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Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering
Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand-new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light.
Why is Miami…Miami? What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do Ivy League schools care so much about sports? What is the Magic Third, and what does it mean for racial harmony? In this provocative new work, Malcolm Gladwell returns for the first time in twenty-five years to the subject of social epidemics and tipping points, this time with the aim of explaining the dark side of contagious phenomena.
Through a series of riveting stories, Gladwell traces the rise of a new and troubling form of social engineering. He takes us to the streets of Los Angeles to meet the world’s most successful bank robbers, rediscovers a forgotten television show from the 1970s that changed the world, visits the site of a historic experiment on a tiny cul-de-sac in northern California, and offers an alternate history of two of the biggest epidemics of our day: COVID and the opioid crisis. Revenge of the Tipping Point is Gladwell’s most personal book yet. With his characteristic mix of storytelling and social science, he offers a guide to making sense of the contagions of modern world. It’s time we took tipping points seriously.
Why is Miami…Miami? What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do Ivy League schools care so much about sports? What is the Magic Third, and what does it mean for racial harmony? In this provocative new work, Malcolm Gladwell returns for the first time in twenty-five years to the subject of social epidemics and tipping points, this time with the aim of explaining the dark side of contagious phenomena.
Through a series of riveting stories, Gladwell traces the rise of a new and troubling form of social engineering. He takes us to the streets of Los Angeles to meet the world’s most successful bank robbers, rediscovers a forgotten television show from the 1970s that changed the world, visits the site of a historic experiment on a tiny cul-de-sac in northern California, and offers an alternate history of two of the biggest epidemics of our day: COVID and the opioid crisis. Revenge of the Tipping Point is Gladwell’s most personal book yet. With his characteristic mix of storytelling and social science, he offers a guide to making sense of the contagions of modern world. It’s time we took tipping points seriously.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2024
About the author
Malcolm Gladwell
114 books37.2k followersMalcolm Timothy Gladwell is a Canadian journalist, author, and public speaker. He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996. He has published seven books. He is also the host of the podcast Revisionist History and co-founder of the podcast company Pushkin Industries.
Gladwell's writings often deal with the unexpected implications of research in the social sciences, such as sociology and psychology, and make frequent and extended use of academic work. Gladwell was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2011.
Gladwell's writings often deal with the unexpected implications of research in the social sciences, such as sociology and psychology, and make frequent and extended use of academic work. Gladwell was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 817 reviews
August 31, 2024
A Thought-Provoking Journey Through Social Epidemics
We humans have an insatiable desire to understand the world around us—to make sense of the seemingly random events and trends that shape our societies. Few writers have tapped into this curiosity as successfully as Malcolm Gladwell. Twenty-five years ago, his runaway bestseller The Tipping Point provided a framework for understanding how ideas, behaviors, and products spread like viruses through populations. Now, in a fascinating return to form, Gladwell revisits this territory with Revenge of the Tipping Point—a book that both builds on and challenges his earlier insights in surprising ways.
As I dove into this book, I found myself swept up once again by Gladwell's signature blend of compelling anecdotes, social science research, and big ideas. But there's a darker, more complex tone to this work that reflects how our understanding of social contagion has evolved over the past quarter century. Where The Tipping Point was brimming with optimism about our ability to engineer positive change, Revenge grapples with the unintended consequences and ethical dilemmas that arise when we try to manipulate social dynamics.
A Tour de Force of Storytelling and Analysis
True to form, Gladwell takes readers on a globe-trotting adventure, weaving together seemingly disparate threads into a rich tapestry of insight. We visit 1980s Los Angeles to unravel the mystery of a bank robbery epidemic. We travel to a small cul-de-sac in Northern California where an idealistic experiment in racial integration yields unexpected lessons. And we even take a detour into the world of cheetah conservation to understand the dangers of monocultures.
At every turn, Gladwell challenges our assumptions and forces us to look at familiar phenomena through fresh eyes. His exploration of how Miami became...well, Miami...is particularly illuminating. By tracing the confluence of drug money, demographic shifts, and institutional collapse in 1980, he paints a vivid picture of how a city's character can change virtually overnight. This sets the stage for one of the book's central themes—the power of overstories in shaping human behavior.
The Magic of the Third and Other Key Insights
One of Gladwell's most intriguing concepts is what he dubs "the Magic Third." Drawing on research into group dynamics, he argues that profound shifts occur when a minority reaches roughly one-third of a population. This insight is applied to everything from corporate boardrooms to classroom integration, offering a fresh perspective on diversity and inclusion efforts.
Equally compelling is Gladwell's exploration of superspreaders—those rare individuals who play an outsized role in propagating ideas, behaviors, or even diseases. His analysis of how a single conference attendee sparked a massive COVID outbreak is both fascinating and chilling. It forces us to reckon with the ethical implications of identifying and potentially restricting these influential outliers.
A More Nuanced View of Social Engineering
Where Revenge of the Tipping Point truly shines is in its exploration of social engineering - deliberate attempts to shape group behavior. Gladwell takes us behind the scenes of Harvard's admissions process, revealing how the university uses sports teams to maintain certain demographic ratios. He delves into the history of triplicate prescription forms and their surprising impact on the opioid crisis. These case studies highlight both the power and peril of trying to manipulate social dynamics.
Throughout the book, Gladwell grapples with thorny ethical questions. When is it acceptable to engineer social outcomes? Who gets to decide? What happens when well-intentioned interventions backfire? He doesn't offer easy answers, but he does provide a framework for thinking through these complex issues.
