21 days off from reading in 2020. That’s more than double what I did in 2019 when I started keeping track. 2020 was intense at times, and it was hard to get lost in a book some weeks. I liked the freedom to do other things – and discovered I need some new hobbies since reading has become a job in a lot of ways – but it added to the pressure and feelings of obligation when I had fewer days to read the next week’s ARCs. So, in 2021 I am seeking better balance.

2020 Favorites!!

At the end of the year, I go back through my reading log and pull out the titles of the best of the best from the year.  (Not every 5 star review makes it onto the blog, depending on my publishing schedule, but you can find many of the reviews here.) Then I compare them to one another until a list of 10 or so rise to the top. This year there were 53 that made it onto the list. And the results are fascinating. There are two re-reads on the list – my top two books from 2019. And there are two books on the list that haven’t even released yet. So, here are my most favorite favorites from 2020:

12. What’s Your Enneatype? – This is my favorite Enneagram resource from this year. The book is small, and packed with great information and color-coded graphics. I am looking forward to digging into this one again in 2021. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

11. Microphones and Murder – I loved this first-in-a-new-series mystery. Book 2 in the Podcasting Sisters series, Up Next, Murder, is out now. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

10. Undercover Bromance – Book 2 in the Bromance Bookclub series was even better than the fantastic series starter. There are three books in the series so far, and book 4, Isn’t It Bromantic?, will release this summer. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

9. Talk Nerdy to Me – Book 4 in the fantastic Bookish Boyfriends series I have adored since the beginning. Book 4, Get a Clue, releases later this month. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

8. Cast in Firelight – This amazing YA fantasy story will release later this month. It was originally supposed to release in November, so I read it and prepared my review only to discover the release date had been pushed back. This is well worth the wait. Do NOT miss this one! My full review will post in a couple weeks.

 

 

7. Chasing Vines – The second nonfiction book of this year’s list is a fascinating exploration of vines and vineyards and vine growers, both from scripture and from the author’s experience in Italy. Don’t miss this one! You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

6. Gina, the Girl Who Broke the World – This is the second 2021 release on my 2020 favorites list. This one doesn’t release until February. But I adored the first six-book story arc so much, I read this one the second I was approved for the review copy. All of my favorite characters are back, adjusting to the fallout from the earlier books. But this launches everyone right into a new, harrowing adventure with a MAJOR cliffhanger. The only downside to reading this so soon is that I have to wait that much longer for the next book. Put this one on your February list and watch for my review.

 

5. Polaris Rising – It’s probably unfair to include old favorites in the list, but I re-read this one, and the sequel, Aurora Blazing, to get ready to read book three, Chaos Reigning. And it really stands up well to re-reading. I just love it. The perfect mix of science fiction and romance with tons of sass. When I have time, I want to re-read the whole series. This was my most favorite book of 2019. You can read my full review here.

 

 

4. Crush the King – This is the final book in the outstanding Crown of Shards series after Kill the Queen (my most favorite book of 2018) and Protect the Prince. This series was excellent. The spin off series, Gargoyle Queen, launches with Capture the Crown this summer. You can read my full review here.

 

 

3. The Princess Knight – This is book 2 in the Scarred Earth Saga after The Blacksmith Queen, the book that tied with Polaris Rising for my most favorite of 2019.  Both are fantastic (but violent). You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

2. The Blacksmith Queen – My second most-favorite book of 2019 (after a tie with Polaris Rising), and my most favorite re-read on the list. This series is often shelved with romance, but for me it is a straight-up fantasy series, far more violent than what I usually read, but truly fantastic in humor and in storytelling. I have never posted a full review of this one to the blog, but you can see my Goodreads review here.

 

 

1. Crownchasers – Even while I was in the process of reading this book, I knew it had the potential to be my most favorite book of 2020. This was the perfect fit for me as a reader, and I am eager to re-read it as I wait for the sequel. Out of the 340+ books I read this year, this one has consistently stuck in my memory, and in my heart, as exceptional. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

Honorable Mention

For honorable mention here are some other favorites by category:

Most Favorite Picture Books

Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite – This delight will not release until June 1, but you will want to put it on your list.
Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog

 

Most Favorite Middle Grade (that have been released so you can enjoy them now!)

