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Outliers: The Story of Success Paperback – 1 August 2013
by
Malcolm Gladwell
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Why do some people achieve so much more than others? Can they lie so far out of the ordinary?
In his provocative and inspiring book, Malcolm Gladwell looks at everyone from rock stars to professional athletes, software billionaires to scientific geniuses, to show that the story of success is far more surprising, and more fascinating, than we could ever have imagined. He reveals that it's as much about where we're from and what we do, as who we are - and that no one, not even a genius, ever makes it alone.
Outliers will change the way you think about your own life story, and about what makes us all unique. Like Blink, this is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.
In his provocative and inspiring book, Malcolm Gladwell looks at everyone from rock stars to professional athletes, software billionaires to scientific geniuses, to show that the story of success is far more surprising, and more fascinating, than we could ever have imagined. He reveals that it's as much about where we're from and what we do, as who we are - and that no one, not even a genius, ever makes it alone.
Outliers will change the way you think about your own life story, and about what makes us all unique. Like Blink, this is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPenguin
- Publication date1 August 2013
- Dimensions22.86 x 15.24 x 3.18 cm
- ISBN-109780141036250
- ISBN-13978-0141036250
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About the Author
Malcolm Gladwell is the author of six international bestsellers: The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, David and Goliath and most recently, Talking to Strangers. He is the host of the podcast Revisionist History, a staff writer at The New Yorker, and co-founder of the audio company Pushkin Industries. He graduated from the University of Toronto, Trinity College, with a degree in history. Gladwell was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. He lives in New York.
Product details
- ASIN : 0141036257
- Publisher : Penguin (1 August 2013); Penguin Press
- Language : English
- Paperback : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780141036250
- ISBN-13 : 978-0141036250
- Item Weight : 236 g
- Dimensions : 22.86 x 15.24 x 3.18 cm
- Country of Origin : United Kingdom
- Net Quantity : 236 Grams
- Importer : Penguin Random House India Pvt Ltd
- Packer : Penguin Random House India Pvt Ltd
- Generic Name : Books
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #54 in Self-Help for Success
- #282 in Personal Transformation
- Customer Reviews:
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Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. He is the author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw. Prior to joining The New Yorker, he was a reporter at the Washington Post. Gladwell was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. He now lives in New York.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Outlier - Overhyped, Illogical and Tedious Nonsense
Reviewed in India on 6 December 2015
There seems to be a pattern with Gladwell's writing and a brilliant one too for sales or becoming the next 'bestseller' - Find an idea that already exists, coin an intriguing title, write and explain the idea with case studies. Though, the case studies seem well written, when it comes to proving the point, the author has cherry-picked stories that perfectly fit the situation.This is the second book from Malcolm Gladwell that I've read after The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. After reading Outliers, I am not entirely sure if the three hours of my time were well spent because while I was reading, parts of it seemed very entertaining while in the back of my mind, I was wondering how true can these case studies be. Then I started my research on topics that were covered through the case studies. After spending more time on my research, I can easily say there are 'issues' to say the least. In fact I can point out and criticize the lack of research done with each case study, but I will just take one for now.' The author talks about how 10,000 hours of practice in any field makes a person world class expert in that field by using Bill Gates and The Beatles personal stories implying success. The author writes in a way to prove this 10,000 hour rule proves with every successful individual on the planet. But on the contrary, academic journal published in July 2014 by Princeton University suggests otherwise saying becoming an expert takes more than practice - ' We conclude that deliberate practice is important, but not as important as has been argued.' Google '10,000 hours rule Princeton' for the article.The biggest let down is the story lies upon one's luck, apparently being born at the right time and the right place happens to be a major criteria for success according to the author.The conclusion is with the history of Gladwell's own Jamaican family and how its circumstances shaped him. How is that even relevant? Are we to consider Gladwell to be an outlier too?It is absolutely discouraging for the less-privileged or the unlucky ones looking for inspiration through this book as Gladwell's core belief system defines luck (born at the right time, in the right place, with the right ethnic background, and the right social class) to the primary cause for success. Insightful to a small extent but it's illogical and very tedious nonsense.Are there no un-lucky, less privileged people out there who happened to become world wide success stories? Answer that question yourself, but remember - where there is a will, there is a way.
