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Publisher’s Summary:
Why did crime in New York drop so suddenly in the mid-90s? How does an unknown novelist end up a best-selling author? Why is teenage smoking out of control, when everyone knows smoking kills? What makes TV shows like Sesame Street so good at teaching kids how to read? Why did Paul Revere succeed with his famous warning?
In this brilliant and groundbreaking book, New Yorkerwriter Malcolm Gladwell looks at why major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Ideas, behavior, messages, and products, he argues, often spread like outbreaks of infectious disease. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a few fare-beaters and graffiti artists fuel a subway crime wave, or a satisfied customer fill the empty tables of a new restaurant. These are social epidemics, and the moment when they take off, when they reach their critical mass, is the Tipping Point.
In The Tipping Point, Gladwell introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends, the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. He analyzes fashion trends, smoking, children’s television, direct mail, and the early days of the American Revolution for clues about making ideas infectious, and visits a religious commune, a successful high-tech company, and one of the world’s greatest salesmen to show how to start and sustain social epidemics.
The Tipping Point is an intellectual adventure story written with an infectious enthusiasm for the power and joy of new ideas. Most of all, it is a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message, that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world.
Many moons ago on a blog far, far away (okay, not really…it was back in April), I posted my review of Freakonomics. Rebecca at The Book Lady’s Blog commented:
I also loved this one and thought the authors did a great job bringing topics that could be boring to life. It’s an interesting companion read to The Tipping Point, since they tackle some of the same issues but respond to them differently, but I think this one is much more substantive and well-written. Gladwell is flashy, but these guys really know their stuff.
I think Rebecca does a bang-up job of summarizing the differences. Freakonomics impressed me. I found it believable and thought-provoking. Gladwell, on the other hand, annoyed me at times. I think he gives a little too much credit to too few individuals. And while I don’t doubt that certain people are influential, especially compared to me, I didn’t like feeling like I was only 1 centimeter high in comparison to his mavens and trend-setters.
So, I think that’s the end of my Gladwell reading (or listening, in this case). I did just download the audio of Gang Leader for a Day, and I’m pretty excited about listening to that one.
I remember finding The Tipping Point interesting when I read it a few years ago, but I also had that 1 centimeter high feeling that you had. Perhaps I’ll read Freakonomics one of these days.
.-= charley´s last blog ..The 25th Hour =-.
I highly recommend Freakonomics…and I never thought I would say that about an economics book.
Have you read any other Gladwell books? I liked Blink A LOT more than this one. I’ll hope you’ll give him another chance for that one…
.-= Lahni´s last blog ..Book Review: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood =-.
Hmmmm. Maybe someday? Just not anytime soon.
I haven’t tried any of Gladwell’s work – for some reason, it just doesn’t appeal to me – even though lots of people seem to like it.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Review and Giveaway: Stray Affections =-.
I don’t think I ever would have read it…but I like to try different things on audio.
I’m sad you didn’t enjoy this one because I’m really looking forward to reading it at some point. I’ve read Gladwell’s other two books, Blink and Outliers, and LOVED them both. I’m sure I’ll still try out The Tipping Point eventually but I still wish (for you) that it would have been better!
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie =-.
I think your blog is where I first became aware of Gladwell!
Totally in Jill-sync with your reaction to Gladwell. He gives science a bad name.
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..September 11, 2001 – A Memorial =-.
I want more books like Freakonomics…got any recommendations?
The topic of this book is really interesting. I haven’t read this or FREAKONOMICS, but you’ve got me curious, especially about FREAKONOMICS.
.-= Literary Feline´s last blog ..Review: Shades of Grey by Clea Simon =-.
Freakonomics rocks!
Well! I won’t anyways read this one… I don’t know… I kind of have never read such books.
.-= Veens´s last blog ..WINNERS!~!!!!!!!!!!! =-.
I liked both “the Tipping Point” and “Freakomomics”. My favorite part about Freakonomics was the part about naming trends and how you can tell a person’s class about what type of name is/are picked for their child(ren).
“The Tipping Point” is the only one of Gladwell’s books I’ve read, but I liked it enough that I’m keeping my eye out for the rest of his books, although I’m in no hurry due to my TBR pile!!
.-= Valerie´s last blog ..Nick Hornby’s “The Polysyllabic Spree” =-.
Oh I loved “Freakonomics”! I felt so smart reading it … the only economics book I ever voluntarily read and enjoyed!!!
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..BBAW Writing Prompt of the Day: My Own Shortlist of Book Blogs =-.
I loved Tipping Point, but I wouldn’t have thought it would be a good book to listen to – perhaps if you’d read the print version you’d have liked it?
I don’t know why it lead you to feeling small – I think of all us book bloggers as mavens – we are the ones with all the knowledge about books – spreading the word about the best ones. We can help a book (The Hunger Games for example) become a big seller – don’t feel small – you are a tall maven!!
PS. I loved Freakonomics too!
.-= Jackie (Farm Lane Books)´s last blog ..Hotel du Lac – Anita Brookner =-.
Freakonomics was definitely better that Tipping Point imho. I love books with theories, stats, and info like these both have, but the difference for me was that Freakonomics made me feel like the authors were really into sharing their info and backing it up with concrete facts when available, whereas Tipping Point felt like a thesis that goes on too long and never comes back to a conclusion.
.-= Joanne´s last blog ..Six Sentence Saturday v.2 =-.