MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
And I'm Audie Cornish. In today's letters, introverts speak out. That's after hearing my interview yesterday with Susan Cain, author of "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking." Cain, an introvert herself, defended her ilk against the assumptions of our extrovert-centric society.
SUSAN CAIN: Many people believe that introversion is about being antisocial and that's really a misperception because, actually, it's just that introverts are differently social. So they would prefer to have, you know, a glass of wine with a close friend as opposed to going to a loud party full of strangers.
BLOCK: Well, listener Christopher Huey(ph), a self-proclaimed proud introvert from Harwich, Massachusetts, agrees, insisting he is neither antisocial nor shy. He writes this: Quite the contrary, I am very outspoken. But at the end of the day, what recharges my batteries is being alone and at peace and in quiet.
CORNISH: Scott Dupay(ph) of Farmington, New Hampshire, also clued us in to an unexpected benefit of being an introvert. He writes, I notice that perhaps because I talk much less than the rest, my opinions carry a tremendous amount of weight. I'm not entirely sure I'd want to give up that power.
BLOCK: Finally, we aired a letter yesterday from listener Patrick Consadine(ph), who wrote in response to a story that we aired about the Chinese Oreo. It's more chocolatey, the creamy filling less sweet. It's also not necessarily black and white or round.
CORNISH: Well, Consadine wanted a taste, but alas, we could not help him.
BLOCK: So Mr. Consadine has taken matters into his own hands. He wrote again today to tell us that, in true mountain tradition, he and some of his workout pals in West Jefferson, North Carolina, will make their own Chinese Oreos using local ingredients.
CORNISH: Green pepper jelly, sorghum syrup, red pepper goat cheese.
BLOCK: Mm, goat cheese.
CORNISH: Yes. But on an Oreo? The mind boggles.
BLOCK: Yikes.
CORNISH: And Mr. Consadine tells us how they plan to construct their cookies. First, you scrape off the filling in the middle of the Oreo to get rid of those calories and create a new taste. Next, you select a new filling and spread it on that burnt chocolate wafer, put it back together. Now, you can twist, lick and dunk your way through a post-workout treat.
BLOCK: OK, Patrick. Good luck with that five minute mile and with that Chinese West Jefferson Oreo hybrid.
CORNISH: Send us your letters about anything you hear on the program. You can write us at NPR.org. Just click on Contact Us at the bottom of the page.