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor
Hilo: All the Pieces Fit – The final book in the original story arc.
Tune It Out – This is targeted to older middle grade readers between 10 and 14.
Primer

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2020

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

I made a concerted effort this year to work through spiritual growth resources I had already on my TBR shelves. I even set aside 12 – one per month – to prioritize. You can see the stack below. I finished 7 and DNF’d (“Did Not Finish”) an 8th. I also ADDED several books to the pile as the year went on. I actually found this system – of setting aside enough for one per month, putting them in a place of prominence where I wouldn’t miss them – fruitful. I will probably do that again for 2021. I also started an online group with some friends where we posted resources we read. It was a nice piece of accountability with a side of book recommendations!

Three notes on my list of resources for this year.

  • Like last year, many of these are “white noise” when I think back through the year. I remember that I read them, but they didn’t all make a big impact. In some cases, that was because the book didn’t work for me. In other cases, the book worked in the moment, but after the year we have had, I struggle to remember details. There’s also the issue of the sheer volume of things I read. My brain can only hold so much content. This is why I keep the books I love, and write in them, so I can go back later and revisit the content.
  • I also took advantage of some special offers this year and watched some Bible resources through Zondervan Academic’s MasterLectures. If I could have afforded to maintain the subscription, I would have. There were a TON of excellent studies I would have liked to try. I did an overview of the Old Testament that was one of the highlights of this whole year.
  • Last year I split out Enneagram Resources and Bible Study resources. This year, that didn’t feel right for the big picture of the year.

So, here are the resources I read this year!

40 Days on Being a Two – I am about halfway through this and it has been excellent. I would like more journaling space, but I can make do with another option. Right now, the devotionals for Enneagram 2s and 3s are out. The rest will release over the course of 2021.
100 Bible Verses that Made America – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥½.
Becoming Us – I talked about this one here. I rated this one ♥♥♥.
Chasing Vines – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥♥+++.
The Color of Compromise – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥♥.
Dangerous Prayers – I started this as part of an online Bible study, but the online portion was really disappointing. I ended up abandoning the study and just finished the book. The book was good, and I liked it as a prayer resource. ♥♥♥♥
Discerning the Voice of God – I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Priscilla Shirer. This is one I will revisit, much like Fervent.  ♥♥♥♥♥
Dream Big – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥.
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day – Daily devotional with two pieces per day (which I usually split over two days instead). I liked the content of this, even when I was no longer reading the source book. ♥♥♥♥
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality – Good resource. Some chapters felt more pertinent than others. Would make a great group study, and I know there are videos to go with the book. ♥♥♥♥
The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥.
The Enneagram of Discernment – Some excellent triad material here, but the writing is dense and a bit dry, so it took me forever to work through to the good stuff. Will definitely revisit, but more for specific bits rather than as a whole. ♥♥♥½
Getting to Know God’s Voice – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥.
The God of Great Reversals – My women’s Bible study was doing this in the Spring. Even before we stopped meeting in person because of the pandemic, I had given up on this. I felt the author made far too many leaps from scripture, and then stated his opinions as facts. I was NOT a fan.
How the Bible Actually Works – I LOVED this resource. 10-15 years ago, this book would have scared me. I was uncomfortable closely examining the Bible’s contradictions. I didn’t want to lose all faith in the Bible. But every time this book, and its author, would dig into a conflict or a contradiction or a hard question, it affirmed the value of both the Bible and the work of pressing into the hard bits. I have several of the author’s books on my pile for 2021, and I’m looking forward to them! ♥♥♥♥½
Jesus Feminist – I wanted to love this but it didn’t click for me. Maybe it was answering questions I just wasn’t asking this year. ♥♥♥
Love Letter from Prison – A few years ago I completed a study on Colossians called Enough by these same ladies, and I adored it! I love how they put together a Bible study. I have one more from them on John’s letters. ♥♥♥♥
Pastrix – In recent months I have come to a new level of appreciation for Nadia Bolz-Weber. She pulls no punches and lays her thoughts and feelings out for all to see, take them or leave them. This year especially I needed that level of frank honesty. This was the perfect season to read this book. ♥♥♥♥
Ready to Rise – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥.
Remember God – This reads like a novel, and I didn’t want to put it down. I could hear the author’s voice as I read – her personality really shines through the writing. I would happily read anything she writes. ♥♥♥♥
Surprise the World – A quick read that felt like it was asking a lot, even if we weren’t in a pandemic. A lot of the challenges in the book are difficult to consider in 2020. But some good food for thought. ♥♥♥½
Unclobber – I picked this up based on a Twitter recommendation and a conversation with a friend. This is part memoir and part Bible study, and I flew through it. Engaging and though-provoking. ♥♥♥♥

 

BONUS REVIEW: The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation by A. J. Sherrill

BONUS REVIEW: The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation by A. J. Sherrill

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Brazos Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

The author’s goal with this book is to help readers see the Enneagram as a means for spiritual growth rather than being reduced to a number and a collection of behaviors and motivations. The book is laid out with some introductory material and then the spiritual growth pieces.