Gladwell's Evolution as a Writer and Thinker
Longtime Gladwell readers will notice a shift in tone and approach in Revenge of the Tipping Point. While his trademark storytelling prowess remains on full display, there's a greater emphasis on synthesizing complex ideas and grappling with contradictions. This book feels more personal, with Gladwell occasionally inserting himself into the narrative and reflecting on how his own thinking has evolved.
The result is a work that feels both familiar and fresh. Gladwell's ability to distill academic research into accessible prose remains unparalleled. But there's a newfound depth and nuance to his analysis that reflects his growth as a writer and thinker over the past 25 years.
A Few Minor Quibbles
No book is perfect, and Revenge of the Tipping Point does have a few minor weaknesses. At times, Gladwell's anecdotes can feel a bit too neatly packaged, leaving the reader wondering if messy real-world complexities have been smoothed over for narrative effect. Additionally, some of his leaps between seemingly unrelated topics can be jarring, even if they ultimately pay off.
These are small critiques, however, in the face of such an ambitious and thought-provoking work. Gladwell's ability to synthesize disparate ideas and present them in a compelling narrative format remains unparalleled.
A Worthy Successor to a Modern Classic
Revenge of the Tipping Point is not merely a rehash of Gladwell's earlier work - it's a substantial evolution of his ideas that reflects how our understanding of social dynamics has grown more sophisticated (and perhaps more cynical) over the past quarter century. It's a book that will appeal to longtime fans while also serving as an excellent entry point for those new to Gladwell's work.
Like all great non-fiction, this book doesn't just inform - it changes the way you see the world. After reading it, you'll find yourself noticing potential tipping points everywhere, from office politics to global events. You'll be more attuned to the hidden forces shaping group behavior and more skeptical of simplistic explanations for complex social phenomena.
We humans have an insatiable desire to understand the world around us—to make sense of the seemingly random events and trends that shape our societies. Few writers have tapped into this curiosity as successfully as Malcolm Gladwell. Twenty-five years ago, his runaway bestseller The Tipping Point provided a framework for understanding how ideas, behaviors, and products spread like viruses through populations. Now, in a fascinating return to form, Gladwell revisits this territory with Revenge of the Tipping Point—a book that both builds on and challenges his earlier insights in surprising ways.
As I dove into this book, I found myself swept up once again by Gladwell's signature blend of compelling anecdotes, social science research, and big ideas. But there's a darker, more complex tone to this work that reflects how our understanding of social contagion has evolved over the past quarter century. Where The Tipping Point was brimming with optimism about our ability to engineer positive change, Revenge grapples with the unintended consequences and ethical dilemmas that arise when we try to manipulate social dynamics.
A Tour de Force of Storytelling and Analysis
True to form, Gladwell takes readers on a globe-trotting adventure, weaving together seemingly disparate threads into a rich tapestry of insight. We visit 1980s Los Angeles to unravel the mystery of a bank robbery epidemic. We travel to a small cul-de-sac in Northern California where an idealistic experiment in racial integration yields unexpected lessons. And we even take a detour into the world of cheetah conservation to understand the dangers of monocultures.
At every turn, Gladwell challenges our assumptions and forces us to look at familiar phenomena through fresh eyes. His exploration of how Miami became...well, Miami...is particularly illuminating. By tracing the confluence of drug money, demographic shifts, and institutional collapse in 1980, he paints a vivid picture of how a city's character can change virtually overnight. This sets the stage for one of the book's central themes—the power of overstories in shaping human behavior.
The Magic of the Third and Other Key Insights
One of Gladwell's most intriguing concepts is what he dubs "the Magic Third." Drawing on research into group dynamics, he argues that profound shifts occur when a minority reaches roughly one-third of a population. This insight is applied to everything from corporate boardrooms to classroom integration, offering a fresh perspective on diversity and inclusion efforts.
Equally compelling is Gladwell's exploration of superspreaders—those rare individuals who play an outsized role in propagating ideas, behaviors, or even diseases. His analysis of how a single conference attendee sparked a massive COVID outbreak is both fascinating and chilling. It forces us to reckon with the ethical implications of identifying and potentially restricting these influential outliers.
A More Nuanced View of Social Engineering
Where Revenge of the Tipping Point truly shines is in its exploration of social engineering - deliberate attempts to shape group behavior. Gladwell takes us behind the scenes of Harvard's admissions process, revealing how the university uses sports teams to maintain certain demographic ratios. He delves into the history of triplicate prescription forms and their surprising impact on the opioid crisis. These case studies highlight both the power and peril of trying to manipulate social dynamics.
Throughout the book, Gladwell grapples with thorny ethical questions. When is it acceptable to engineer social outcomes? Who gets to decide? What happens when well-intentioned interventions backfire? He doesn't offer easy answers, but he does provide a framework for thinking through these complex issues.
Gladwell's Evolution as a Writer and Thinker
Longtime Gladwell readers will notice a shift in tone and approach in Revenge of the Tipping Point. While his trademark storytelling prowess remains on full display, there's a greater emphasis on synthesizing complex ideas and grappling with contradictions. This book feels more personal, with Gladwell occasionally inserting himself into the narrative and reflecting on how his own thinking has evolved.
The result is a work that feels both familiar and fresh. Gladwell's ability to distill academic research into accessible prose remains unparalleled. But there's a newfound depth and nuance to his analysis that reflects his growth as a writer and thinker over the past 25 years.
