Society tells that us that being shy is a fault, but Annie Ridout says it’s a gift. Shy: How Being Quiet Can Lead to Success teaches us how to embrace this misjudged attribute, instead of trying to fix it. Most of us have some understanding of shyness. From birthday parties as children to office Christmas parties as adults, from an old friend’s wedding to a group presentation, we’ve all experienced it in some form or other. Shyness may be ever-present or it may come and go.