I enjoyed two of the chapters. One looked at two spiritual practices per type – one “downstream” practice that would come naturally to the type and one “upstream” practice that would be a useful challenge. For example, for Type Ones, the author recommends journaling for both the downstream and upstream, highlighting journaling that will come easily as well as ways to use it to dig deeper into areas that might push against the personality. This chapter also recommends a season or event in the Church calendar that might click with a particular type. The other chapter I liked chose Bible passages that can be instructive for each type, as well as a piece of scripture to memorize. For Type Ones, the author recommends reading about the Apostle Paul in Acts.

I read the sections for my type in the book and felt they were on target for things I would enjoy doing as well as things that could help me grow. I could see Spiritual Directors and/or therapists using these chapters to add to their repertoire of responses to individuals of various types looking for growth. And I definitely appreciated the approach that one size does not fit all when it comes to spiritual practices. It’s okay that certain ones don’t click for you or that some come more easily than others. You aren’t a spiritual growth failure if a particular practice isn’t your jam.

Unfortunately, other than these two practical chapters, I didn’t find much here that was new or that I didn’t already have in other resources. If someone were to ask me for a reference for spiritual growth, I would highly recommend Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram. It’s one of my top Enneagram recommendations anyway, and it gets at some of these same ideas in more detail.

If you are in practice where you work with individuals on their Enneagram types and spiritual development, consider checking this one out in addition to Spiritual Rhythms to develop recommendations and resources for each type to pursue growth and health.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/Solid/Fine

BONUS REVIEW: The Gospel for Achievers by Tyler Zach

BONUS REVIEW: The Gospel for Achievers by Tyler Zach

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

This opens with a thorough introduction. The implied reader is someone who already knows their Enneagram type, someone who identifies with the Enneagram 3, the Achiever. While I am not an Enneagram 3, I found the introduction fascinating. It’s affirming of 3s, stating affirmations for some of the type’s features from the Bible as well as statements of God’s love. It also challenges Achievers with Biblical truth to offset the lies of personality.

There are 40 days of devotionals in the book. Each day is laid out with the title, a Bible verse, a page or two of devotional thoughts and then a feature called “The Good News for Achievers.” This section ties the general Biblical content or truth to the personality of Enneagram 3s. After that section there is a short prayer, 3-4 reflection questions (with space to write answers), and a response activity.

I don’t know if it is the quality of the content or the fact that I occasionally access a 3-wing in Enneagram language, but I got a lot out of this resource. There were action steps that challenged me, and reflection questions that made me want to grab my journal. I shared the author’s website with a friend who identifies as a 3 so she could look at the sample devotionals and give me her opinions. She found them all challenging “in a good way.”

This whole book is well-resourced. There are end notes sharing where the author got some of his quotes and content. Readers may find those additional resources enjoyable. Then the book ends with a closing prayer for Achievers and some suggested Next Steps.

I have a personal Enneagram theory that writers write through the lens of their Enneagram type, and you can sometimes pick it up. Bob Goff identifies as a 7, and you can hear it in the enthusiasm of his writing, not to mention the stories he shares. When I read Made Like Martha, I wondered if the author was an Enneagram 2 from the way she approached her subject. I really connected with that book a lot.

There was a moment when I was reading one of the devotions here where the author assigned a motive to Martha, ironically enough, that I would not have attributed to her in the story at all. His statement – that she was “concerned with impressing Jesus” – to me reflects an Achiever mindset whereas I would have described her motives differently, probably reading my own motives into her actions. This theory of mine makes me wonder if that is why some books connect differently with different readers. Maybe an author’s style or character descriptions or conclusions rub up against readers of a different type in different ways.

With that in mind, I am curious to read this author’s take on my number when he produces that devotional in the future. I’ll have to wait awhile – I think the book for 9s is coming next. This book releases August 1, 2020. At the time of this writing, it is available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

You can go here to read all about the other Enneagram resources I have reviewed.

