The psychologist who wrote this interesting new book provides significant understanding and help for those of us who just are not the naturally upbeat type of American-style optimists. Finally a book that truly respects and values the wide range of individual differences that exist for optimism and pessimism. The concept and quiz for the personality style Defensive Pessimism support a positive interpretation of the adaptive value of being a person who thinks through worst-case scenarios and uses anxiety to motivate and carry out effective actions. I like the balanced approach in this book that helps the reader understand both the dangers of unrealistic optimism and the virtues of constructive pessimism. This is a welcome relief from the one-sided optimistic bias of the American positive psychology movement; here we can find realistic psychology for real people. And the chapter on relationships between optimists and pessimists is very insightful and helpful.