BOOK REVIEW_ 'David and Goliath'_ Malcolm Gladwell Upsets Conventional Wisdom on Learning...
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30/ 10/ 255 6 BOOK REVIEW: 'David and Goliath ': Malcolm Gladw ell Upsets Conv ent ional Wisdom on Le arning Dis abilities, Crime and Pu nishm ent , Tough Chil dho o… w w w. huntingt onnew s.net/75310?f ormat =print 1/ 1 http://www.huntingtonnews.net/75310 BOOK REVIEW: 'David and Goliath': Malcolm Gladwell Upsets Conventional Wi sdom on Learn ing Di sabilities, Crime and Punishme nt, Tough Childhoo ds, Ci vil Rights in Birm ingham, Good vs. Great Colleges Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 00:28 REVIEWED BY DAVID M. KINCHEN Whether you agree with his conclusions or not, in his newest book, "David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants" (Little, Brown and Company, 320 pages, illustrations, notes, index, $29.00) Malcolm Gladwell follows the admonition of Don Hewitt, th e late, great "6 0 Minutes" prod ucer: "Tell me a story ." The stories he tells include the battle of David, the Israelite shepherd boy in the Valley of Elah confronting in his own way the "invincible" Phil ist ine Goliath; accounts of people -- Brian Grazer, Gary Cohn, Dav id Boies -- who used their dyslexia to achieve success in their fields; civil rights "tricksters" in violent 1960s Birmingham, Ala., and a cancer researcher who fought to prove his theories. Wit h the wond erfu l storytelling that is on d isplay in his prev ious bestsellers -- "The Tip ping Point", "Bli nk", "Outliers" and "What the Dog Saw" — Gladwell challenges how we think about obst acles and disadvan tages, offering ways of looking at wha t it means t o be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a less than highly ranked university, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks. Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy 3,000 years ago. From there, "David and Goliath" examines Northern Ireland's troubles, the minds of cancer researchers and civil rights leaders, murder and the high costs of revenge, and the dynamics of successful and unsuccessful classrooms — all to demonstrate how much of what is beautiful and important in the world arises from what looks like suffering and adversity. As in his previous books, Gladwell in "David and Goliath" draws upon history, psychology, and powerful storytelling to reshape the way we think of the world around us. The powerful account of the battles fought by cancer researcher Dr.Jay Freireich reminded me of how Chicago, his hometown, is a graphic example of a city whose motto should be "What doesn't kil l you makes you stronger." (T he re al long-time motto of the Windy City is "I Will" -- just as good as my sugge stion). Freire ich gre up in the tough Humboldt Park neighborhood, not far from my mother's Lawndale on the city's West Side. Challenging conventional wisdom is Gladwell's strong point and he does it skillfully in "David and Goliath." I've read other books by Gladwell, but this is the first one I've reviewed. Abou t t he Au thor Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New York er since 1996. Prior to that, he was a reporter at the Washington Post . Gladwell was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. He lives in New York. His website: www.gladwell.com * * * For other books that challenge conventional wisdom, see my review of "Embrace the Chaos" by Bob Miglani: www.huntingtonnews.net/75081 And my 2011 rev iew of Alina T ugen d's "Better by Mis take": www.huntingtonnews.net/3969 And my rev iew of Peter Miller's "The Smart Swarm" http:// archive s.huntingtonne w s.net/columns/100915- ki nchen- columnsbookreview .html http://www.huntingtonnews.net/75310
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Transcript of BOOK REVIEW_ 'David and Goliath'_ Malcolm Gladwell Upsets Conventional Wisdom on Learning...
30/10/2556 BOOK REVIEW: 'David and Goliath': Malcolm Gladwell Upsets Conventional Wisdom on Learning Disabilities, Crime and Punishment, Tough Childhoo…
www.huntingtonnews.net/75310?format=print 1/1
http://www.huntingtonnews.net/75310
BOOK REVIEW: 'David and Goliath': Malcolm Gladwell Upsets Conventional
Wisdom on Learning Disabilities, Crime and Punishment, Tough Childhoods, Civil
Rights in Birmingham, Good vs. Great CollegesThursday, October 24, 2013 - 00:28
REVIEWED BY DAVID M. KINCHEN
Whether you agree with his conclusions or not, in his newest book, "David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and
the Art of Battling Giants" (Little, Brown and Company, 320 pages, illustrations, notes, index, $29.00) Malcolm
Gladwell follows the admonition of Don Hewitt, the late, great "60 Minutes" producer: "Tell me a story."
The stories he tells include the battle of David, the Israelite shepherd boy in the Valley of Elah confronting in his own way the
"invincible" Phil ist ine Goliath; accounts of people -- Brian Grazer, Gary Cohn, David Boies -- who used their dyslexia to achieve
success in their fields; civil rights "tricksters" in violent 1960s Birmingham, Ala., and a cancer researcher who fought to prove his
theories.
With the wonderful storytelling that is on display in his previous bestsellers -- "The Tipping Point", "Blink", "Outliers" and "What the
Dog Saw" — Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering ways of looking at what it means to be
discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a less than highly ranked university, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks.
Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy 3,000 years ago. From there, "David and Goliath" examines Northern
Ireland's troubles, the minds of cancer researchers and civil rights leaders, murder and the high costs of revenge, and the dynamics of successful and unsuccessful
classrooms — all to demonstrate how much of what is beautiful and important in the world arises from what looks like suffering and adversity.
As in his previous books, Gladwell in "David and Goliath" draws upon history, psychology, and powerful storytelling to reshape the way we think of the world around
us.
The powerful account of the battles fought by cancer researcher Dr.Jay Freireich reminded me of how Chicago, his hometown, is a graphic example of a city whose
motto should be "What doesn't kil l you makes you stronger." (The real long-time motto of the Windy City is "I Will" -- just as good as my suggestion). Freireich gre
up in the tough Humboldt Park neighborhood, not far from my mother's Lawndale on the city's West Side.
Challenging conventional wisdom is Gladwell's strong point and he does it skillfully in "David and Goliath." I've read other books by Gladwell, but this is the first one I've
reviewed.
About the Author Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. Prior to that, he was a reporter at the Washington Post . Gladwell was born in England and
grew up in rural Ontario. He lives in New York. His website: www.gladwell.com
* * *
For other books that challenge conventional wisdom, see my review of "Embrace the Chaos" by Bob Miglani: www.huntingtonnews.net/75081
And my 2011 review of Alina Tugend's "Better by Mistake": www.huntingtonnews.net/3969
And my review of Peter Miller's "The Smart Swarm" http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/columns/100915-kinchen-columnsbookreview.html
http://www.huntingtonnews.net/75310
