Book Critique: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Summary

            In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell explores certain success stories and how those successful few have been fortunate to come across their achievements. Gladwell’s overall argument is that although a great deal of determination and effort needed are needed to be successful, it is one’s opportunities, experiences, and even background that ultimately determine our success. Outliers, as Gladwell defines them, are those whose achievements stand out from others, and are in some way different from the normal expected success story. Gladwell shares experiences of success stories and confirms that opportunities such as the date or year you were born, your family background, your father and/or mother’s choices, or even your heritage can all affect your opportunities and hereafter your successes. Using shocking statistics and research, Gladwell makes a great argument for success being completely situational; you were there at the right time, and right place, and you seized the opportunity that presented itself to you.

Critique

            I am an avid reader.  However, I do not normally explore non-fiction.  I prefer the American classics, and modern-day novels and fiction.  Yet, Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers grabbed my attention instantly. He opened with a story of an Italian community in Pennsylvania who were consistently living an unusually long life, and then dying only of their old age. What made this interesting was all the medical research that went in to determine how these people managed to live so long. The only conclusion that doctors could reach was that these Italian Americans were living so long because they were happy, and the community and interactions they kept with each other allowed their lives to prosper. It is stories like these that really strike me because it shows that happiness plays a great role in success, something I have always believed. If one is truly happy with their work and their life, then no matter what level of status, recognition, or money we achieve, we can consider ourselves successful because we are doing what we love. I am in education because I have a passion for it, and this passion drives me and makes me feel successful.

            Another interesting thing about Outliers was that it did not share what I would call “normal” success stories.  I expected Gladwell to go into detail about individuals who rose from nothing and poverty, and with hard work they found their success.  This was not the case at all.  In fact, in a few of his examples, Gladwell shared stories of children who succeeded more in school because their parents had more money, and were able to give them better opportunities. Gladwell’s main emphasis for success was the circumstantial opportunities. He leads us to believe that at times, our success is out of our control.  Just like the hockey players who were better mainly because of what time of year they were born; this in turn led them to mature earlier, be picked for better teams, and have more athletic success.  Overall, I enjoyed Gladwell and his writing style, and I have chosen to pursue more of his works.