Reviewed in India on 6 December 2015
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Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 16 December 2022
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Worth reading
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Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 5 October 2022
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I have hardly come across a book, which while reading it, makes me not look at the page number I am on. Unputdownable in true sense. Absolutely enlightening to read this non-fiction with the perfect blend of storytelling. The book gives enough evidence to say that success is not just a function of individual talent and merit. It also largely depends on the environment and the society people grow up in, which as much as we want to ignore, we can't. It's a scary fact!
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Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 22 October 2022
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I always believed in that without opportunities you can do nothing and this book gives factual answers to my belief.
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 29 August 2022
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The author puts a few words such as privilege, luck and deliberate practice into great context. I like his view on hard work and persistence as opposed to the heavily pushed out campaign that success is all one’s own hard work and upbringing has nothing to do with it. His views on background, privilege and opportunity will challenge that thinking with good examples.
However he takes a long time to get to the point which makes the reading a bit frustrating. The points were good, but took an awful long time to come to it.
However he takes a long time to get to the point which makes the reading a bit frustrating. The points were good, but took an awful long time to come to it.
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 12 October 2022
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Average
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 2 October 2022
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One of the must read for all the parents with pre-teen kids
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 6 December 2015
This is the second book from Malcolm Gladwell that I've read after [[ASIN:0349113467 The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference]]. After reading Outliers, I am not entirely sure if the three hours of my time were well spent because while I was reading, parts of it seemed very entertaining while in the back of my mind, I was wondering how true can these case studies be. Then I started my research on topics that were covered through the case studies. After spending more time on my research, I can easily say there are 'issues' to say the least. In fact I can point out and criticize the lack of research done with each case study, but I will just take one for now.
' The author talks about how 10,000 hours of practice in any field makes a person world class expert in that field by using Bill Gates and The Beatles personal stories implying success. The author writes in a way to prove this 10,000 hour rule proves with every successful individual on the planet. But on the contrary, academic journal published in July 2014 by Princeton University suggests otherwise saying becoming an expert takes more than practice - ' We conclude that deliberate practice is important, but not as important as has been argued.' Google '10,000 hours rule Princeton' for the article.
The biggest let down is the story lies upon one's luck, apparently being born at the right time and the right place happens to be a major criteria for success according to the author.
The conclusion is with the history of Gladwell's own Jamaican family and how its circumstances shaped him. How is that even relevant? Are we to consider Gladwell to be an outlier too?
It is absolutely discouraging for the less-privileged or the unlucky ones looking for inspiration through this book as Gladwell's core belief system defines luck (born at the right time, in the right place, with the right ethnic background, and the right social class) to the primary cause for success. Insightful to a small extent but it's illogical and very tedious nonsense.
Are there no un-lucky, less privileged people out there who happened to become world wide success stories? Answer that question yourself, but remember - where there is a will, there is a way.
Verified Purchase
There seems to be a pattern with Gladwell's writing and a brilliant one too for sales or becoming the next 'bestseller' - Find an idea that already exists, coin an intriguing title, write and explain the idea with case studies. Though, the case studies seem well written, when it comes to proving the point, the author has cherry-picked stories that perfectly fit the situation.
This is the second book from Malcolm Gladwell that I've read after The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference . After reading Outliers, I am not entirely sure if the three hours of my time were well spent because while I was reading, parts of it seemed very entertaining while in the back of my mind, I was wondering how true can these case studies be. Then I started my research on topics that were covered through the case studies. After spending more time on my research, I can easily say there are 'issues' to say the least. In fact I can point out and criticize the lack of research done with each case study, but I will just take one for now.
' The author talks about how 10,000 hours of practice in any field makes a person world class expert in that field by using Bill Gates and The Beatles personal stories implying success. The author writes in a way to prove this 10,000 hour rule proves with every successful individual on the planet. But on the contrary, academic journal published in July 2014 by Princeton University suggests otherwise saying becoming an expert takes more than practice - ' We conclude that deliberate practice is important, but not as important as has been argued.' Google '10,000 hours rule Princeton' for the article.
The biggest let down is the story lies upon one's luck, apparently being born at the right time and the right place happens to be a major criteria for success according to the author.
The conclusion is with the history of Gladwell's own Jamaican family and how its circumstances shaped him. How is that even relevant? Are we to consider Gladwell to be an outlier too?
