• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

[Traditional Enneagram] Why is this book so highly recommended?

Jaidyn

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Regarding Enneagram books, I have seen many people strongly suggest Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso-Hudson. I have three of their other books: Personality Types, Understanding the Enneagram, and Discovering Your Personality Type. I realize that many criticize some of the type descriptions that RH have written, especially in Personality Types. I wonder... what is so good about "Wisdom"? Are the descriptions revised/better than previous? Why is it so good? Or since I have the other three, should I even bother with it?

I have other questions, but I shall leave it at that for now and for those who have read this book, I greatly look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.
 

highlander

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
26,562
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Regarding Enneagram books, I have seen many people strongly suggest Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso-Hudson. I have three of their other books: Personality Types, Understanding the Enneagram, and Discovering Your Personality Type. I realize that many criticize some of the type descriptions that RH have written, especially in Personality Types. I wonder... what is so good about "Wisdom"? Are the descriptions revised/better than previous? Why is it so good? Or since I have the other three, should I even bother with it?

I have other questions, but I shall leave it at that for now and for those who have read this book, I greatly look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

I would say that it is a really good introductory book. I reviewed it in this post here

http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...views/68294-wisdom-enneagram-riso-hudson.html

There is a new book I got called The Complete Enneagram - 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge written by Beatrice Chestnut

It has the best detailed descriptions for each of the types that I have seen.
 

Jaidyn

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I would say that it is a really good introductory book. I reviewed it in this post here

http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...views/68294-wisdom-enneagram-riso-hudson.html

There is a new book I got called The Complete Enneagram - 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge written by Beatrice Chestnut

It has the best detailed descriptions for each of the types that I have seen.
Thank you for that link with your review. That helps a bit. I agree with your comment about the book by Beatrice Chestnut. It is actually one I bought recently and am loving it.
I honestly prefer it over the Riso-Hudson books. I was just studying R&H titles so I could have a good amount of info.
 

highlander

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
26,562
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Thank you for that link with your review. That helps a bit. I agree with your comment about the book by Beatrice Chestnut. It is actually one I bought recently and am loving it.
I honestly prefer it over the Riso-Hudson books. I was just studying R&H titles so I could have a good amount of info.

You should review Chestnut's book in the book reviews subforum!
 

Jaidyn

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
You should review Chestnut's book in the book reviews subforum!

I actually shall do that. It may take me a couple days at least, but that is a fantastic idea. :) Thank you for the suggestion as I love to do book reviews. :D
 

Entropic

New member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,200
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I find that RH are ok but they don't offer anything new or substantial to the table and some descriptions are just really really bad, especially how they correlate certain behaviors with the types but never actually truly delve into the underlying type structure.
 

Jaidyn

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I find that RH are ok but they don't offer anything new or substantial to the table and some descriptions are just really really bad, especially how they correlate certain behaviors with the types but never actually truly delve into the underlying type structure.

That is pretty close to the conclusion I have come to as well... not that I know enough about the enneagram to conclude the descriptions are bad on my own. All the reading I have done in various places online have been almost unanimous in regards to at least 2 or three of RH's descriptions as just terrible. And there has yet to be any dissent as to which are the bad ones. As such, while I DO plan to read Wisdom of the Enneagram, I just am not really "into" the ennagram system as put forward by them.
 

Entropic

New member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,200
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
That is pretty close to the conclusion I have come to as well... not that I know enough about the enneagram to conclude the descriptions are bad on my own. All the reading I have done in various places online have been almost unanimous in regards to at least 2 or three of RH's descriptions as just terrible. And there has yet to be any dissent as to which are the bad ones. As such, while I DO plan to read Wisdom of the Enneagram, I just am not really "into" the ennagram system as put forward by them.

I'm confused though, because if you don't possess the knowledge to know why they are bad, how can you simply trust other people's opinions on the matter?
 

Jaidyn

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I'm confused though, because if you don't possess the knowledge to know why they are bad, how can you simply trust other people's opinions on the matter?

