OK, this would be me. I just like the way the guy thinks. Having enjoyed The Tipping Point and Blink, I read Gladwell's latest, Outliers: The Story of Success, last week. This time Gladwell's premise is that extraordinary success in life depends not only on brains, talent, and determination, but also on circumstances, opportunities, and cultural legacies.And so Gladwell explores issues such as why Asian kids are good at math, why the most successful software entrepreneurs are primarily of a certain age, and why Eastern European Jewish immigrants became so successful in particular areas of the legal profession.
Is the premise flawless? No, of course not, and many reviewers have gone to great lengths to point that out. To those reviewers I would like to respond: lighten up.
Outliers is a quick, fun read that makes for interesting dinner conversation. Recommended.
