The best Enneagram books all Enneagram-lovers need to read

You’ve seen the books lined at Barnes & Noble and wonder which one is for you. Or you’ve Googled, “books about the Enneagram” and aren’t sure which one is the right fit. Wonder no more! Whether you’ve loved the Enneagram for years or are brand new to it, this post will help you find the right fit for you as you study and learn more about the Enneagram.

For each book, I break down:

• a brief description of the book (Amazon book description)
• why you’ll love it
• who it’s for (Enneagram rookie or pro)
• and a quote you’ll love.

Happy reading sweet friends!

You can also grab this free resource about what the Enneagram is, what it isn’t, and what you want to know about your personality type. Your Quick Start Guide to the Enneagram walks you through how to determine your type, what’s up with wings, and Enneagram resources you’ll want to check out.

Please know that I’m not an Enneagram expert, merely a lover of it. What I present to you is based on my own research, feedback from men and women of each type, and peer review. If you learn better through audio, take a listen to the Grace In Real Life podcast for interviews for each Enneagram type.

You could win a copy of Self to Lose, Self to Find by Marilyn Vancil Just comment below by 9 p.m. CST on November 10, 2020. One winner will be randomly selected and notified via email. 

The FCC requires that I tell you that I’m an Amazon Affiliate, which means I earn a bit of commission on each sale. But don’t worry there’s no added cost to you! Also, all the “About” descriptions are taken from Amazon.

Becoming Us by Beth + Jeff McCord

Faith-based or Secular: Faith-based

What it’s about: “Do you ever feel baffled by the person sleeping beside you? What if your spouse came with an instruction manual? Beth and Jeff McCord, founders of Your Enneagram Coach, have helped over 250,000 people discover their unique personality type and apply that knowledge to their relationships. Becoming Us pulls back the curtain on marriage and weaves the Enneagram through the lens of the Gospel to reveal why you and your spouse behave in different ways.”

Why you’ll love it: The book is divided into two parts: the first part is about faith, the McCord’s story, and the Enneagram. The second part guides you on how to better understand yourself and how to better understand your spouse. (Part 2 breaks down each type, outlining growth paths, how to align with the gospel, and your communication style.) It’s an easy read that provides so much applicable content.

Who it’s for: Anyone

Quote you’ll love: “Because we know that with the ower of the Gospel to change hearts and helpful insights from the Enneagram to change awareness and actions, your marriage can be even better than you’ve ever dared to dream possible.”

BONUS: Listen to the McCords on their podcast. And their @yourenneagramcoach IG feed is one of my faves!

Becoming Your True You by Heath Davis Havlick

Faith-based or Secular: Faith-based

What it’s about: “Becoming Your True You isn’t your average feel-good, self-help manual with gift inventories and “to do” lists. Nor is it about your general identity in Christ; that information is critical to know, but it’s not specific enough to drive your destiny forward. Instead, this book presents an archeological map of the soul. It incorporates a solid biblical foundation with a personality model called the Enneagram to get to the root of your true you – the self God made and can’t wait for you to become.”

Why you’ll love it: This is a deep book that does deep work. Every sentence is jam-packed with truth, so it will take time to digest. Having said that, the book is easy to read and doesn’t feel overly academic; it’s beautifully written with truth explained as clearly as possible. Becoming Your True You offers the clearest presentation of the difference between soul and spirit that I’ve ever read.

Who it’s for: Enneagram Pro

Quote you’ll love: “God is not present in our lives to condemn us. Only our Inner Critic, and other people’s Inner Critics, do that.”

The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut, PhD

Faith-based or Secular: Secular

What it’s about: “The Enneagram―a universal symbol of human purpose and possibility―is an excellent tool for doing the hardest part of consciousness work: realizing, owning, and accepting your strengths and weaknesses. In this comprehensive handbook, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD, traces the development of the personality as it relates to the nine types of the Enneagram, the three different subtype forms each type can take, and the path each of us can take toward liberation. With her guidance, readers will learn to observe themselves, face their fears and disowned Shadow aspects, and work to manifest their highest potential.”

