Thursday, July 18, 2013

David and Goliath


David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants Hardcover

Author: Visit Amazon's Malcolm Gladwell Page - ISBN: 0316204366 - Language: English - Format: PDF, EPUB

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*Starred Review* Gladwell’s best-sellers, such as The Tipping Point (2000) and Outliers (2008), have changed the way we think about sociological changes and the factors that contribute to high levels of success. Here he examines and challenges our concepts of “advantage” and “disadvantage” in a way that may seem intuitive to some and surprising to others. Beginning with the classic tale of David and Goliath and moving through history with figures such as Lawrence of Arabia and Martin Luther King Jr., Gladwell shows how, time and again, players labeled “underdog” use that status to their advantage and prevail through the elements of cunning and surprise. He also shows how certain academic “advantages,” such as getting into an Ivy League school, have downsides, in that being a “big fish in a small pond” at a less prestigious school can lead to greater confidence and a better chance of success in later life. Gladwell even promotes the idea of a “desirable difficulty,” such as dyslexia, a learning disability that causes much frustration for reading students but, at the same time, may force them to develop better listening and creative problem-solving skills. As usual, Gladwell presents his research in a fresh and easy-to-understand context, and he may have coined the catchphrase of the decade, “Use what you got.” --David Siegfried

Review

"Truly intriguing and inspiring, especially when Gladwell discusses 'desirable difficulties'....Gladwell's account of the journey of Dr. Emil 'Jay' Freireich is unforgettable." ---Hector Tobar, Los Angeles Times

"Provocative....David and Goliath is a lean, consuming read....The book's most crafty, engaging chapter ties together the Impressionist movement and college choices to highlight the fact that gaining admission to elite institutions, which we typically perceive as an advantage, is no guarantee of success." ---John Wilwol, San Francisco Chronicle

"As always, Gladwell's sweep is breathtaking and thought-provoking....I've long admired Gladwell's work." ---Joe Nocera, New York Times

"David and Goliath readers will travel with colorful characters who overcame great difficulties and learn fascinating facts about the Battle of Britain, cancer medicine and the struggle for civil rights, to name just a few topics upon which Mr. Gladwell's wide-ranging narrative touches. This is an entertaining book." ---Christopher F. Chabris, Wall Street Journal

"Fascinating....Gladwell is a master of synthesis. This perennially bestselling author prides himself on radical re-thinking and urges the rest of us to follow suit." ---Heller McAlpin, Washington Post

"What propels the book, like all of Gladwell's writing, is his intoxicating brand of storytelling. He is the master of mixing familiar elements with surprise counter-intuitions, and then seasoning with a sprinkling of scientific evidence....Gladwell is a master craftsman, an outlier amongst authors." ---Rob Brooks, Huffington Post

"Gladwell sells books by the millions because he is masterful at explaining how the world works---the power of critical mass, the arbitrariness of success, etc.---packaging his ideas in fun, accessible, and poignant vignettes." ---Lionel Beehner, USA Today

"Gladwell's most provocative book yet. David and Goliath challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, drawing upon history, psychology, and powerful narrative talent to rethink how we view the world around us and how to deal with the challenges life throws at us." ---Susanne Jaffe, Columbus Dispatch

"The bestselling author behind the inventive Outliers, Blink, and The Tipping Point is back with another thought provoking theory that fascinates, entertains, and informs. He gives underdogs their due this time, challenging everything readers believe about facing-and conquering-life's stumbling blocks, using the 'real' story of David and Goliath and more to make his point." ---Celeste Williams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Gladwell has made a career out of questioning conventional wisdom, and here he examines the allegedly unlikely triumph of the weak over the mighty and shows it's not so unlikely after all. 4 stars." ---Judith Newman, People Magazine

"The 50-year-old Canadian is a superstar, the most popular staff writer on The New Yorker and a hero in the frequent-flier lounge where journalism, social science, business management, and self-help hang out....It's a good story and he's got plenty more." ---Jeff Baker, The Oregonian

"Pop culture pundit Malcolm Gladwell is an idea blender, mixing concepts from vastly different sources (everything from business to science to the Bible) to produce new ways of seeing the world." ---Barbara O'Dair, Reader's Digest

"Engrossing.... Gladwell's singular gift is animating the experience of his subjects. He has an uncanny ability to simplify without being simplistic: clean and vivid Strunk and White prose in the service of peerless storytelling." ---David Takami, Seattle Times

"Contemporary society can't escape history when Malcolm Gladwell explains the world as he does with David and Goliath."---Jane Henderson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell explores the dynamics that inform and effect our everyday lives. By analyzing the Biblical account of the clash between David and Goliath, Gladwell presents a bold new interpretation of the lessons we should apply from it." ---Today Show
See all Editorial Reviews
David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell David and Goliath is an interesting yet somewhat disappointing book David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Hardcover 15 95 BN com price Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants eBook Pub Date 10 1 2013 Publisher David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants By Malcolm Gladwell Author Hardcover published by Little Brown and Company Little Brown David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell 2013 Hardcover Malcolm Gladwell 2013 The Product is in perfect Amazon com Customer Reviews David and Goliath Underdogs David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell David and Goliath is an interesting yet somewhat disappointing book

DETAILS
  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; First Edition edition (October 1, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316204366
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316204361
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
    • #3 in Books > medical books > psychology > Social Psychology & Interactions
    • #5 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Personality
    • #6 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Applied Psychology

REVIEWS

1 545 Reviews David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants Download it once and read it on your Kindle device Hardcover 15 95 1 548 Reviews David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants Download it once and read it on your Kindle device Hardcover 15 95 David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants is a non fiction book written by Malcolm Gladwell and published by Download as PDF FREE Download David and Goliath Underdogs Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants ISBN 0316204366 2013 EPUB MOBI PDF 320 pages 5 MB Listen to a sample or download David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits And the Art of Battling Giants Unabridged by Malcolm Gladwell in iTunes Download David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell narrated by Malcolm Gladwell digital audio book Get the Audible David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits the Art of Battling Giants Download Video WMV have stood for battles between underdogs and giants David 39 s victory was Malcolm Gladwell David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants ISBN 0316204366 2013 EPUB MOBI 320 pages 942 KB 1 MBListen to David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits Stream and download audiobooks to your computer Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants Malcolm Gladwell Free the David and Goliath Underdogs Misfits Goliath explores the art of battling giants through the Download Free David and Goliath Underdogs

Does having a disadvantage make you stronger in the long run? Malcolm Gladwell explores this and similar questions in his latest book. Like his previous works, Gladwell delves into the stories of many people (some famous, some not) to determine why some become wildly successful whereas others crash and burn. Are there key elements in their upbringing that push people to excel?

Two interesting observations revolve around dyslexia and the loss of a parent. Some of the most prominent people in the world are, surprisingly, dyslexic. Richard Branson, Charles Schwab, and Brian Glazer are three. A shocking 12 of the 44 U.S. Presidents, including George Washington and Barack Obama, lost their fathers when they were young. Gladwell explores the possibility that people who are faced with a major disadvantage can use it to propel them to heights they otherwise would not have achieved.

While this book is very thought-provoking, I must admit that I can't completely agree with all of it. I found some conclusions to be over-simplified. Even so, this an entertaining and worthwhile read. Gladwell fans will definitely appreciate it.

Readers of this book should also consider two others with similar themes. Gladwell's stories reminded me of my favorite recent memoir, Dr. Anthony Youn's In Stitches which explores how a young underdog overcame his insecurities to eventually become a successful physician. A fascinating story. The second book I recommend is Gladwell's
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