A Few Minor Quibbles
No book is perfect, and Revenge of the Tipping Point does have a few minor weaknesses. At times, Gladwell's anecdotes can feel a bit too neatly packaged, leaving the reader wondering if messy real-world complexities have been smoothed over for narrative effect. Additionally, some of his leaps between seemingly unrelated topics can be jarring, even if they ultimately pay off.
These are small critiques, however, in the face of such an ambitious and thought-provoking work. Gladwell's ability to synthesize disparate ideas and present them in a compelling narrative format remains unparalleled.
A Worthy Successor to a Modern Classic
Revenge of the Tipping Point is not merely a rehash of Gladwell's earlier work - it's a substantial evolution of his ideas that reflects how our understanding of social dynamics has grown more sophisticated (and perhaps more cynical) over the past quarter century. It's a book that will appeal to longtime fans while also serving as an excellent entry point for those new to Gladwell's work.
Like all great non-fiction, this book doesn't just inform - it changes the way you see the world. After reading it, you'll find yourself noticing potential tipping points everywhere, from office politics to global events. You'll be more attuned to the hidden forces shaping group behavior and more skeptical of simplistic explanations for complex social phenomena.
November 14, 2024
Malcolm Gladwell’s Revenge of the Tipping Point reintroduces readers to his landmark concept of tipping points, but this time he explores the less obvious and sometimes unsettling impact of societal shifts. With this book, Gladwell expands upon his original theories by examining how contagious ideas, behaviors, and trends influence society in both beneficial and problematic ways.
True to his distinctive style, Gladwell takes readers on a compelling journey, blending history, science, and narrative to reveal how subtle societal changes can snowball into transformative shifts. He guides us through intriguing case studies—from 1980s Los Angeles bank heists to an experimental neighborhood in California—each one showcasing different angles on social tipping points. A particularly engaging chapter examines how Miami’s character was shaped by complex forces, from population shifts to economic influences, while another introduces the “Magic Third,” a unique theory about how minorities within groups can spark cultural change.
What sets Revenge of the Tipping Point apart is its examination of social engineering—the intentional shaping of group behavior. Gladwell digs into timely ethical questions about who gets to influence societal trends and at what cost. His look at “superspreaders”—individuals with an outsized role in spreading ideas, behaviors, or even viruses—is especially relevant in a post-pandemic world, revealing both the risks and ripple effects of these influential few.
With an introspective tone, Gladwell shares insights on his own growth as a thinker, making this book feel both familiar and refreshingly layered. For dedicated fans, his reflections add depth to his signature style, while newcomers will find a thoughtful introduction to his ability to make intricate ideas accessible. Although some stories feel a bit condensed, Revenge of the Tipping Point remains a fascinating look at how small, often unseen factors can drive large-scale social changes.
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True to his distinctive style, Gladwell takes readers on a compelling journey, blending history, science, and narrative to reveal how subtle societal changes can snowball into transformative shifts. He guides us through intriguing case studies—from 1980s Los Angeles bank heists to an experimental neighborhood in California—each one showcasing different angles on social tipping points. A particularly engaging chapter examines how Miami’s character was shaped by complex forces, from population shifts to economic influences, while another introduces the “Magic Third,” a unique theory about how minorities within groups can spark cultural change.
What sets Revenge of the Tipping Point apart is its examination of social engineering—the intentional shaping of group behavior. Gladwell digs into timely ethical questions about who gets to influence societal trends and at what cost. His look at “superspreaders”—individuals with an outsized role in spreading ideas, behaviors, or even viruses—is especially relevant in a post-pandemic world, revealing both the risks and ripple effects of these influential few.
With an introspective tone, Gladwell shares insights on his own growth as a thinker, making this book feel both familiar and refreshingly layered. For dedicated fans, his reflections add depth to his signature style, while newcomers will find a thoughtful introduction to his ability to make intricate ideas accessible. Although some stories feel a bit condensed, Revenge of the Tipping Point remains a fascinating look at how small, often unseen factors can drive large-scale social changes.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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September 5, 2024
I really enjoy Malcolm Gladwell's books and feel he's popularized many interesting sociological theories. However this felt subpar. It was a bit of a rehash of TP with new stories.
Honestly if you've followed the Oxycontin story it felt a bit tired as the book started and ended with showing how Purdue/Sacklers took advantage of Tipping Point elements that ended up creating the opiod crisis.
I hope Malcolm Gladwell writes more books with his particular fresh perspective in the future and doesn't draft off earlier work.
Honestly if you've followed the Oxycontin story it felt a bit tired as the book started and ended with showing how Purdue/Sacklers took advantage of Tipping Point elements that ended up creating the opiod crisis.
I hope Malcolm Gladwell writes more books with his particular fresh perspective in the future and doesn't draft off earlier work.
November 2, 2024
Two decades ago, I really enjoyed Gladwell’s books for their engaging, well-told stories.
Lately, though, it seems his focus has shifted to lecturing readers on his worldview and political preferences. In this book, for example, he criticizes schools that teach children learn to think for themselves instead of following authority. I swear.
The book is also confusing. He uses interlacing narratives to weave together multiple stories, but I often couldn’t tell if a story had ended or if he would return to give it a more satisfying conclusion.
Boring, preachy and confused.
Lately, though, it seems his focus has shifted to lecturing readers on his worldview and political preferences. In this book, for example, he criticizes schools that teach children learn to think for themselves instead of following authority. I swear.
The book is also confusing. He uses interlacing narratives to weave together multiple stories, but I often couldn’t tell if a story had ended or if he would return to give it a more satisfying conclusion.
