Blink
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Not worthy of being a book.
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Gerri
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Jul 07, 2011 02:24PM

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Hey Kendra... nice to "meet" you! Yeah... I'm about to start reading the Tipping Point to see if has anymore real insight. Don't get me wrong... I believe that science is inherent in every part of life, but not everything is "book worthy". Sometimes a "cigar is just a cigar!"







I think he's awesome, too!

Im not sure thats even close to the synopsis of Blink. Sounds like you didnt read it.

The positive fallout of reading this book- I bought Think! the riposte to this load of balderdash! :P

Well put! This book IS like a long magazine article. I did enjoy the real-life references, but I really didn't get much from this book in the end.

Happy New Year!

I liked it too!

Ironic that while you take the time to complain about Gladwell's books he does not even know who you are and your opinion to him, I hope, does not matter. That is exactly the point of this book.



(2), on the other hand, is, I think, a fairly silly assertion. Given that 70,000 people on here rated it an average 3.7, and assuming that the wider (much larger) actual readership's views are probably not too dissimilar, we can safely say there are plenty of people that the book's ideas aren't obvious to. If you feel that they're obvious to you, well good for you, but to say it therefore doesn't deserve to be a book and exclaim, 'duh!' suggests arrogance or a poor grasp of how others see things. Or both.
In fact, summarising the (entire!) books key lessons in a line or two, it would be easy for people to say 'I knew that', or at least 'I guess I knew that'. I'd be very surprised, however, if all of those people actually lived in a way where they never fell into the traps the book outlines, which is kinda the point. Knowing something and living it are two different things.
I also think it's a little ironic to say 'DUH!' to Malcolm on a site where 70,000 people liked his book to an average on 3.7, and then complain about being insulted. If you didn't get the book, or don't think you need it, why not write about a book you did like, or at least phrase your criticisms of this book in a way that isn't so pugnacious.

I use my ability to 'size up' unfolding scenarios, people in them and the things involved 'in a blink of an eye' everyday...It's a strength that's taken me from being one of the many minor players to one of leadership in all kinds of situations, it's even helped save a few lives, (both mine and a few others).
It was a joy to see it put down on paper in such an easily read format that forgoes the technical linguistic jargon and just offers smoothly well written examples to explain the theories behind this very special ability.



I like this approach too.

If you didn't like - 'BLINK', you will not like The Tipping point for sure.
I liked them both, though, I agree with most here that the thought was better suit to an article rather than a full length book. I was longing for the end, however the real life references were nice!

Before I read the book I "thin-sliced" that it would be trivial. Should have listened...--JWP.

Which it did.


I'm actually in the middle of it. But I either haven't yet reached "unpacking the face" or don't recall that term. And the index isn't helping enough.


I also really enjoyed his thinking and therefore the book.

I believe you are talking about the research of Silvan Tomkins and Paul Ekman.


But then I remembered, Gladwell is a journalist. This isn't written by a scientist - it's like a long human interest piece. It was fun to read, but if you were reading it to learn something, like how to make better decisions in a snap, or how to harness the hidden powers of the human brain, you are in the wrong place.
If you accept that, I think it becomes a much more enjoyable book - you won't be waiting for the second foot to drop.

I disagree.
I think the author makes some good observations backed by appropriate research on how our brain works in regards to assimilating information and making decisions.
I definitely didn't think it was his best work and his preoccupation with certain individuals became tedious but overall I think it was worth the read.
Not one I would read twice, but not disappointed I read it once.

I'm with you guys. I love Gladwell and read everything of his. I think the trends he finds are fascinating to think about. I guess I'm not as concerned about some people as to whether they are "scientific." I just find them interesting, and, to me, the mass of anecdotal evidence he finds makes it compelling. My husband regularly find examples from Tipping Point and Outliers in our daily lives--don't you know a "maven'??

I definitely didn't think it was his best work and his preoccupation with certain individuals became tedious but overall I think it was worth the read.
Not one I would read twice, but not disappointed I read it once."
I completely agree.

I've got a feeling GoodReads is chock full of mavens on a wide variety of topics.

I really enjoy Gladwell as an author. He makes sense and brings out the normally boring details in reading people, and makes it applicable to our current lifestyle. In a society where we are rushing around hurrying to get from one place to another while syncing our calendars to our iPhones, we WILL miss it if we Blink! Taking the time to think about what Gladwell says and to look for these things in ourselves as well as others is an underlying theme of Blink. It's a great book and I'm proud to be one of the odd ones!
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