Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 302
EAN: 9780316017923
ISBN: 0316017922
Label: Little, Brown and Company
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 320
Publication Date: November 18, 2008
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Studio: Little, Brown and Company

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Editorial Review:

Amazon.com Review:
Amazon Best of the Month, November 2008: 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



Product Description:
In this stunning new 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.




Rating: - Read it, but keep an open mind.
This book is an excellent read if you've ever posed the questions about success and upbringing that the author has on his mind. It's entertaining in this way, and makes some truly excellent points.

I'd like to make a couple of points about the presumptions of the book, though:

First, the importance of success in our culture is obvious, and of course, Gladwell never questions it. Success in career, and to a lesser extent money, is simply treated as everyone's ultimate goal. ... Read More

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Rating: - Gives You A Lot to Think ABout!
My hubby got this book for Christmas, and we both read it at the beach over the holidays. It was a quick read, but the facts and numbers and continual restating of what you had previously read did bog us down somewhat. If you like trivia or like knowing useless info about others, this is your type of book. Otherwise, the material is nothing to write home about (or Amazon?)

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Rating: - Good for at least one 'ah ha' moment.
I have ready many books in my life and there are only a few which have any 'ah ha' moments for me. Outliers has one which I like: 10,000 hours. Terry Orlick in 'The Pursuit of Excellence' talks about someone needing a number (a lot) of hours in performing a skill, over and over again, in order to excel at it. Malcolm actually defines it: 10,000 hours. It is a rough guess, but it at least puts a stake in the ground. In researching neuronets and trying to define how many times in which a task or thought ... Read More

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Rating: - Insightful
In Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell offered an informed insight into the true keys to success. Its not just about one's intelligence quotient, but relies heavily on one's emotional intelligence.

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Rating: - A Novel Insight
Gladwell provides a novel perspective on why some have made brilliant successes of their careers. Unfortunately, it is long on anecdote and short on analysis of the ecofactors that govern people's lives. There are no lessons for anyone who wishes to emulate Bill Gates. Its still a matter of talent, drive and opportunity.

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