Boring, preachy and confused.
October 20, 2024
I think I'm done with Gladwell. His podcast has been underwhelming for a while, and this book really didn't do it for me. In here, he's using concepts such as small area variation, epidemics, and 'the magic third' as frameworks upon which to hang several stories and examples that fit more or less well within the frame. At it's best, there are some surprising stories to learn about. But at it's worst, the linkages feel shoehorned, the conclusions dubious. He's either telling me something very obvious (policies in different states produce different outcomes) or very suspect (it would have been better for the opioid crisis if oxycontin weren't turned from a crushable pill into an indestructible gummy). I kept saying "but what about...." and Gladwell never answered. Also the cover is unforgivable.
Read
October 8, 2024Looks like a re-read is in order
November 21, 2024
Though I read The Tipping Point ages ago, I have to say that Revenge of the Tipping Point is an absolute smash in audio format. Gladwell has taken the lessons learned from podcasting to add appropriate music, audio snippets, and clear, clean narration to make a terrific listening experience.
In Revenge, Gladwell shows us how many recent calamities (the pandemic, the opioid epidemic) owe their rapid expansion to small factors that make disproportionate changes to the landscape in which they operate. It is a remove from the positive tone of the first book, but a spin that makes for compelling storytelling throughout.
Do I think all of Gladwell's observations and arguments are air tight? Nope! In fact, there's times where it feels like some key pieces of information are simplified or excluded in the interest of a tight argument. These exclusions make for a tighter narrative, but for those of us who want greater detail, you may want to use this book as a jumping off point for each of the individual stories presented in Revenge.
Highly compelling stuff, but make sure you give the audiobook a listen!
In Revenge, Gladwell shows us how many recent calamities (the pandemic, the opioid epidemic) owe their rapid expansion to small factors that make disproportionate changes to the landscape in which they operate. It is a remove from the positive tone of the first book, but a spin that makes for compelling storytelling throughout.
Do I think all of Gladwell's observations and arguments are air tight? Nope! In fact, there's times where it feels like some key pieces of information are simplified or excluded in the interest of a tight argument. These exclusions make for a tighter narrative, but for those of us who want greater detail, you may want to use this book as a jumping off point for each of the individual stories presented in Revenge.
Highly compelling stuff, but make sure you give the audiobook a listen!
October 28, 2024
Given the premise of the book, Revenge of the Tipping Point is pieced around the downside of the spreading epidemics – an enduring concept that he first introduced in his debut novel – which in turn, had itself become less surprising for me in approaching it initially. It is less prominent with his other works, but considering the amount of journalism in his portfolio, Gladwell had himself more delicately shaped as an engaging storyteller here.
Being the host of the podcast, Revisionist History has turned out to be a greater edge over the years, in his simple organization of stories. It is a defining work of research that brought out together coherence and concreteness in reinforcing this one concept that once made him tip and walk along the halls of bestselling authors.
If there is one chapter that brings me back to that same Malcolm Gladwell prowess from the past in an instant, it's the discussion revolving around "The Magic Third", which is truly reminiscent of his generalizing the 10,000 Hours of mastery before. You may want to agree or not with his beliefs and findings; at the end of the day, his narrative is just entertaining to follow through.
Overall, Revenge of the Tipping Point is a fluid reading, one that doesn't try its hardest to win back the affection of his readers. But that same old feeling witnessing his works for the first time again has immediately brought me back in that same old rotation.
3.5 ⭐️ (10/18/24)
Being the host of the podcast, Revisionist History has turned out to be a greater edge over the years, in his simple organization of stories. It is a defining work of research that brought out together coherence and concreteness in reinforcing this one concept that once made him tip and walk along the halls of bestselling authors.
If there is one chapter that brings me back to that same Malcolm Gladwell prowess from the past in an instant, it's the discussion revolving around "The Magic Third", which is truly reminiscent of his generalizing the 10,000 Hours of mastery before. You may want to agree or not with his beliefs and findings; at the end of the day, his narrative is just entertaining to follow through.
Overall, Revenge of the Tipping Point is a fluid reading, one that doesn't try its hardest to win back the affection of his readers. But that same old feeling witnessing his works for the first time again has immediately brought me back in that same old rotation.
3.5 ⭐️ (10/18/24)
October 9, 2024
A classic work of Gladwellian pop-nonfiction. As such, it rightfully deserves 5-stars and a wide readership. The book investigates extraordinarily prescient issues in contemporary society, all bundled under the themes of overstories, social engineering, and superspreaders. In the wake of the COVID pandemic and in the midst of other crises (e.g. the opioid crisis and widespread discrimination) Gladwell does a fine job of highlighting the mechanisms and superstructures driving these problems with fascinating and novel concepts to help explain them.
My only qualm with the book is the length, in both a positive and negative sense. On the plus side, I would humbly beg Malcom to PLEASE WRITE MORE, PLEASE. The content is interesting and hyper-engaging. In a more critical context, these incredible stories and characters feel, at times, glossed. This opinion is much less a critique than a sincere wish for more (I had to deliberately force myself to pause my reading in order to savor the book before, all too suddenly, I was reading the acknowledgments).
If you’ve never read Malcom Gladwell (shame on you), this book will give you a delicious taste of what is to come when you inevitably devour everything else he’s written and recorded. My only advice (besides obviously read this and everything else he’s written) is to download the audiobooks so you can experience their superior quality and listen to them over and over for years to come.
Well done, and f**k the Ivy League.
