Malcolm Gladwell Books

Blink examines the phenomenon of snap judgments, meaning the split-second decisions we make unconsciously. These snap judgments are important decision-making tools, but can also lead to bad choices and all manner of problems. Blink explains how we can best make use of them.

• Anyone interested in intuition and decision-making
• Anyone interested in ridding themselves of their prejudices and stereotypes
• Anyone who wants to know when to trust their intuition

The Tipping Point discusses why certain ideas, products and behaviors spread like epidemics and what we can do to consciously trigger and have control over such epidemics.

• Anyone who is interested in the way ideas spread
• Anyone who wants to learn how social epidemics break out
• Anyone who works in marketing, advertising or a related field

Outliers is an examination of individuals who achieve a level of success – in math, sports, law, or any pursuit, really – so extraordinary that it lies outside the realm of normal experience.

We often think these outliers possess some mysterious innate ability that helps them rise to the top of their fields, but other factors, like family, culture or even birthdates, can have a huge effect on success, too.

• Anyone who wants to deepen his or her understanding of success and of how to achieve it
• Teachers, coaches and others in training professions
• Consulting professionals and others interested in policy reform

David and Goliath (2013) shares myriad stories of underdogs who won out against all the odds. Throwing out our traditional ideas of what it takes to be a success, it offers unconventional views on subjects such as the downsides to privilege, the benefits of learning difficulties, and how authorities should treat their citizens. These lessons are infused with academic studies, historical examples and detailed interviews with the underdogs themselves.

• Anyone looking for motivation or inspiration in their lives
• Anyone who has always wanted to know the behind-the-scenes or personal stories of well-known events in history
• Anyone interested in psychology, or crime and punishment

Talking to Strangers (2019) is a powerful exploration of how little we know about the people we don’t know. It explores how we misjudge and misunderstand strangers, sometimes with terrible consequences, making a powerful case for more tolerance and patience in our dealings with others.

• City dwellers living in a crowd of strangers
• Malcolm Gladwell fans
• Those who think they’re a good judge of character