This Is Revisionist History

Cover Image for the collection 'This Is Revisionist History'

Discover the hidden stories from history's most intriguing events

By The Blinkist Curators

What's it about?

History Society & Culture Psychology Politics

What can we learn from the past? Sometimes it's not what we think it might be. This collection brings you our top Shortcast episodes from author Malcolm Gladwell's acclaimed show, Revisionist History. It's thought-provoking, sometimes counterintuitive—and always eye-opening.

This Is Revisionist History

Discover the hidden stories from history's most intriguing events

Creativity: Hallelujah

Creativity: Hallelujah

What separates those who are able to realize their creative visions from those who can't? One might assume the answer is talent. But in this episode exploring the varying nature of the creative process, Malcolm Gladwell discovers why we shouldn't be discouraged if our first attempts are unsuccessful—and how time and iteration were essential to some of the world's most revered creative works.

Philanthropic Philosophy: My Little Hundred Million

Philanthropic Philosophy: My Little Hundred Million

In the early 1990's Hank Rowan gave $100 million to a tiny university in New Jersey—an act that sparked an explosion in educational philanthropy. Not all who gave, however, gave in the same way as Rowan did. In this episode, Malcolm Gladwell explores the weak link vs strong link dichotomy, how it plays out in philanthropy, and how we can apply it to our own lives when making decisions.

Problem Solving: General Chapman's Last Stand

Problem Solving: General Chapman's Last Stand

How does a carefully laid strategy go so very wrong that it ends up achieving exactly the opposite of what it set out to do? You can find a perfect example of this in the US's fraught border-control history and the idealistic military man behind it all: General Leonard F. Chapman's. This is a story about nuances, realism, and why trusting our instincts in complex problem solving isn't always the best solution.

Hiring: Hamlet Was Wrong

Hiring: Hamlet Was Wrong

What’s Malcolm Gladwell’s preferred strategy for hiring? No strategy. That’s it. As a self-defined ‘hiring nihilist’ he explains how we often waste time and miss out on great employees through our best laid plans, and why it can be more effective to let these go. For those of us who consider ourselves "overthinkers", this is a fantastic reminder that sometimes it's best to just take a chance.

Society & Culture: The Satire Paradox

Society & Culture: The Satire Paradox

A lot of the time these days, we turn to the news—and then we turn to the satire of the news. Satire allows you to say almost anything. It’s where truth is spoken to power in our society. But how much of that truth makes it beyond the laughs and really changes minds? And what does the best satire have that allows it to achieve both?

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