My only qualm with the book is the length, in both a positive and negative sense. On the plus side, I would humbly beg Malcom to PLEASE WRITE MORE, PLEASE. The content is interesting and hyper-engaging. In a more critical context, these incredible stories and characters feel, at times, glossed. This opinion is much less a critique than a sincere wish for more (I had to deliberately force myself to pause my reading in order to savor the book before, all too suddenly, I was reading the acknowledgments).
If you’ve never read Malcom Gladwell (shame on you), this book will give you a delicious taste of what is to come when you inevitably devour everything else he’s written and recorded. My only advice (besides obviously read this and everything else he’s written) is to download the audiobooks so you can experience their superior quality and listen to them over and over for years to come.
Well done, and f**k the Ivy League.
October 20, 2024
Disappointed with so many things, but mainly the use of this sentence "he fought in Israel's war for independence" like????!!!!!!!
Beyond outrageous, calling literal genocide by a colonizer "war for independence" is just on a whole other level of evil and deception. Staying mad about it till the end of time. Boils my blood.
Beyond outrageous, calling literal genocide by a colonizer "war for independence" is just on a whole other level of evil and deception. Staying mad about it till the end of time. Boils my blood.
November 12, 2024
I always think Gladwell is worth reading, even if you don’t like his style, because he really is a great writer. His ability to translate an idea, a person, or even a story into an absolutely absorbing narrative is nearly unparalleled, and I attribute my development of an affinity for nonfiction in large part to Outliers.
That being said, I was a little underwhelmed by this book for a number of reasons. For one, the conclusions of it - which are a rather large part of the structure of the book - seem really flimsy to me. I’m just convinced of what he’s putting forward here. Whatever the grand theory of this book is supposed to be, or how that theory is at all connected to the original Tipping Point remains a mystery to me.
The whole book seems like “data being fit to a model” rather than vice versa. It’s like a prosecutor who has a lot of evidence he doesn’t know what to do with, and he just strings together a bunch of crimes to try to see what sticks with a jury. This book felt like a bunch of random and disjointed (but nonetheless interesting) stories that Gladwell tried to squeeze unconvincingly into some larger theory that one can recognize and manipulate in the real world. It’s just not clear to me what that “theory” is or how any of the evidence presented is supposed to convince me of its validity…
It’s still worth reading if you tend to like Gladwell’s writing (which I do). But I’d recommend approaching it as if it were a series of semi-related but independent long form articles rather than a sequence of chapters all seeking to support some larger narrative claim.
That being said, I was a little underwhelmed by this book for a number of reasons. For one, the conclusions of it - which are a rather large part of the structure of the book - seem really flimsy to me. I’m just convinced of what he’s putting forward here. Whatever the grand theory of this book is supposed to be, or how that theory is at all connected to the original Tipping Point remains a mystery to me.
The whole book seems like “data being fit to a model” rather than vice versa. It’s like a prosecutor who has a lot of evidence he doesn’t know what to do with, and he just strings together a bunch of crimes to try to see what sticks with a jury. This book felt like a bunch of random and disjointed (but nonetheless interesting) stories that Gladwell tried to squeeze unconvincingly into some larger theory that one can recognize and manipulate in the real world. It’s just not clear to me what that “theory” is or how any of the evidence presented is supposed to convince me of its validity…
It’s still worth reading if you tend to like Gladwell’s writing (which I do). But I’d recommend approaching it as if it were a series of semi-related but independent long form articles rather than a sequence of chapters all seeking to support some larger narrative claim.
October 7, 2024
Neat read (listen)! Highly recommend the audiobook, which is formatted more like a podcast and includes original audio from some of the sources the author quotes. Malcolm Gladwell has a unique way of investigating things that, even if I’ve already heard about them, he adds new perspective to.
October 18, 2024
Superb.
Read it twice (audio)
Runner-up for non fiction of the year or winner for non fiction that excludes memoirs.
Read it twice (audio)
Runner-up for non fiction of the year or winner for non fiction that excludes memoirs.
November 3, 2024
This is my third book by this author and I feel the best. It has a tight arc, is informative and challenging. highly recommend even if you've never read the OG The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
October 9, 2024
You know, some non-fiction makes you feel like you’re wading through a textbook, squinting at the tiny print and wondering if it’s worth the pain just to appear smarter?? Gladwell says hold my beer. He does this thing where he takes what should be dense, heady topics and makes them feel like you’re having a late-night convo with your smartest friend—engaging, casual, but with just enough substance to leave you thinking, “Okay, that was actually pretty cool.”
This time around, he dives into everything from the Ivy League admissions scandals (hello, Olivia Jade star USC rower??) to the tangled mess of the opioid epidemic in America. And that whole storyline? He doesn’t just give it a quick mention. No, he frames the entire book with it, opening and closing with a deep dive that had me SAT. It’s heavy, yeah, but he makes it so digestible, like sneaking veggies into your kid's dinner.
Then there’s this idea of “overstories,” which sounds way more complicated than it actually is. It’s all about those invisible forces that shape the stories we cling to, without us even realizing. It’s like learning there’s this hidden blueprint behind how we understand the world, and suddenly you can’t unsee it. It made me question a lot of the narratives we take for granted, and let’s be real, I love a good existential crisis!
If I had to sum this book up in a sentence, it’s like: Gladwell makes you feel smarter without making you feel like you’re working for it. It’s thought-provoking without being pretentious, and honestly, a great reminder that non-fiction doesn’t have to be boring. If you like books that’ll keep you thinking, this is that.
