How to Be Successful

November 26th, 2008Blog0 comments

Now reading:

I really liked Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point and Blink; I’ve read various criticisms of both books and I agree that Gladwell’s findings may not be entirely sound — but the anecdotes and stories he’s collected are just so darned interesting that I gobble up his books like candy.

How can you not be intrigued by a chapter that begins by describing a super-intelligent man — someone who is not only off the charts on standard IQ tests but only got one answer wrong on an IQ test specifically made for people with extremely high IQs — going on the game show One Versus 100? Gladwell starts with a very interesting real-world character and reports on his experiences in a very interesting experience that tests his supposed abilities.

That is what we call great storytelling. So for me, the science of the book isn’t as important. Sure, it argues a point, but for me that point is secondary to the stories being told. The stories are the sweet, sweet candy.