As soon as the opportunity arose, I scoured the nearest library for Blink (affiliate link) after my friend raved about the insight she gained from its author. Unfortunately (or perhaps it was serendipity), the book’s popularity cleared it from the shelves of all the libraries in the county. Scanning what remained, I found a book by Malcolm Gladwell I hadn’t seen before called David and Goliath (affiliate link). As its subtitle suggests, the book is an ode to underdogs and misfits who face seemingly undefeatable giants.
Sticks & Stones
How do quiet communities like Le Chambon, France, stand against overbearing, nationwide dictatorship? How does a civil rights movement gain momentum despite overwhelming oppression in the days of Martin Luther King, Jr.? David and Goliath addresses these instances and others like them to show the weaknesses in so-called “power” and how those who are “disadvantaged” may have the upper hand. In each of the three sections, logical reasoning and simple language guide the reader through complex concepts towards the grand picture Gladwell paints of potential victory in the unlikely champion’s favor.
David and Goliath is for the mature reader who’s ready for light brain exercise. (But perhaps you might want another perspective before picking up the book. Read Joe Nocera’s take in “Killing Giants” from NY Times.) If you’re facing a particularly challenging situation with what appears to be the “wrong tools,” Gladwell gives the opportunity to refocus your outlook. And if you’re known to be a stickler for writing “rules,” the ones Gladwell breaks (like ending with a direct quotation) may tease your appetite for his other titles. He surely has my reading taste buds piqued. Now, if only a copy of Blink could be returned to the library . . .
★★★★½
Write Time
Which of Malcolm Gladwell’s books have you enjoyed? Have you read anything similar to David and Goliath? Are you one of the readers who’ve recently checked out Blink from the library? Let me know in the comments below!
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