TLDR: A deep dive into the dark side of social shifts, told in classic Gladwell style. Worth the read—especially if you want to feel like you’ve learned something without breaking a sweat.
This time around, he dives into everything from the Ivy League admissions scandals (hello, Olivia Jade star USC rower??) to the tangled mess of the opioid epidemic in America. And that whole storyline? He doesn’t just give it a quick mention. No, he frames the entire book with it, opening and closing with a deep dive that had me SAT. It’s heavy, yeah, but he makes it so digestible, like sneaking veggies into your kid's dinner.
“Small variations lead to monumental shifts, and nowhere is that more apparent than behind the polished doors of Ivy League admissions.”
Then there’s this idea of “overstories,” which sounds way more complicated than it actually is. It’s all about those invisible forces that shape the stories we cling to, without us even realizing. It’s like learning there’s this hidden blueprint behind how we understand the world, and suddenly you can’t unsee it. It made me question a lot of the narratives we take for granted, and let’s be real, I love a good existential crisis!
“The stories we tell ourselves aren’t always organic—they’re constructed, influenced by the invisible hands of overstories, subtly shaping the way we interpret the world.”
If I had to sum this book up in a sentence, it’s like: Gladwell makes you feel smarter without making you feel like you’re working for it. It’s thought-provoking without being pretentious, and honestly, a great reminder that non-fiction doesn’t have to be boring. If you like books that’ll keep you thinking, this is that.
“I’m not as sunny and full of possibility as I was back then.”
TLDR: A deep dive into the dark side of social shifts, told in classic Gladwell style. Worth the read—especially if you want to feel like you’ve learned something without breaking a sweat.
October 8, 2024
Journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell's way of celebrating the 25th anniversary of his bestselling book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference is apparently to release another book based on the same general concept, Revenge of the Tipping Point.
I listened to the audiobook version, which was made more engaging by audio excerpts from court hearings, a television movie, and various interviews (either from their original speakers or recreated by voice actors). The stories in this book are generally darker than in the original Tipping Point (from what I recall -- it's been a long time since I read it), and told in a more fragmented way than I remember from most other Gladwell books, with so many narrative threads weaving in and out of the story that it was sometimes hard to keep track or recollect vignettes revisited over many chapters. Though I don't think every story included fit the overarching framing (read: there's a significant amount of filler here), I understood where Gladwell was going with the main vignettes. Basically, a subgroup representation of 1/4 to 1/3 of a larger group is enough to influence behavior, change an "overstory" (the predominant cultural narrative of a subject), and serve as a tipping point. One example Gladwell uses several times is the male:female ratio of corporate boards -- if a corporate board has 10 members, then having only 1 or 2 females to 8 or 9 males makes it hard for the females to have influence, but adding a 3rd female/a 0.3 female ratio usually enough for the women's opinions to be listened to (sad, but true, in non-corporate board but other group settings I've seen). Gladwell also tackles more complex topics -- like why the opioid epidemic was much more prevalent in some US states vs. others (according to Gladwell pro-tipping point factors included laxer opioid prescription monitoring, the tendency of doctors to adjust their individual practice settings based on their local practice norms, the McKinsey-Purdue Pharma strategy of selectively and persistently targeting certain doctors, and Purdue's decision to change from a quicker-acting to a slower-acting oxycontin formulation around 2010 that made many people battling opioid addiction shift to harder drugs to find their next highs) -- though stories like this didn't neatly fit into the overall narrative.
Overall, an interesting read, with the caveat that many of the vignettes don't quite fit the overall narrative.
My statistics:
Book 232 for 2024
Book 1835 cumulatively
I listened to the audiobook version, which was made more engaging by audio excerpts from court hearings, a television movie, and various interviews (either from their original speakers or recreated by voice actors). The stories in this book are generally darker than in the original Tipping Point (from what I recall -- it's been a long time since I read it), and told in a more fragmented way than I remember from most other Gladwell books, with so many narrative threads weaving in and out of the story that it was sometimes hard to keep track or recollect vignettes revisited over many chapters. Though I don't think every story included fit the overarching framing (read: there's a significant amount of filler here), I understood where Gladwell was going with the main vignettes. Basically, a subgroup representation of 1/4 to 1/3 of a larger group is enough to influence behavior, change an "overstory" (the predominant cultural narrative of a subject), and serve as a tipping point. One example Gladwell uses several times is the male:female ratio of corporate boards -- if a corporate board has 10 members, then having only 1 or 2 females to 8 or 9 males makes it hard for the females to have influence, but adding a 3rd female/a 0.3 female ratio usually enough for the women's opinions to be listened to (sad, but true, in non-corporate board but other group settings I've seen). Gladwell also tackles more complex topics -- like why the opioid epidemic was much more prevalent in some US states vs. others (according to Gladwell pro-tipping point factors included laxer opioid prescription monitoring, the tendency of doctors to adjust their individual practice settings based on their local practice norms, the McKinsey-Purdue Pharma strategy of selectively and persistently targeting certain doctors, and Purdue's decision to change from a quicker-acting to a slower-acting oxycontin formulation around 2010 that made many people battling opioid addiction shift to harder drugs to find their next highs) -- though stories like this didn't neatly fit into the overall narrative.
Overall, an interesting read, with the caveat that many of the vignettes don't quite fit the overall narrative.
