Book Review by Jack Falt
The first chapter includes a brief overview of what the Enneagram is all about. Then there is a chapter devoted to each of the nine types, (from here on I will be using the term type in relation to Enneagram types). Each chapter gives a thumbnail sketch of the type and then looks at various books both classical and contemporary. When describing a book, the author gives lengthy quotes; so if you have not read the book or have forgotten it, you can still benefit reading the material. (How many of us would like to have read all those classics that we know would be good for us?) Examples are also given for the arrows, wings, subtypes and levels of health of each type.
Let’s look at an example the author uses for Type Threes. Threes are the achievers. They feel that unless they are successful, they will not beloved. They devote their lives to achieving, neglecting to give their love to the very people from whom they crave love. They are workaholics. At the unhealthy levels of functioning, they will do anything to achieve their goals. Their ‘sin’ is deceit. They are quite willing to use deceit to get what they want. They believe that the end justifies the means. As an example of a Three, the author uses the character of Scarlett O’Hara, the heroine of Gone with the Wind, as an example of a Three type. Scarlett used deceit to entice Ashley away from his fiancee, Melanie. She lived through the Civil War by her will to survive. In achieving what she desired she drove away the very people whose love she sought.
Searle uses fewer examples than Thomas Condon does in his Enneagram Movie & Video Guide, but goes into greater depth when describing characters from the various books. The index lists books, characters and authors.
Authors have an intuitive sense of a character’s personality, and literature has long been used to demonstrate a personality characteristic for many psychological systems. Good authors develop their characters in a way that is very consistent to their types. In fact this author conducts seminars on the Enneagram for other authors so that they can develop their characters more fully.
This book is very worthwhile as reference and to further your understanding of the Enneagram.