It is absolutely discouraging for the less-privileged or the unlucky ones looking for inspiration through this book as Gladwell's core belief system defines luck (born at the right time, in the right place, with the right ethnic background, and the right social class) to the primary cause for success. Insightful to a small extent but it's illogical and very tedious nonsense.
Are there no un-lucky, less privileged people out there who happened to become world wide success stories? Answer that question yourself, but remember - where there is a will, there is a way.
This is the second book from Malcolm Gladwell that I've read after The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference . After reading Outliers, I am not entirely sure if the three hours of my time were well spent because while I was reading, parts of it seemed very entertaining while in the back of my mind, I was wondering how true can these case studies be. Then I started my research on topics that were covered through the case studies. After spending more time on my research, I can easily say there are 'issues' to say the least. In fact I can point out and criticize the lack of research done with each case study, but I will just take one for now.
' The author talks about how 10,000 hours of practice in any field makes a person world class expert in that field by using Bill Gates and The Beatles personal stories implying success. The author writes in a way to prove this 10,000 hour rule proves with every successful individual on the planet. But on the contrary, academic journal published in July 2014 by Princeton University suggests otherwise saying becoming an expert takes more than practice - ' We conclude that deliberate practice is important, but not as important as has been argued.' Google '10,000 hours rule Princeton' for the article.
The biggest let down is the story lies upon one's luck, apparently being born at the right time and the right place happens to be a major criteria for success according to the author.
The conclusion is with the history of Gladwell's own Jamaican family and how its circumstances shaped him. How is that even relevant? Are we to consider Gladwell to be an outlier too?
It is absolutely discouraging for the less-privileged or the unlucky ones looking for inspiration through this book as Gladwell's core belief system defines luck (born at the right time, in the right place, with the right ethnic background, and the right social class) to the primary cause for success. Insightful to a small extent but it's illogical and very tedious nonsense.
Are there no un-lucky, less privileged people out there who happened to become world wide success stories? Answer that question yourself, but remember - where there is a will, there is a way.

3.0 out of 5 stars
Outlier - Overhyped, Illogical and Tedious Nonsense
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 6 December 2015
There seems to be a pattern with Gladwell's writing and a brilliant one too for sales or becoming the next 'bestseller' - Find an idea that already exists, coin an intriguing title, write and explain the idea with case studies. Though, the case studies seem well written, when it comes to proving the point, the author has cherry-picked stories that perfectly fit the situation.Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 6 December 2015
This is the second book from Malcolm Gladwell that I've read after [[ASIN:0349113467 The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference]]. After reading Outliers, I am not entirely sure if the three hours of my time were well spent because while I was reading, parts of it seemed very entertaining while in the back of my mind, I was wondering how true can these case studies be. Then I started my research on topics that were covered through the case studies. After spending more time on my research, I can easily say there are 'issues' to say the least. In fact I can point out and criticize the lack of research done with each case study, but I will just take one for now.
' The author talks about how 10,000 hours of practice in any field makes a person world class expert in that field by using Bill Gates and The Beatles personal stories implying success. The author writes in a way to prove this 10,000 hour rule proves with every successful individual on the planet. But on the contrary, academic journal published in July 2014 by Princeton University suggests otherwise saying becoming an expert takes more than practice - ' We conclude that deliberate practice is important, but not as important as has been argued.' Google '10,000 hours rule Princeton' for the article.
The biggest let down is the story lies upon one's luck, apparently being born at the right time and the right place happens to be a major criteria for success according to the author.
The conclusion is with the history of Gladwell's own Jamaican family and how its circumstances shaped him. How is that even relevant? Are we to consider Gladwell to be an outlier too?
It is absolutely discouraging for the less-privileged or the unlucky ones looking for inspiration through this book as Gladwell's core belief system defines luck (born at the right time, in the right place, with the right ethnic background, and the right social class) to the primary cause for success. Insightful to a small extent but it's illogical and very tedious nonsense.
Are there no un-lucky, less privileged people out there who happened to become world wide success stories? Answer that question yourself, but remember - where there is a will, there is a way.
