I picked up this book because I found myself in a similar situation as the author; my main source of deep (meaning non-superficial) social interaction had moved out of town and I needed some new close friends to fill the emotional gap in my life. Unfortunately I’m not a freelance writer who could turn the situation into a book deal so I had to settle for reading the fruits of Jessica Pan’s labor and occasionally cringing at her adventures. The Amarillo, Texas native was living in London and found herself without any close friends aside from her husband and embarked on a one year journey to put herself in situations that absolutely terrified her “shintrovert” (that’s shy introvert) self.
Jessica’s writing is engaging and relatable, especially if you also identify as a “shintrovert.” Her first task was to walk to one of her fellow Londoners and ask “Hello. Do we have a queen and what’s her name?” If the prospect of this already fills you with intense anxiety, buckle up. Jessica goes on to give a speech in front of a large audience, take an improv class and even perform stand up comedy. Just typing that out gives me the vapors!
Jessica Pan is not an expert and never claims to be one. Obviously there are people with legitimate mental issues that can keep them in the house more than they’d like to be. But if you are a “shintrovert” and want to watch one of your fellows step way out of her comfort zone, or if you are looking to step out of your own warm cozy little bubble this is a fun read that will give you some ideas and food for thought.