My statistics:
Book 232 for 2024
Book 1835 cumulatively
October 19, 2024
Malcolm Gladwell is like an amazing professor who you never want to leave his classroom. I was familiar with a number of his examples in this book, and it wasn’t quite as tight as the original Tipping Point, but it is fascinating to revisit these concepts in the wake of the pandemic. An entertaining and intellectually stimulating read.
October 9, 2024
Audio version, read by the author. A brand new book that might best be described as "inspired by" the original. I especially enjoyed his analysis of COVID and his identification of "overstories" in society.
October 16, 2024
This book was more social than science. Very preachy.
The overstory of the Holocaust memorialization was interesting.
Sharing the science behind disease superspreaders is definitely worth knowing about.
The left tilt built into every chapter was annoying.
The overstory of the Holocaust memorialization was interesting.
Sharing the science behind disease superspreaders is definitely worth knowing about.
The left tilt built into every chapter was annoying.
October 13, 2024
Should have had a final chapter about the guy who wrote a book about the tipping point leading to the world having to suffer through terrible knockoffs for the next 25 years!
November 12, 2024
"Twenty-five years ago, in The Tipping Point, I was fascinated by the idea that in social epidemics little things could make a big difference..."
Revenge of the Tipping Point is my 6th book from the author. I have generally really enjoyed his books, up until this one. Unfortunately, it did not meet the high water mark established in his other works; for a few reasons. More below.
Author Malcolm Timothy Gladwell is an English-born Canadian journalist, writer, and public speaker. He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996.
Malcolm Gladwell:
Gladwell writes with a fairly decent style here, although I found the overall narrative structure of this book to be a bit less cohesive than previous books of his. Gladwell narrates the audio version of this book, and he did a great job with the voicing. He drops the quote above in the book's intro, and it continues:
Although the topic of cascades; be they social, biological, or other is extremely interesting, Gladwell's thesis fell apart for me here. I didn't feel that the strength of his arguments were as persuasive as in his other works. On the positive side, he did have some interesting writing about the spread of COVID-19, and the American opioid epidemic.
Unfortunately, however, quite a large chunk of the writing here focuses on woke politicking and leftist nonsense. He's got a big drawn out narrative about racism in Harvard admissions that comes back to a women's rugby team, after a very long and winding road. FWIW, I found his "conclusion" here to be pretty tenuous, at best, and ridiculous - at worst. What was actually going on over at Harvard Admissions was a move away from merit-based admissions, to race-based criteria. Asian applicants were being penalized for their high scores, while black applicants are being given a leg up, via an "affirmative action" campaign. How is this remotely fair or just?? Well, it's not, and in 2023, the Supreme Court ruled as much. But you won't read about any of this in Gladwell's book, because he is myopically focused on how black people are nothing more than poor victims.
Gladwell also spends a bit of time lecturing the reader about the long historical black-and-white academic achievement gap. He says that academics have been pondering the cause of this "for decades." It doesn't seem to occur to him that group-level differences in IQ and/or culture could be playing into this disparity...
He's got lots of talk in here about a "critical mass" of minority students as if this is something that needs to happen. Why does this need to happen? Universities, companies, and life in general should reward based solely on meritocracy. If you can pass muster, then great. Life is structured hierarchically. Why should university applications be any different? As soon as you start to put your finger on the scale one way or another, fairness has left the process. Also, trying to give a "leg up" to groups you consider to be "historically marginalized" is a complete can of worms. Has the son of the multi-millionaire Nigerian immigrant been "marginalized?" Does the son of a West Virginian laid-off coal miner have "white privilege?" All this garbage is just race-based Marxism, and has no rightful place in the halls of academia.
********************
Unfortunately, all this leftist nonsense in here left a bad taste in my mouth... I would say I expected better from Gladwell, but he's been riding the victimology train for at least a few years now. Anyone interested in a masterclass of strawman debate tactics should check out his slimy race-baiting in this 2022 debate with Douglas Murray.
2 stars for this one. I would not recommend it.
Revenge of the Tipping Point is my 6th book from the author. I have generally really enjoyed his books, up until this one. Unfortunately, it did not meet the high water mark established in his other works; for a few reasons. More below.
Author Malcolm Timothy Gladwell is an English-born Canadian journalist, writer, and public speaker. He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996.
Malcolm Gladwell:
Gladwell writes with a fairly decent style here, although I found the overall narrative structure of this book to be a bit less cohesive than previous books of his. Gladwell narrates the audio version of this book, and he did a great job with the voicing. He drops the quote above in the book's intro, and it continues:
"...In Revenge of the Tipping Point, I want to look at the underside of the possibilities I explored so long ago. If the world can be moved by just the slightest push, then the person who knows where and when to push has real power. So who are those people? What are their intentions? What techniques are they using? In the world of law enforcement, the word forensic refers to an investigation of the origins and scope of a criminal act: “reasons, culprits, and consequences.” Revenge of the Tipping Point is an attempt to do a forensic investigation of social epidemics."
Although the topic of cascades; be they social, biological, or other is extremely interesting, Gladwell's thesis fell apart for me here. I didn't feel that the strength of his arguments were as persuasive as in his other works. On the positive side, he did have some interesting writing about the spread of COVID-19, and the American opioid epidemic.
Unfortunately, however, quite a large chunk of the writing here focuses on woke politicking and leftist nonsense. He's got a big drawn out narrative about racism in Harvard admissions that comes back to a women's rugby team, after a very long and winding road. FWIW, I found his "conclusion" here to be pretty tenuous, at best, and ridiculous - at worst. What was actually going on over at Harvard Admissions was a move away from merit-based admissions, to race-based criteria. Asian applicants were being penalized for their high scores, while black applicants are being given a leg up, via an "affirmative action" campaign. How is this remotely fair or just?? Well, it's not, and in 2023, the Supreme Court ruled as much. But you won't read about any of this in Gladwell's book, because he is myopically focused on how black people are nothing more than poor victims.
