"Outliers"

by Malcolm Gladwell, 2008, 285p, rating=4.5

Wow! What a fascinating book! I was captivated from the get go!! Bare in mind that this is not a novel. More like a textbook. In fact you will find this under non-fiction. Anyway, it can be a tedious read since this can serve as a reference book. This even contains an index section! Yet, the way Mr. Gladwell compiled this thesis gave it flow that by book end, he has given you a feel of a novel with the added bonus of coming out intellectually fed! Whether or not his conclusions are disputable, they were undoubtedly convincing and interesting.

I am paralyzed. Where do I start? ...OK, the title is where he started. The definition of outlier (so glad he did, 'cause I was totally wondering what the heck that meant!): noun, (1) something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body, (2) a statistical observation that is markedly different in value from the others of the sample. All right, so we discover that he will talk about the successful elites. Who they are, how they got there, and everything in between. Wow! This book has it all ... philosophy, sociology, anthropology, statistics, mathematics, history, science, etc. I was daydreaming back to my university years. I was reliving the wonderful feast of knowledge I found there. Now I want to go back (take away the exam anxieties though ...hehehe) to learn more and more and more! Anyhow, prepare for a spoiler ... Mr. Gladwell concludes, "They are products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy. Their success is not exceptional or mysterious. It is grounded in a web of advantages and inheritances, some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky--but all critical to making them who they are. The outlier, in the end, is not an outlier at all." pg 285.

My big take out ... WORK HARD! You want to be successful? Then find meaningful work, work hard, seize opportunities, and pray for luck.

Thanks Chique for putting Mr. Gladwell on my radar.