Outliers: The Story of Success

"Outliers", like other Gladwell books, is very enjoyable. It offers some interesting perspectives about what makes some people more successful than others, with particular emphasis on those who far exceed expectations. Many of the book's criticisms focus on what the book is not. I think that is a mistake. This is simply a fine book, a very thoughtful and easy read. The book goes into how one's ethnic roots and specific opportunities set the stage for dramatic success, then working hard takes over. For example: 1. An ancestral emphasis on community involvement can lead to health results which beat the odds. 2. The date of one's birth can affect athletic and academic success, as the oldest in a group of youth, will lead to the 'Matthew Effect', better coaching/teaching, more games/practice, etc. There is an accumulative advantage. On a list of the wealthiest people of all-time, besides opportunity showing up with so many from America, among that group, being born around 1835 and around 1955 stand out, to take advantage of when railroads and Wall Street emerged and when computer time-sharing emerged, respectively. 3. The 10,000 hour rule. Gladwell thinks about 10,000 hours of concentrating at a skill is necessary to excel at something. 4. Whether it is height in basketball or IQ, just being tall enough or intelligent enough is all that really matters, same with colleges as long as they are good enough. Practical intelligence, knowledge and savvy are what really counts and family background is the key to having those. Parents should be involved with their children, with lots of negotiating and expectations of child talk-back, necessary to cause a child to develop a sense of entitlement, maybe not the most moral approach, but extreme success madates that. 5. Jewish immigrants had advantage of occupational skills, like in the garment industry - enterpreneurial skills versus other immigrants like peasant farmers. Work was more meaningful. Their offspring saw this, plus NYC public schools were probably the best in the world at the time. 6. Harlan, Kentucky is an example of herdsmen settlers, with a culture of honor from Scotch-Irish ancestors, influenced descendants, Gladwell saying that crime in the South more influenced more by personal than economic reasons. Certain 'insult' words have bigger effect. 7. Plane crashes are more from human errors in teamwork and communication. Cultural respect for authority a big factor; can keep a subordinate from directing a superior in an emergency. Plus, 'mitigated speech' can be a problem. Can be remedied by training in 'Aviation English'. 8. Asians being better in Math, likely related to ancestral tradition of rice paddies, which are complicated and require hard work throughout the year. Western farming is more mechanical with usually an off-season with little work. Here again, more meaningful and hard work. Plus, Asians learn to count faster because of language differences for numbers. 9. K.I.P.P. Academy in the Bronx, charter middle school, is successful because it has long school days and short summer vacations, with students who commit to work hard. Studies have shown schools generally do well when they are in session, the problem are kids losing ground without good parental involvement during summer vacation. So, it is possible to make up for poor childhood family situations. Makes school meaningful. Incentives, rewards, fun and discipline is the formula. A terrific book.

There is little doubt that Malcolm Gladwell is an engaging story teller, clearly a result of his his background as a journalist. His style is both easy to read and informative. The individuals whose lives and stories he uses to illustrate his points are at once interesting and at the same time well chosen to illuminate the issues under his social microscope. These are stories told with enough detail, often gleaned from personal interviews with the people at whom he chooses to look in intimate detail. He avoids in large measure the narrow vision that such inspection may yield by also investigating the social sciences that have searched out the details of such difficult concepts. Everyone has some idea who "makes it" and who does not. That is often easy to see because life rewards those who make great effort in general. The difficult part is understanding why some succeed so well and others who may be even more gifted do not, at least in terms of the world's way of rewarding the star performers. It is often the grist of of rumor and innuendo as to why or how some people make it to the top of the "food chain." But to analyze the reasons carefully and then apply the scientific data of real studies to those stories brings this clearly into the realm of reality, if we ever really know that that is. As one who has spent a lifetime trying to apply the results of scientific study to the real world I found his approach noteworthy because of its practical applicability. I have read many dry textbooks, articles and studies and sometimes had difficulty seeing their real world application. But these stories are very illustrative of the points Mr. Gladwell is attempting to help us see with clarity. I enjoyed very much reading this work and wondering if it would have made some difference in the way I lived my own life and what I may have accomplished had I applied the message of its pages. I think that this can help everyone with ambition and ability to achieve more and those who may not have as much of a gift do well with what they have inasmuch as he clearly points out that achievement of greatness is often the result of great effort and application of what natural ability one has. I liked the "10,000 hours" as a real world application of what it takes to do it well. There is just enough science to give the work credibility, but not make it dry or over the heads of most. This and all the others of Gladwell's work that I have read have that same engaging style, enough to help one understand and believe it and enough of the stories of real people to make it interesting and applicable. I have recommended this book to my friends and family, especially those who are in the fields of childhood education or influence and who are either children growing up in this competitive society or raising children themselves. Everyone has something to learn from this either about themselves, those they may seek to help and those whom they may choose to emulate. I liked this book. I read it on my kindle, standing in line, sitting waiting or just absorbed by its message. It was hard to put down. This was the first of Mr. Gladwell's works I read, but then quickly read others which seem to have the same merit.

This amazing books gives some hints "Why you should challenge odds. How you should raise childs". "10000 hours, self-discipline, environment and the luck and time "

Like other Gladwell’s books this is very insightful and interesting, inspiring and fun account of success. Recommended!

احب الكتب المتوسطه ماتناسبني القراءة بكتاب صغير خصوصا بلغة اخرى - النسخة سليمة لكن الحجم صغير

one of the least books i read till the end

Malcolm Gladwell is an excellent writer. Once I started reading I have not been able to put this book down. It is telling the succes story of different people : from hockeyplayers to lawyers, Bill Gates, children from poor families in NY suburbs and explains why airplane crashes happen. Everybody can be an outlier if life 's opportunities are lined up in the right way.