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Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 8 April 2022
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Can’t recommend this book enough…
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Spectrum314k
1.0 out of 5 stars
Journalism and pseudoscience
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 12 November 2017Verified Purchase
Having read lots of favourable reviews, I was extremely disappointed. The book essentially argues against the notion that people are born to succeed. If you believe that success is a bit more complicated than that, you may be in for a tedious time ahead as it laboriously tries to convince you against something you never thought in the first place. There is simply not enough here for a book and so the material is stretched out, presenting points that would be common sense to most people seemly expecting the result to be paradigm shifting revelations to the reader. It circles around the same points approaching from a variety of angles, while ignoring any counter arguments you feel should be addressed.
Despite being reported as being "inspiring" (it's literally on the front page), it's hard to see why. The book argues the point that success can be largely attributed to a person's circumstances. As most of these are out with anyone's control e.g. the time of year you are born, I struggle to see how anyone could be inspired. The best I can imagine is that someone will feel better that they were not the next success because of factors beyond their control.
The book tries to make its point by cherry picking studies and examples that will help prove his point. I found one response from authors of a study stating that they thought that Gladwell had misinterpreted and oversimplified their findings and I strongly suspect they were not alone. It presents a series of anecdotes and hypotheses as to why a trend was observed. My issue is that these hypotheses, that are all in keeping with the central theme of the book, are presented as if they were facts, when they are anything but. There is no attempt to give a balanced discussion, exploring arguments, studies or examples not in keeping with the oversimplified central point. Let's be clear, this method of starting with a point you want to make and then working backwards finding "evidence" to prove your view is journalism, not science. Gladwell can dress it up as much as he likes with statistics and citations, but don't be fooled, this is not how anyone with any scientific credentials works. Within a few pages I realised I was not reading a book by an expert in the field attempting to make their work accessible to the public, this was written by someone who could write a good story, but had little or no understanding of the scientific method. The book reads like an extended magazine article, perhaps not surprisingly as I was later to find out that the author is indeed a magazine writer.
You will not learn how to be successful by reading this book. You will not be better informed about what makes someone successful. At best this is a thought piece with a few discussion points worthy of a conversation at your next dinner party and others may enjoy the idea that they could have been as successful as The Beatles or as rich as Bill Gates if they had just been in the right place at the right time. Just a shame that it's not true. I didn't enjoy this book but more than that, I was incensed by it. This is journalism. A pseudoscience stretched out magazine article masquerading as an evidence based insight into success written by a modern day snake oil salesman who has bought into his own hype.
Despite being reported as being "inspiring" (it's literally on the front page), it's hard to see why. The book argues the point that success can be largely attributed to a person's circumstances. As most of these are out with anyone's control e.g. the time of year you are born, I struggle to see how anyone could be inspired. The best I can imagine is that someone will feel better that they were not the next success because of factors beyond their control.
The book tries to make its point by cherry picking studies and examples that will help prove his point. I found one response from authors of a study stating that they thought that Gladwell had misinterpreted and oversimplified their findings and I strongly suspect they were not alone. It presents a series of anecdotes and hypotheses as to why a trend was observed. My issue is that these hypotheses, that are all in keeping with the central theme of the book, are presented as if they were facts, when they are anything but. There is no attempt to give a balanced discussion, exploring arguments, studies or examples not in keeping with the oversimplified central point. Let's be clear, this method of starting with a point you want to make and then working backwards finding "evidence" to prove your view is journalism, not science. Gladwell can dress it up as much as he likes with statistics and citations, but don't be fooled, this is not how anyone with any scientific credentials works. Within a few pages I realised I was not reading a book by an expert in the field attempting to make their work accessible to the public, this was written by someone who could write a good story, but had little or no understanding of the scientific method. The book reads like an extended magazine article, perhaps not surprisingly as I was later to find out that the author is indeed a magazine writer.
You will not learn how to be successful by reading this book. You will not be better informed about what makes someone successful. At best this is a thought piece with a few discussion points worthy of a conversation at your next dinner party and others may enjoy the idea that they could have been as successful as The Beatles or as rich as Bill Gates if they had just been in the right place at the right time. Just a shame that it's not true. I didn't enjoy this book but more than that, I was incensed by it. This is journalism. A pseudoscience stretched out magazine article masquerading as an evidence based insight into success written by a modern day snake oil salesman who has bought into his own hype.
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Stiven Skyrah
5.0 out of 5 stars
Salient and grounded
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 3 March 2018Verified Purchase
​Gladwell argues that success is tightly married to opportunity and time on task. He states that it takes approximately 10,000 hours to master something and that gives me comfort. It helps me feel better about my many failures at initial attempts to master things (like glazing pottery, algebra, Salsa dancing, skiing and sewing... to name a few). I kept thinking, "I've just got to put in more hours if I want to do better."
