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bexmeow14's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
sholmstedt's review against another edition
4.0
It's always fun listening to Malcolm Gladwell expound on his well-researched, if selectively anecdotal theories (do get the audio version, Gladwell is a masterful orator.) And if you're playing the Leadership Books With Martin Luther King Stories Drinking Game, you get to take a drink. The book opens with an in-depth analysis of the actual David and Goliath story, demonstrating that the two were a little more equally matched than popularly believed. We then hear stories of underdogs and the powerful -- if not always good -- work that they are able to accomplish by playing by their own rules. I've started bringing total outsiders into meetings as a result of this book so that I can get basketball-coach-who-has-never-played-basketball thinking into the room. It works.
sydneykasner's review against another edition
Loved the first half of this book, and then it seemed to fall apart in the second half.
cwynn214's review against another edition
3.0
Some interesting thoughts, but as with all of Gladwell's books, so much anecdotal evidence that it is hard to find most of his ideas convincing.
snowomyn's review against another edition
3.0
While all interesting stories and anecdotes, I don't think he got his point/theme sufficiently concluded. Empahizing the examples he has discussed is not enough; the theme is there but there isn't enough substance. still an interesting read.
chrisannee's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely gripping. I love, love, love this book and all that it taught. Gladwell has a bare bones style that pulls you in. I love his point that he makes about Goliath and the other "Davids" and "Goliaths" from history.
Some people might argue that this destroys the biblical recounting of the event but, to me, it makes it greater! Not only did a lowly shepherd boy defeat a giant, with the help of and in the name of the God of Israel. But he, like most of us, might have assessed the giant falsely. And so it often is in life. We look at Giants and think that they are impossible to defeat. But, in reality, they have chinks in their armour that God knows all too well.
I truly believe that.
Some people might argue that this destroys the biblical recounting of the event but, to me, it makes it greater! Not only did a lowly shepherd boy defeat a giant, with the help of and in the name of the God of Israel. But he, like most of us, might have assessed the giant falsely. And so it often is in life. We look at Giants and think that they are impossible to defeat. But, in reality, they have chinks in their armour that God knows all too well.
I truly believe that.
dietcokealp's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed his other books more, but this one was certainly well worth the read. Some chapters did not hold my attention well- some did. This is an okay book.
jaybeebea's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of food for thought, especially about some fables/tales that we’ve accepted as fact. I’m sad that I came to this book so late.
posh_salad's review against another edition
4.0
There are a lot of negative reviews on David & Goliath that seem to be based on the pseudo-science Gladwell presents here. I think that is an unfair judgement on the book. Gladwell is a journalist, not a scientist. Sometimes I think he can wander off his subject and get bogged down in minutiae, but D&G stays on task nicely with the personal stories adding a nice flow.
The book does a very good job of presenting a theory why, when odds are against them, the underdogs sometimes win. It's not an exhaustive study. Gladwell looks at unexpected maneuvers, personal tragedy and/or hardship and "remote misses" as the contributing factors for some cases of success against the odds.
I found the subject interesting and the personal stories inspiring and well presented. It gave me some things to think about. If you're looking for an in-depth study with human subjects, scholarly references and proper application of the scientific method, this isn't going to satisfy you.
The book does a very good job of presenting a theory why, when odds are against them, the underdogs sometimes win. It's not an exhaustive study. Gladwell looks at unexpected maneuvers, personal tragedy and/or hardship and "remote misses" as the contributing factors for some cases of success against the odds.
I found the subject interesting and the personal stories inspiring and well presented. It gave me some things to think about. If you're looking for an in-depth study with human subjects, scholarly references and proper application of the scientific method, this isn't going to satisfy you.