BONUS REVIEW: What's Your Enneatype? by Liz Carver and Josh Green

BONUS REVIEW: What’s Your Enneatype? by Liz Carver and Josh Green

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Fair Winds Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ]

Summary and Review

From the book: “The Enneagram is a tool that helps us name what motivates people to do the things they do in the world.” (page 8 of e-book review copy) That’s a great description! This book comes from the folks behind the Instagram account @justmyenneatype. Some of the book’s graphics will look familiar to fans of the IG account (like me).

The book opens with a thorough introduction explaining what the Enneagram is and what it is not. There’s no test (this is a plus!). The book reinforces the idea that you do the reading (whether that’s this book or another resource), you eliminate the types that are certainly not you, and then you discern for yourself from the remaining types what seems the best fit.

There’s a great use of color and graphics throughout the book; each number has a carefully chosen color scheme. I loved the look of the book on my device, and I can’t wait to see a print version in person. The layout of the book for each type is uniform, so you can flip to the same feature for each number. The writing is engaging and conversational throughout.

Each section includes the following information for the type: wings, triads, stances, subtypes/instincts, self-care suggestions, and discussions of movement in health and stress as well a graphic of a health continuum in 6 areas. My favorite feature of them all was the description of what the world would be like if everyone was that number. It was a clever way to highlight the strengths and liabilities for each type.

I LOVED this! I have been learning about the Enneagram for about 3.5 years now, and I learned new things and got to think about things in new ways from reading this. This is now in my top tier of Enneagram resources alongside The Road Back to You, Millenneagram and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram. This book releases August 4, 2020. 

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

You can go here to read all about the other Enneagram resources I have reviewed.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Enneagram 2020

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Enneagram 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Independence Day to my US readers! It’s the first Saturday in July which means my annual Enneagram resource post. You can read my post from last year here and all of my Enneagram-related posts here.

As the Enneagram has grown in popularity, there are a lot of books and podcasts and Instagram accounts where folks can learn about this ancient tool. Here are some of the resources I have checked out in the last year:

The Road Back to You – Yep, I read this again. This is my go to recommendation for beginners, and I wanted to read it again. It’s a good thing I did, because when I picked it up it was obvious I read this back before I had fully drilled down to my Enneagram number, so there were lots of fresh insights here. This is still my foundational resource and recommendation, although I have started recommending Millenneagram to younger readers who don’t mind the profanity in that one. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

Becoming Us – When I wrote my post last July, this was the book I was most looking forward to reading. Sadly, it did not live up to my expectations. It’s definitely a book for beginners, so there was always going to be an element of disappointment for me because I want to go deeper, further, and I am struggling to find resources that do that. But this was also disappointing for me because it felt more like a marriage book than an Enneagram book. Again, that could just be a matter of my expectations. Also, though, I found the faith pieces of the book felt heavy handed. In one review I likened it to petting a cat the wrong way. It should be soothing, but it grated against me instead. Other readers have found this to be a delightful and inspiring read, so be sure to read other reviews before you decide on this one. It might have just not been a great fit for me. I still follow their posts on IG, but not as avidly as I did before. Rating: ♥♥♥

The Enneagram Collection – These are journals from the author of Becoming Us and the Instagram account Your Enneagram Coach. There is one book for each Enneagram type. There are 21 days of material (a few pages) and journalling questions (3-5) over stress and security numbers, wings, childhood messages, core longings, etc. Again, for me, this was pretty basic. Two or three years ago, I would have loved this. By the time this released, I didn’t find it as useful as I might have awhile back. Beginners who are trying to get a handle on their type, or professionals who might be learning about all the types, might find this a good tool.

 

Enneagram Journal for Self-Growth – I stumbled across this on Amazon, and since it is free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers (at least at the time I read it and at the time of this writing), I checked it out. It’s literally a list of journalling prompts by type. I loved it. Since I already know my type, I love the idea of digging into these questions for personal growth and insight. I don’t think this would be a good resource for beginners – or non-writers for that matter. If you don’t want to journal, I’m not sure this would be a fruitful resource. Apparently the physical copy actually has space to write your responses. I’m happy to use the questions in my personal writing spaces instead.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

The Honest Enneagram – You can read my full review here. I liked the H.O.N.E.S.T growth system described in the book. It was a great, practical resource because the author explains the system and then applies it to each type in turn so the reader doesn’t have to guess. I felt this was another beginning level resource, but it would be great for beginners who are pursuing the Enneagram specifically for personal growth. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

The Enneagram and You – You can read my full review here. My favorite part of this resource is that it digs into various triads involved with the Enneagram – stances, Harmonic triads, Object Relations triads, etc. This is exactly the sort of second or third level Enneagram information I am looking for. The rest didn’t wow me, though. There’s a quiz, and quizzes are notoriously bad for the Enneagram. They are wrong more often than they are right, and they can send people down the wrong path for a long time. This might be a good resource for folks who want to dig into the triads, or for those who are solid in their Enneagram knowledge but want to explore the relationship pieces which is another area of emphasis in this book. Rating: ♥♥♥½

 

Coming Soon!

