Birth Order Book, The: Why You Are the Way You Are

"This book was recommended to me and I enjoyed it reading it. The book is helpful in understanding some of the differences between siblings and more importantly, helping parents accept the differences. Whenever I read a book about children and parenting I always wonder why it isn't a required course in High School. One word of caution, after reading this book I have been constantly guessing the birth order of everyone I meet!

While I liked the book, I thought the author spent too much time defending his theories and trying to sell his other books."
~ Written on 2008-08-31

"Absolutely amazing that someone took the time to figure this out .I never realized that we fiut into these little pockets. I was the last born out of five and it placed us in the position that we fit like a glove . after we read it we just looked at each other and laughed."
~ Written on 2008-08-09

"People are fascinated with any system that explains personality and behavioral differences. Birth order is an enduring system for understanding those differences, especially so when the explanation is as clear and as well illustrated with compelling examples as this. Dr. Kevin Leman does an admirable job of covering the bases, including a chapter devoted to parenting, and one devoted to compatibility in marriage. The insights he shares from his personal life history as a last born bring a special poignancy to the work. Extremely helpful, especially if you remember that birth order provides a prediliction, not a fate carved in stone! I provided additional information on this topic in Letters to My Granddaughters."
~ Written on 2008-05-24

"I took this book to work with me and shared it with a group of managers. We found that the book was surprisingly accurate in the the way that we each demonstrated our management styles. The first born's were very organized and process driven, while the middle-born manager avoided confrontation and tended to be suspicious. We did have one manager who didn't fit the birth order characteristics. He was a middle-born who was very outgoing and was always the center of attention. Proof that the profiles are just guidelines that can give you some insight into personalities, but not absolutes."
~ Written on 2008-03-21

"I originally found this book while researching how two siblings could be so possibly different when coming from the same mother and father. That is my situation. My sister and I are like night and day. Well, this book broke down birth order in a very interesting, way. In fact, I believe in birth order theory more now than when I started. Being the first born, it is very characteristic of me (apparently) to be doing this research to find out more about me and my perfectionist self (which I found out that being a perfectionist isn't a good thing)...something of which I'm still fighting to believe. I revel in my obsessive detail orientation. Anyway, my sister being the middle child, always whined about how she had "Middle child syndrome" and how she's constantly ignored, not given enough attention..etc. So, I found it quite entertaining in the book that Leman doesn't even go into the Middle Child too much, therefore-catering (in a sense) to the Middle Child (at least my sister) feeling ignored and not as important. Leman says that the lack of information on the Middle Child is due the the fact that there just isn't enough known about the Middle Child and that that are deemed a "Mystery". Anyway, it's incredibly interesting, and I love how understandable it is. Dr. Leman makes is known early on in the book that he is Christian, but doesn't bring too much of his religious beliefs into the book. Although, I feel none of it needs to be there (as birth order and religion are two different topics), I suppose when relating to HIS life and his stories of being the youngest, it can't be avoided. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to find out why they are the way they are. It has helped me figure myself out more!"
~ Written on 2008-03-11