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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Challenged me but overall felt like pop science and I agree with more of the criticisms of this book than I agreed with any of the good points.
"Because we do not know how to talk to strangers, what do we do when things go awry with strangers? We blame the stranger."
Malcolm Gladwell is a genius narrator. Listening to him feels like being personally guided through complex ideas, and the audiobook is more like an investigative podcast than a typical nonfiction book. He teaches you, challenges your assumptions, and makes you reflect on how we interpret the actions of people we don’t know.
The book explores why we so often misjudge strangers and the real-world consequences that follow. Gladwell examines everything from criminal cases to political scandals to ordinary misunderstandings, all while questioning the tools we rely on to read people.
It’s a solid read. The ideas are interesting, the examples are compelling, but at times the structure feels a bit scattered. Still, it leaves you thinking, and that makes it worth your time.
gladwell is a fantastic storyteller, bringing events across time and space and making them cohesive. his message is simple, to stay trustful of others, to be wary of appearances and judging others on first impressions, but done really well!
challenging
informative
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Unexpectedly ominous
informative
Originally read in 2020, reread for bookclub in 2025. In general I like Malcolm gladwell’s storytelling style. But I will add that some of his points, although intriguing, didn’t really feel like they related to Talking to Strangers.
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Content is extremely dark in nature. Sensitive readers/listeners highly cautioned!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Police brutality
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I haven't read any of gladwells books before so I found the jumping between case studies a little difficult to follow at times. However the last chapter really helped bring it all together for me. It's definitely given me some interesting lessons to take away.