Gladwell also spends a bit of time lecturing the reader about the long historical black-and-white academic achievement gap. He says that academics have been pondering the cause of this "for decades." It doesn't seem to occur to him that group-level differences in IQ and/or culture could be playing into this disparity...
He's got lots of talk in here about a "critical mass" of minority students as if this is something that needs to happen. Why does this need to happen? Universities, companies, and life in general should reward based solely on meritocracy. If you can pass muster, then great. Life is structured hierarchically. Why should university applications be any different? As soon as you start to put your finger on the scale one way or another, fairness has left the process. Also, trying to give a "leg up" to groups you consider to be "historically marginalized" is a complete can of worms. Has the son of the multi-millionaire Nigerian immigrant been "marginalized?" Does the son of a West Virginian laid-off coal miner have "white privilege?" All this garbage is just race-based Marxism, and has no rightful place in the halls of academia.
********************
Unfortunately, all this leftist nonsense in here left a bad taste in my mouth... I would say I expected better from Gladwell, but he's been riding the victimology train for at least a few years now. Anyone interested in a masterclass of strawman debate tactics should check out his slimy race-baiting in this 2022 debate with Douglas Murray.
2 stars for this one. I would not recommend it.
Read
October 5, 2024Starting this review as I am 65% through it. Interesting parts on Welfare Fraud in Miami, The problems with raising Cheetahs in captivity.The Covid epidemic and the US ground 0 at the Biogen Conference ( I had a scientist friend and ex-coworker who passed of Covid that I believe was there) and aerosol science and the spread of disease and why some may be super spreaders.
October 21, 2024
It’s better than the first book, and some points are quite good. There are tipping points - around 30% - and there are over stories for how we organize reality. The author covers a lot of very different cases to illustrate his point, from teenage suicide to health benefit frauds to the general acceptance of gays, to name some.
October 9, 2024
Interesting book. I learned a lot about Covid 19 and how the country changes position.
October 24, 2024
Love a Malcolm Gladwell book - I learn so much and have so many interesting things to ponder. This one was a little slow to start, but really hit its stride after the first third.
November 3, 2024
A bit disappointed in the overall theory about overstories and superspreaders, to be honest. Nothing new, but there are some interesting stories throughout the book. 3.5
November 13, 2024
Listening to this book on Spotify was the best. I flew through it because it felt like a longer episode of Malcolm’s podcast. So many interesting stories all weaving together and shining a light on how things unfolded in recent history.
October 14, 2024
Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders and the Rise of Social Engineering (2024) revisits Gladwell’s earlier book The Tipping Point. Gladwell weaves together stories about medical fraud, Covid 19, forgotten television from the 1970s, US college selection rules and the Opioid Crises.
Gladwell is such a good story teller. His books are so engaging that you often forget the intellectual foundations of his ideas can be weak. But he is fun to read. It is non-fiction blancmange.
Gladwell is interesting to contrast with other successful narrative non-fiction writers like Michael Lewis and Simon Winchester. Lewis and Winchester tend to write more narrowly than Gladwell and don’t seek to tie as many things together. Their books are also more solid.
The highlights for me were the chapter on medical insurance fraud and the chapters on admission to US colleges. The chapter on medical fraud reveals a fascinating world. The chapter on US college admission is also really good. There Gladwell shows how most US colleges socially engineer the student body by selecting not just for academic ability. Gladwell contrasts this to Caltech that has always simply selected students on academic skills. This is also what is done in many, perhaps most, university systems around the world.
Revenge of the Tipping Point is an entertaining read for anyone who likes Gladwell. It’s not his best book but it delivers.
Gladwell is such a good story teller. His books are so engaging that you often forget the intellectual foundations of his ideas can be weak. But he is fun to read. It is non-fiction blancmange.
Gladwell is interesting to contrast with other successful narrative non-fiction writers like Michael Lewis and Simon Winchester. Lewis and Winchester tend to write more narrowly than Gladwell and don’t seek to tie as many things together. Their books are also more solid.
The highlights for me were the chapter on medical insurance fraud and the chapters on admission to US colleges. The chapter on medical fraud reveals a fascinating world. The chapter on US college admission is also really good. There Gladwell shows how most US colleges socially engineer the student body by selecting not just for academic ability. Gladwell contrasts this to Caltech that has always simply selected students on academic skills. This is also what is done in many, perhaps most, university systems around the world.
Revenge of the Tipping Point is an entertaining read for anyone who likes Gladwell. It’s not his best book but it delivers.
October 20, 2024
I always enjoy Malcolm Gladwell - especially his audiobooks because lately he seems to write with that medium in mind.
Good to think about tipping points - how do we protect against bad social or cultural epidemics…how do we cultivate good change…good stuff.
Good to think about tipping points - how do we protect against bad social or cultural epidemics…how do we cultivate good change…good stuff.
October 17, 2024
Another great one by Malcolm Gladwell. This one about super spreaders and epidemics. As always he tells it in such an interesting way. He leads with questions and rather than giving you a direct answer he tells a story. It’s part maddening and fascinating the way he lays it out. Sometimes I feel his research is a little far fetch but they always make me think and I love the way he tells them. Audio is a must.
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