8.6.2010
Malcolm Gladwell’s third book elegantly tells the story of success. Many people share the perception that success is a natural result of a person’s talent, IQ, or other natural propensity unique to that individual and that success does not hinge on the habitat the person occupies. Gladwell argues that success actually depends in large part on the environment of the individual and less on their personal talents.
Gladwell supports his claims with a variety of examples ranging from such magnates as Bill Gates to the Asian propensity for mathematical skill. Well-written and engaging, Outliers challenges our understanding of success and does a great job presenting and justifying an alternative view.
I came away from the book thinking about what kind of wave of opportunity—unique to my age, skills, and community—I can ride into success. Each of the people mentioned were presented with an opportunity that required their distinct experiences and background to be fully exploited, which set me to considering my own situation and opportunities.
In addition to Gladwell’s superb writing style, Meryl Levavi and Allison Warner have done a great job with the design; the book features excellent typography throughout and is very pleasing aesthetically.