Outliers
Back of the Book
In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?
His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.
Brilliant and entertaining, Outliers is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.
We Love It Because
Malcolm Gladwell’s reality check for the moment has become a must-read for the times where celebrity hero-worship reigns supreme and parasocial relationships have run critical thought into the dirt. Gladwell’s thorough look into the origins of those who have reached seemingly impossible heights and his grounding data that tie their success to many outstanding factors, highlighting inaccessibility make for a thoroughly researched and compelling argument to cope with the present.
Memorable Passage
Because we so profoundly personalise success, we miss opportunities to lift others onto the top rung. We make rules that frustrate achievement. We prematurely write off people as failures. We are too much in awe of those who succeed and far too dismissive of those who fail. And, most of all, we become much too passive. We overlook just how large a role we all play - and by “we” I mean society - in determining who makes it and who doesn’t.
[…] We could easily take control of the machinery of achievement, in other words - not just in sports but, as we will see, in other more consequential areas as well. But we don’t. And why? Because we cling to the idea that success is a simple function of individual merit and that the world in which we all grow up and the rules we choose to write as a society don’t matter at all.
About the Author
Malcolm Gladwell, born on September 3, 1963, is a Canadian journalist, author, and public intellectual whose work has had a profound impact on the fields of sociology, psychology, and business. Known for his best-selling books, including Outliers, The Tipping Point, and Blink, Gladwell has a remarkable ability to distill complex ideas into engaging narratives that captivate a broad audience. His unique approach to storytelling, blending rigorous research with compelling anecdotes, has made him a popular and influential figure in the realm of nonfiction literature. Gladwell's exploration of the factors that contribute to success, decision-making, and societal phenomena challenges conventional wisdom and prompts readers to reevaluate their understanding of the world. He is worth knowing for his talent in making scholarly concepts accessible, sparking insightful conversations, and encouraging critical thinking about the intricate forces that shape human behavior and achievement.
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