Brossura

ISBN 10: 0141036257 ISBN 13: 9780141036250

Casa editrice: Penguin Books, Limited (UK), 2009

Why do some people achieve so much more than others? Can they lie so far out of the ordinary? Malcolm Gladwell looks at everyone from rock stars to scientific geniuses to show that the story of success is far more surprising, and inspiring, than we ever imagined. 'Malcolm Gladwell ... has a genius for making everything he writes seem like an impossible adventure' Tim Adams, Observer'The best kind of writer - the kind who makes you feel like you're a genius, rather than he's a genius' Dominic Maxwell, The Times'I wanted to cheer or clap' William Leith, Evening Standard'Fizzingly entertaining and enlightening' Harry Ritchie, Daily Mail

Review:

Amazon Best of the Month, November 2008: Now that he's gotten us talking about the viral life of ideas and the power of gut reactions, Malcolm Gladwell poses a more provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the "self-made man," he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: "they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot." Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, "some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky."

Outliers can be enjoyed for its bits of trivia, like why most pro hockey players were born in January, how many hours of practice it takes to master a skill, why the descendents of Jewish immigrant garment workers became the most powerful lawyers in New York, how a pilots' culture impacts their crash record, how a centuries-old culture of rice farming helps Asian kids master math. But there's more to it than that. Throughout all of these examples--and in more that delve into the social benefits of lighter skin color, and the reasons for school achievement gaps--Gladwell invites conversations about the complex ways privilege manifests in our culture. He leaves us pondering the gifts of our own history, and how the world could benefit if more of our kids were granted the opportunities to fulfill their remarkable potential. --Mari Malcolm

About the Author:

Malcolm Gladwell is a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine, and author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What The Dog Saw and David and Goliath.