Amazon.ca Now that he's gotten us talking about the viral life of ideas and the power of gut reactions, Malcolm Gladwell poses a more provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the "self-made man," he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: "they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot." Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, "some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky."
Outliers can be enjoyed for its bits of trivia, like why most pro hockey players were born in January, how many hours of practice it takes to master a skill, why the descendents of Jewish immigrant garment workers became the most powerful lawyers in New York, how a pilots' culture impacts their crash record, how a centuries-old culture of rice farming helps Asian kids master math. But there's more to it than that. Throughout all of these examples--and in more that delve into the social benefits of lighter skin color, and the reasons for school achievement gaps--Gladwell invites conversations about the complex ways privilege manifests in our culture. He leaves us pondering the gifts of our own history, and how the world could benefit if more of our kids were granted the opportunities to fulfill their remarkable potential. --Mari Malcolm
Customer Reviews:
Another home run for GladwellJanuary 2, 2009 Duncan Matheson(Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I became a fan of Gladwell with Tipping Point, and this was re-enforced with Blink, and now with Outliers he has again hit a home run. His rock solid research teamed with his effective story-telling style take the reader on a fascinating journey into the why's of successful people. I don't know to what extent his research is leading-edge; I only know that it was new to me, and I found it absolutely fascinating. I found myself reading passages then trying to relate my reality to the research he was presenting.
We all know that the over achievers tend to have arrived where they got to by paying their dues - by working hard, in most cases harder than the rest of us. Gladwell doesn't dismiss this, but he does put it in context and by so doing busts a myth that I believe most of us hold - that while this is true in most cases there are the exceptions - those born with a talent or natural ability that allows them to achieve great success without trying. As he points out, there are no such people, but at the same time, he convincingly makes the case that great success certainly comprises more than just effort and desire.
As I read this review it strikes me I do not do the book justice. Better you simply take the advice of a Gladwell fan - and go get it.
for anyone who is a parentDecember 23, 2008 Craig McQueen(Toronto, Canada) 1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this book. I think it should be in the parenting section as well as the business section at the book store. As a parent the concepts about success make you think about how you can provide the best environment for a child to be successful.
I had a chance to hear Malcolm speak at a lunch in Toronto. He speaks passionately about his concepts which for me added credibility to the book.
the socialist perspective...December 12, 2008 joe blower(canada) 5 out of 7 found this review helpful
I loved the book, the informative content colored by his insightful descriptions are great. Just like the other 2 books of his, Blink & The Tipping Point. I disagree with the end of the book in which he tries to instill the idea that no one has any merit, we are all product of shear luck in some way. I do agree, we are lucky just to be alive at this time, but luck does pervade the current world; for each Bill Gates that DID take advantage of his luck ,there are so many others that do not bother to work as hard. (translation: to his credit and merit, he put the many thousands of hours of effort to become successful) Luck does play a part, but people's personal choices to work in pursue of their dreams is just as important. (5% inspiration, 95% perspiration...) He could have emphasized merit a little more. Great book in that it gives us a lot to think about long after you've read it.
Another horizon-broadening book by Malcolm GladwellDecember 4, 2008 Curio(Calgary, Alberta, Canada) 22 out of 22 found this review helpful
In short, Mr. Gladwell's writing--his earnestness, optimism, and persuasiveness--never ceases to impress me.
He broke down trends like no one else in The Tipping Point, and was single-handedly the most convincing voice for trusting your gut reactions (in an age of numbers, facts, and analysis no less) in Blink; this guy knows how to research, and better yet, put the nuggets of wisdom he's found in psychology and science into terrifically engaging and palatable text.
And the most amazing thing is, I don't think he's doing anything new--it's the way he presents it. Where most people could do similar research into his topics and write up their own findings and support already existing and accepted thought, Malcolm succeeds because he looks at it from outside the box. He's not doing much, but he does it so well--he turns things on their head, or reveals things that sit in plain view to us, because we mostly can't see the forest for the trees.
He puts this to high form again in his latest book, and the premise is as provocative and unconventional as his previous efforts, if not more so: he argues that a person's success has much to do with such things as luck (circumstance, fortuitous or unlikely events), culture, environment growing up, and of course, practice. The last point is not terribly groundbreaking, but the rest flies in the face of what we typically credit a successful individual for. Because let's be frank, in today's era, we all strive very hard for equality and to look past a person's background or upbringing (and don't get me wrong, I support that fully), emphasizing the fact that it doesn't matter who you are or where you came from, we can all achieve great things. Turning things on their head as he does, the author takes a step back and argues that these things DO matter.
Influential people today are sometimes paid extravagant sums to tour and speak of leadership, and we see them as charismatic, pioneering folks. Nothing wrong with that, but Mr. Gladwell digs deeper, and presents convincing cases where simply what happened to someone in their lives could almost be said to predispose them to success. Bill Gates is a fascinating example he explores--the world's richest man, he's a successful figure most will not attribute a great deal of charisma to, but he got there somehow. The how of it is eye-opening stuff.
It may please many fellow Canadians when I mention the part where he looks at an NHLer's success in the league; call me biased, but it was another favourite anecdote in a book full of insights. As a prime example of what I think he does so well--revealing what's staring at us in the face all along by looking at things another way--he attributes the great successes to something as simple as birth months. He found a disproportionally large number of elite players born in January, February, and March--why is that so? You'll have to read it to find out, and it elicits one of those reactions commonly encountered in all his books: a slapped forehead, an exclamation of, "Why didn't I think of that??", and then rushing off to tell the nearest person this newest, coolest tidbit of information.
And you'll do that with this book just like with his previous two. You'll read a section of it, and feel the urge and need to share it with others because of how honestly interesting it is. In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell demonstrates again why he is one of today's most celebrated and influential voices in non-fiction; already, I eagerly await his next book!
Some Great InsightsNovember 26, 2008 Patrick Sullivan(Kingston, Ont. Canada) 15 out of 18 found this review helpful
I was a big fan of Galdwell`s first two books, the Tipping Point, and Blink. In Outliers, Gladwell tries to give insight into the story of successful people. A few of the insights such as demographics,luck, and the 10,000 hour rule, will not come as a surprise to most people. I think we are all aware that superstar athletes, and great musicians spend countless hours practicing. A little luck does not hurt either. However, there are some insights that are quite startling. The culture of honor in Kentucky, and the ethnic aspect of plane crashes, really throw the reader for a loop. In short, I would say if you enjoyed Gladwell`s other two books, you will enjoy this one as well. This guy really seems to have a talent, for spinning out a few good anecdotes.