While I can see a different way of spinning the data provided to support Gladwell's argument, I didn't care. In a rare moment, I found myself not wanting to argue. : ) Instead, I found myself reflecting on things that have felt like lucky opportunities in my own life. This reflection was very humbling.
Moreover, I felt the text tugging at the need for greater equity. What could all the people with limited opportunities do if given greater opportunities? Think Darfur. How many people who might have come up with the cure for pancreatic cancer been forced to spend their time standing in lines waiting for clean water or food?
My own personal experience as a teacher of refugees reflects Gladwell's primary thesis. Many of my refugee students are pre-literate. They have not been given the opportunity to gain a formal education. As a result, there are many well-intended, but misinformed people who place these students in special education courses or deem their I.Q. low, diminishing their opportunities even more.
The students I teach are hungry for skills and spend hours outside of class practising. They make huge gains despite earlier opportunities denied them. While many will not go on to big colleges out of high school, I feel like given enough opportunity and time they could make it there. Sadly, many have families who depend on them to work to help financially support the family. (Yet, another limited opportunity to spend time focused on developing skills.)
In the past week, I have shared Gladwell's thesis with my students. We have applied the 10,000 hours to master a task to reading and writing. I remind students that if we don't get our 10,000 hours this year together, they must continue on their own. I remind them that it IS possible to move forward if they are focused and keep adding hours of work to their reading and writing. We even write on the board how many hours left before we are masters.
"2 hours down, only 9,998 left to go."
Friday, I had a student from Somalia smile and ask, "So it's not true that white people are smarter than black Africans? They just get more chances to read?" Imagine my pleasure when I could respond, "YES! That's correct. You are just as smart as any white kid in this school. It's just that some of them have been reading for years and you are just getting started."
Thank you for your work Gladwell, it is salient in today's political conversation surrounding education (especially for our most vulnerable students who have been given the fewest opportunities).
While I can see a different way of spinning the data provided to support Gladwell's argument, I didn't care. In a rare moment, I found myself not wanting to argue. : ) Instead, I found myself reflecting on things that have felt like lucky opportunities in my own life. This reflection was very humbling.
Moreover, I felt the text tugging at the need for greater equity. What could all the people with limited opportunities do if given greater opportunities? Think Darfur. How many people who might have come up with the cure for pancreatic cancer been forced to spend their time standing in lines waiting for clean water or food?
My own personal experience as a teacher of refugees reflects Gladwell's primary thesis. Many of my refugee students are pre-literate. They have not been given the opportunity to gain a formal education. As a result, there are many well-intended, but misinformed people who place these students in special education courses or deem their I.Q. low, diminishing their opportunities even more.
The students I teach are hungry for skills and spend hours outside of class practising. They make huge gains despite earlier opportunities denied them. While many will not go on to big colleges out of high school, I feel like given enough opportunity and time they could make it there. Sadly, many have families who depend on them to work to help financially support the family. (Yet, another limited opportunity to spend time focused on developing skills.)
In the past week, I have shared Gladwell's thesis with my students. We have applied the 10,000 hours to master a task to reading and writing. I remind students that if we don't get our 10,000 hours this year together, they must continue on their own. I remind them that it IS possible to move forward if they are focused and keep adding hours of work to their reading and writing. We even write on the board how many hours left before we are masters.
"2 hours down, only 9,998 left to go."
Friday, I had a student from Somalia smile and ask, "So it's not true that white people are smarter than black Africans? They just get more chances to read?" Imagine my pleasure when I could respond, "YES! That's correct. You are just as smart as any white kid in this school. It's just that some of them have been reading for years and you are just getting started."
Thank you for your work Gladwell, it is salient in today's political conversation surrounding education (especially for our most vulnerable students who have been given the fewest opportunities).
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J C Mitchinson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting enough but certainly no revelation
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 23 June 2014Verified Purchase
Basically, this book *reveals* that people don't gain success through talent and hard work alone; rather they have other, often hidden, advantages. These can be cultural, social, financial, and circumstantial. It also suggests that talent + advantages+ 10000 hours of practice = unusual success. This is demonstrated by a set of examples (The Beatles, Bill Gates etc).
