Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Reading Level: Adult Non-fiction

This is a book by Malcolm Gladwell that cannot be put down. Unlike, "The Tipping Point," which gets bogged down in minutia, this book is an easy read. Unfortunately, the information in it is life-changing, as Gladwell joyfully debunks the myths we have about talent and success. In it, step by step, he shows how nurture not nature creates sports stars and musical geniuses. It makes it difficult to read any other biography after this, as, if we accept Gladwell's examples as fact, than the only think that made Mozart a better musician than Salieri was the amount of time he practiced. Reading the book makes it difficult to say that a child is "talented" or "has an aptitude for" anything, but causes the reader to look more deeply into the factors that contributed to someones skill.

He uses examples from various realms, from the Canadian soccer leagues, to the boy billionaires of the computer age, and explains why certain people are pre-determined to succeed. While it is disheartening to read, it is also uplifting when combined with the new book about "Tiger Mothers," for both reinforce the message that it is only hard work and the magical "10,000 hours" that make for success in a particular field.

Submitted by Gertrude