Outliers: The Story of Success – Malcolm Gladwell

(June 27, 2010) – Gladwell says this is the most personal of all the books he has written, and the very last section details his mother’s family history. He stresses the importance of community and opportunity. Sometimes those things are created by chance, sometimes not. He talks about education in the US and how poorer children suffer a disadvantage because of summer vacations. He says this: “The world we could have is so much richer than the world we have settled for.” It’s about creating the opportunities for people to work hard, and while sometimes we have no control over certain factors like when we are born, he shows how we have the ability to change other things that do create more opportunities for more people. Overall, I think it’s a very optimistic book that brings a reality check to our notions of genius and ability. He stresses often that hard work and perseverance are also very key factors. I highly recommend the book!