Why you’ll love it: If you want the nuts and bolts and intricacies of the Enneagram, this is your book. All 464 pages of it.  For each type, Dr. Chestnut starts by giving a brief breakdown then moves into your early coping strategy, defensive mechanisms, focus of attention, cognitive mistake, key traits, shadow, three subtypes, and growth plan. She devotes about thirty to forty pages to each type. Y’all, when the publishers chose to put the word “complete” in the title, they meant it.

Who it’s for: A rookie who wants to become an expert; an expert who wants to refresh her memory

Quote you’ll love: “To become all that we can be, we must start where we are and know exactly where and who we are.”

The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile

Faith-based or Secular: Secular

What it’s about: “Most of us have no idea how others see or process their experiences. And that can make relationships hard, whether with intimate partners, with friends, or in our professional lives. Understanding the motivations and dynamics of these different personality types can be the key that unlocks sometimes mystifying behavior in others―and in ourselves. This book from Suzanne Stabile on the nine Enneagram types and how they behave and experience relationships will guide readers into deeper insights about themselves, their types, and others’ personalities so that they can have healthier, more life-giving relationships.”

Why you’ll love it: If you’ve ever wondered how your Enneagram type can better connect with and love other types, get thee to the library. Stabile breaks down how each type interacts with every other type, which is illuminating information. At the end of each type-specific chapter, Stabile shares what each type can do, can’t do, and needs to accept as well as what others can do as they love and care for that type.

Who it’s for: Anybody

Quote you’ll love: “When we are able to see ourselves as we are, and as we can be, it’s a beautiful thing.”

BONUS: Listen to Suzanne’s fabulous Southern accent as she shares all her Enneagram wisdom on her podcast.

The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Cron

Faith-based or Secular: Faith-based

What it’s about: “In The Road Back to You Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile forge a unique approach―a practical, comprehensive way of accessing Enneagram wisdom and exploring its connections with Christian spirituality for a deeper knowledge of ourselves, compassion for others, and love for God. Witty and filled with stories, this book allows you to peek inside each of the nine Enneagram types, keeping you turning the pages long after you have read the chapter about your own number. Not only will you learn more about yourself, but you will also start to see the world through other people’s eyes, understanding how and why people think, feel, and act the way they do.”

Why you’ll love it: What is not to love? This book walks you through the basics of the Enneagram in the most delightful, story-filled way. This is the book most people use to discover their Enneagram type. Each type-specific chapter starts with twenty statements that outline what it’s like to be that number. The chapters starts with what that type looks like as healthy, average, and unhealthy. Then Cron + Stabile break down the deadly sin, traits, childhood experience, how that type operates in relationships, at work, in stress and security, and ten paths to spiritual transformation.

Who it’s for: Rookie

Quote you’ll love: “The Enneagram doesn’t put you in a box. It shows you the box you’re already in and how to get out of it. That’ll be good, right?”

BONUS: Ian Cron’s podcast is so insightful and you’ll love hearing from his guests on his Typology podcast.

Self to Lose, Self to Find by Marilyn Vancil

Faith-based or Secular: Faith-based

What it’s about: “In Self to Lose, Self to Find, Marilyn Vancil unpacks our human dilemma, sets the scriptural foundation, explores the nine Enneagram personalities, and shows us practical ways to have a more meaningful life and healthier relationships. Vancil offers a compelling biblical case for the Enneagram by drawing from John 12:24, which describes how we, like seeds, construct a protective coat that helps us survive in a world where we encounter challenges and insecurities. But for us to truly live a fruitful life, we must allow the protective coat to soften and fall away in order to grow.”

Why you’ll love it: Vancil is refreshingly honest in her initial skepticism about the Enneagram and how she’s come to find it as a transformational tool everyone can use. What I love best is how she shows us how each type reflects God’s character. Each type-specific chapter breaks down your authentic self and adapted self and a path to freedom. This book will continue to point you back to Jesus.

Who it’s for: Rookie

Quote you’ll love: “Each person is born with a propensity, a hardwiring, that is a particular expression of God’s divine nature. It’s as if the pure light of God shines through a prism and breaks into a myriad of colors, with each person reflecting a facet of God in a special way.”

BONUS: Read more from Marilyn when she guest-posted right here! With almost 900 shares, you know it’s good!

Remember, you could win a copy of Self to Lose, Self to Find by Marilyn Vancil Just comment below by 9 p.m. CST on November 10, 2020. One winner will be randomly selected and notified via email. 

Pin for later