Please Understand Me II:  Temperament, Character, Intelligence, by David Keirsey

This book is an example of where a sequel is much better than the original, both in its additions and in its subtractions.  As far as its subtractions, much less speculation about Greek paganism makes this a less offensive read than the original [1]. As far as its additions, go, there are many, including a much greater level of detail about the different personalities and how they react in dating and leadership, and an excellent note section that comments on how the four Gospels represent different types of the “fundamental” personalities.  Any time a book replaces paganism with comments about the Bible, it is a good chance.

This book is organized very rationally, and has been expanded considerably from its original version.  Like the previous version, it opens with a brief history of personality theory as well as a sample test for readers.  Then there is a chapter on temperament and character, which has been slightly modified to reduce some of the pagan mythological connotations (a major improvement).  Each of the following four chapters are about the four main types of personalities (SP–the Artisans, SJ–the Guardians, NF–the Idealists, and NT–the Rationals), in that order.  Each of these chapters contains the following material:  a broad examination of Plato’s conceptions of the personality, an examination of how the personality type deals with the cooperation/utilitarianism and abstract/concrete divides.  Then the types of intellect each of these personality types possesses (tactical, logistical, diplomatic, and strategic, respectively), interests, orientation, self-image, values, social roles, matrices of traits, and role variants are examined in considerable detail.  This section of chapters takes up about half of the book itself.

After the personalities are explored in depth, the book closes with a section of three chapters on how the different personalities deal with the vital subjects of mating, dating, and leading.  Each type, of course, has its own strengths and weaknesses.  What it says about rationals (the type of personality I have) is so accurate it is almost tragic.  Nonetheless, tragic comments aside, the book itself is a valuable research, far better than its original, for those who wish to “type watch” and try to determine the types of personalities other people have.  As such, this book is a useful read to anyone interested in the analysis of personalities, either one’s own or those of friends and loved ones.

[1] For my review on the original, see:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/book-review-please-understand-me-character-temperament-types/