Things I liked:
- Interesting to read the stories of how various people came to success
- Well written
- Somewhat vindicating for those of us who already knew the dice were loaded
Reservations:
- How is this a revelation? I felt a bit like this was written for people who are themselves pretty advantaged. If come from a lowly background, with little money or good social connections etc, you KNOW that these things disadvantage you, and you KNOW that those who get ahead, do so because of these advantages.
- There was no follow through. I was expecting (and hoping for) a "but if you don't have these advantages, you can still do X, Y & Z". But there was nothing. So if you aren't advantaged, you end up feeling a bit flat at the end.
Summary: Worth a read
Things I liked:
- Interesting to read the stories of how various people came to success
- Well written
- Somewhat vindicating for those of us who already knew the dice were loaded
Reservations:
- How is this a revelation? I felt a bit like this was written for people who are themselves pretty advantaged. If come from a lowly background, with little money or good social connections etc, you KNOW that these things disadvantage you, and you KNOW that those who get ahead, do so because of these advantages.
- There was no follow through. I was expecting (and hoping for) a "but if you don't have these advantages, you can still do X, Y & Z". But there was nothing. So if you aren't advantaged, you end up feeling a bit flat at the end.
Summary: Worth a read
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Marty M
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and thought-provoking
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 17 January 2019Verified Purchase
It takes a special insight to uncover truths that have always been there, but never been identified. Gladwell brings together evidence - and hindsight - to show how the most special of humans have been the product of their circumstances, opportunities and timing, which allied to hard work and talent makes people outliers. The lesson is that people can thrive only if given the opportunity and resources to do so, and in an oblique way is a damning critique of the winner-takes-all culture in Western societies, and the enormous inequities of inherited wealth and privilege.
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bobrayner
3.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable read but scientifically it makes me feel uneasy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 18 February 2020Verified Purchase
I would like to put Gladwell in the same category as Jared Diamond - he writes books that take you on an enjoyable sweep through different places and eras and whole swathes of pop-anthropology but, deep down, I have to wonder *why* he picked a story about dental statistics in 1930s Luxembourg, or the rate of unexplained bus crashes in Peru versus Chile. I can never quite rule out a suspicion of cherry-picking. Which is uncomfortable, because I really *want* to believe these neat stories that let you in on a little secret that underpins whole swathes of the modern world.
Let's go back to a specific example. For instance, Gladwell points out the role of culture in airliner crashes; if aircrew come from cultures that have stronger deference to social superiors, maybe a copilot would shy away from challenging a pilot who'd made a mistake. He works through examples of Korean Airlines crashes that seem to fit this paradigm, and Korea is high up the ranking of countries by deference-to-superiors, and we hear about how Korean Airlines challenged that culture and then had fewer crashes. That's a good story to read! Problem is that we never really tackle the fact that the deadliest airline crash in history involved aircrew from a country which was at the opposite end of the ranking-of-countries. No doubt individual deference to superiors was a factor in that crash too, but CRM alone is pretty boring, people enjoy reading the different-places-different-cultures stories.
I won't say it's all like this; I didn't get such a worry from the study of the backgrounds of lawyers in New York, for instance (maybe we'd see something different if somebody took on the Herculean task of expanding the study to different trades & different national backgrounds, but I don't think the main conclusion would shift much).
Let's go back to a specific example. For instance, Gladwell points out the role of culture in airliner crashes; if aircrew come from cultures that have stronger deference to social superiors, maybe a copilot would shy away from challenging a pilot who'd made a mistake. He works through examples of Korean Airlines crashes that seem to fit this paradigm, and Korea is high up the ranking of countries by deference-to-superiors, and we hear about how Korean Airlines challenged that culture and then had fewer crashes. That's a good story to read! Problem is that we never really tackle the fact that the deadliest airline crash in history involved aircrew from a country which was at the opposite end of the ranking-of-countries. No doubt individual deference to superiors was a factor in that crash too, but CRM alone is pretty boring, people enjoy reading the different-places-different-cultures stories.
I won't say it's all like this; I didn't get such a worry from the study of the backgrounds of lawyers in New York, for instance (maybe we'd see something different if somebody took on the Herculean task of expanding the study to different trades & different national backgrounds, but I don't think the main conclusion would shift much).
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