I see your point and realize what I said was muddled and not as clear as what I was intending. I am not trusting others opinions completely, hence why I have bothered to purchase and read the 3 R&H books I have, and why I have purchased and plan to read the Wisdom book by them as well. I have finished the Beatrice Chestnut book, and I am still working through Character and Neurosis. Simply based on what I have actually read by said authors up to this point, I resonate better with the writings of Chestnut and Naranjo (that is as clear as I can make that unfortunately... completely a gut feeling I admit). I am not "certain" that they are 100% correct and I don't think there really is a complete right/wrong understanding when comparing these various authors. That being said, I need to start my understanding somewhere.
As for the information I have seen online, and based on the opinions of people more knowledgeable than myself and with more experience with the enneagram, I have found that the writings and understanding of Chestnut/Naranjo seem to mesh with my gut feeling.
That being said, I am not writing off R&H at all, I still refer to their books when talking to my friends/family about enneagram and I do actually enjoy them. In fact of the 3 books I have by R&H, currently my favorite is Understanding the Enneagram. I enjoy how it appear to go over a bit more territory about each core type (although it leaves of info about the wings) and it has a nice chapter on "Misidentifcations" that is really good. :)

Edit: As for the type descriptions that are supposedly "bad", I am NOT saying that I "know" they are badly done. I merely keep it in mind and notice how many people seem to agree on that point. I do not just dismiss or ignore those type descriptions since there are people who feel those types easily fit them quite well. That would be foolish of me to do. It is just something I keep in mind when reading.
 

Entropic

New member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,200
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I see your point and realize what I said was muddled and not as clear as what I was intending. I am not trusting others opinions completely, hence why I have bothered to purchase and read the 3 R&H books I have, and why I have purchased and plan to read the Wisdom book by them as well. I have finished the Beatrice Chestnut book, and I am still working through Character and Neurosis. Simply based on what I have actually read by said authors up to this point, I resonate better with the writings of Chestnut and Naranjo (that is as clear as I can make that unfortunately... completely a gut feeling I admit). I am not "certain" that they are 100% correct and I don't think there really is a complete right/wrong understanding when comparing these various authors. That being said, I need to start my understanding somewhere.
As for the information I have seen online, and based on the opinions of people more knowledgeable than myself and with more experience with the enneagram, I have found that the writings and understanding of Chestnut/Naranjo seem to mesh with my gut feeling.
That being said, I am not writing off R&H at all, I still refer to their books when talking to my friends/family about enneagram and I do actually enjoy them. In fact of the 3 books I have by R&H, currently my favorite is Understanding the Enneagram. I enjoy how it appear to go over a bit more territory about each core type (although it leaves of info about the wings) and it has a nice chapter on "Misidentifcations" that is really good. :)

Edit: As for the type descriptions that are supposedly "bad", I am NOT saying that I "know" they are badly done. I merely keep it in mind and notice how many people seem to agree on that point. I do not just dismiss or ignore those type descriptions since there are people who feel those types easily fit them quite well. That would be foolish of me to do. It is just something I keep in mind when reading.

All right, that makes more sense. Personally I prefer Sandra Maitri. I can send you copies if you want.
 

Jaidyn

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
All right, that makes more sense. Personally I prefer Sandra Maitri. I can send you copies if you want.

I have heard great things about Sandra Maitri and her book "The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram." I would adore reading her stuff! :happy2:
I would be very grateful to you.
 

KitchenFly

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2015
Messages
864
I find that RH are ok but they don't offer anything new or substantial to the table and some descriptions are just really really bad, especially how they correlate certain behaviors with the types but never actually truly delve into the underlying type structure.

You are truly of the Planet, you are a strange person Entropic. Then you said that you are an INTJ I believe that you spoke the truth.

One good thing has come from reading you posts, this one and the one that you posted in response to another of mine is that you have helped me recognise something about the sub conches and un conches multiplicity that generates and compels the uniqueness and anxieties and doubts of type six at point six. So that's a good thing. Thanks.
 
Top