Outliers
The Story of Success
Book - 2008
0316017922
9780316017930


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Quotes
Add a Quote"... the Beatles didn't recoil in horror when they were told they had to play eight hours a night, seven days a week [for early gigs in Germany]. They jumped at the chance. Hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Once it does, it becomes the kind of thing that makes you [successful] ...". (p. 150)
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Add a Summary"... We are so caught in the myths of the best and the brightest and the self-made that we think outliers spring naturally [into existence] ... But that's the wrong lesson. ... To build a better world we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages that today determine success ... with a society that provides opportunities for all. ... The outlier, in the end, is not an outlier at all." (p. 268, 285)

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Add a CommentVery interesting and enlightening book!
The majority of people wish to achieve some level of success, but are unsure of how to go about it. Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell examines the principles of success as well as the success stories of some of the most accomplished people, pointing out certain patterns and universal truths. He explores every aspect of success, from things as obvious as habits to topics as seemingly trivial as the day you were born. It is not about the debate over if it pure hard work or sheer luck that make a person successful; rather, it a combination of a variety of different factors, and it can even be generational. He emphasizes the notion that it is less about being a genius than being savvy enough to recognize certain opportunities and pursuing them.
Although some people dislike nonfiction books, especially those focused on self-improvement, I believe that are crucial because they do exactly that, help people improve themselves. It is definitely one of the most motivating books out there, and extremely famous at that too. This is a must when trying to understand what success truly is, and how to achieve it. My favorite part is that it dispels the notion that one has to be a genius or extremely rich to succeed. Instead, he explains the threshold principle in a way that is easy to understand for everyone, succinctly making his points in a effective manner.
This book is perfect for anyone who seeks to become a better person than they were the day before, who is self-motivated and willing to take action on their desire to achieve success. Individuals who are old and young can apply these principles, and you might just find yourself in a more productive, successful life soon enough!
Age rating: 10+
Star rating: 5 stars
Kind of uneven. I thought the book started strong but lost course and by the end turned into a nostalgia trip. He has a formula and it is entertaining, but I wanted a little more concreteness. There were a lot of statements that we (as readers) are to assume are facts even though there wasn't a lot of supporting evidence.
I enjoy Malcom Gladwell's work because of his talent for making me see the world in a different way. He pulls together information to make you realize that although you thought you understood how something works, there is really more involved than you realized. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Outliers is a nonfiction book by Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers is a book about the best, and how they became the best. He argues that these outliers are not only outliers because of their abilities but also because of how they were nurtured and the opportunities that they were presented. Gladwell includes many instances of anecdotal evidence from The Beatles to Bill Gates. The book is not very scientific but rather looks at trends by analyzing successful people. This book has also popularized the theory that it takes 10000 hours of deliberate practice to master a skill. Overall this book is highly interesting and an enjoyable read but it does lack scientific evidence to back it up. I would rate Outliers four out of five stars.
@Nessie of the Hamilton Public Library's Teen Review Board
This is one of the most impactful books I've read recently. Gladwell presents us with a well-constructed and thought-provoking examination of the factors that lead to success, and also the dynamics that get in the way.
This book is very well researched. It teaches us how opportunity plays a critical role in the success of the individual.
A revealing quote:
"No successful person succeeds of their own efforts. They are products of their times, places, and environments."
Reading a Malcolm Gladwell book is like peeling the layers of an onion but without the tears. Layers and layers of thought. Always thought provoking.
Highly enjoyed this book.
Another book to make you see things differently. This time it is the concept of personal success which, if you believe the author’s research (and it makes sense), is due more to the good luck of timing, opportunity and cultural legacy (a new concept for me) than intelligence and ambition. It became more interesting the further I read and caused me to sit and think about the course of my own life. I think this could be a valuable book for anyone to read - maybe especially would-be parents.