What’s Your Enneatype? – This book will release in early August, and it’s fantastic! I’ll be posting a full review when it releases, but for now I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed this resource. The writing is conversational, and the visuals and graphics, including a rationale for the color scheme for every number, are excellent. I believe this has something for both beginners and those who have been digging into the Enneagram for awhile. I am adding this book to my core books to recommend for newcomers. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

The Gospel for Achievers – I was approached by the author of this book to give a full review of this 40-day devotional for Enneagram 3s. I am just barely getting started in my read-through, but I have been impressed so far with the introductory information as well as the author’s resource on his website for Christians who have questions about using the Enneagram. I’ll post a full review once I have gotten through the whole book. I don’t even have a rating yet, it’s just too new to me – but if you identify as an Enneagram 3, you should look for this devotional this August. My only complaint so far is having to wait for the release of the book for my number.

 

Forty Days on Being a Two – This resource won’t release until October, 2020, along with Forty Days on Being a Three. And I have not seen a review copy or any sample pages, yet. But if you identify as an Enneagram 2 or 3, you might want to keep these on your radar for fall.

 

 

 

Non-Book resources

Other resources I have enjoyed this year:

Jen Hatmaker’s podcast For the Love has been exploring the Enneagram this spring/summer. There’s an introductory episode with Suzanne Stabile, my absolute favorite Enneagram instructor. Then each episode after that explores one type. It’s similar to the format Annie F. Downs used last year except she brought in both a male and a female of the number.

During our quarantine at home I discovered a local Enneagram teacher at Enneagram Insight. You can check out their website here. I have participated in several of the Monday evening Facebook live sessions as well as completing a couple webinars, online versions of the in-person sessions they usually do. It was a blessing in disguise because I likely would not have driven to the in-person sessions, and the in-person ones were also more expensive. I was able to participate in some live training for the first time, and I have gained so much from it.

REVIEW: The Honest Enneagram by Sarajane Case

REVIEW: The Honest Enneagram by Sarajane Case

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

I was pleasantly surprised by this new book that introduces people to the Enneagram!

The author is the person behind the Instagram profile Enneagram and Coffee (which I love!). She opens the book with her personal experience, background and philosophy. (I appreciate her personal effort to de-stigmatize some of the historically used language of the Enneagram.) She focuses on the basic information of each type and adds subtypes (sexual, self-preservation, and social), wings, lines (she prefers the terms stress and “rest” instead of stress and security), and levels of health. I personally ascribe to the Suzanne Stabile school of thought on lines, which says while a 2, for example, goes to 8 in stress, they can choose/learn to go to the HIGH side of 8 and use those skills to help through stress rather than defaulting to the LOW side of 8. That is NOT how this author views the moves across lines in stress and security/rest. This difference in philosophy didn’t derail my reading or my enjoyment of the book.

The way this book stands out from the crowd – and this field has gotten crowded in recent years – is the author’s H.O.N.E.S.T. system for helping readers/clients pursue growth. The H stands for “Honor your strengths” and the O is for “Open your eyes to blind spots.” The author explains her system in general terms, but then she also applies it to each of the Enneagram types. This was the piece that surprised me.

I think it is easy right now, with the resurgence in interest in the Enneagram, for people to churn out books on the topic that cover the basics. And they all start to blend together into noise. This book didn’t feel like noise. Even though I have been working with the Enneagram for about 3.5 years, there were new pieces in this that I wanted to dig into and learn. THAT is why I will be adding this book to my Enneagram library and telling others about it. For an introductory book, the author added value to it that even folks with a firm grasp of the basics can enjoy. (I also loved that she didn’t include a test!)

I still like recommending The Road Back to You as a first step into the world of the Enneagram, but this would be another great resource for beginners to dive into! You can read about other Enneagram resources here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