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5.5k reviews for:
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know
Malcolm Gladwell
3.83 AVERAGE
5.5k reviews for:
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know
Malcolm Gladwell
3.83 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
I would give this a 3.5-4 stars. I thought it was interesting but I felt like some of his claims were stretches. I also felt like he wanted to make controversial statements... but then worried about being too controversial so he held back. I wish he was a little bolder in his assertions. But Gladwell always provides for a good, thought provoking read!
Good storytelling and narration by the author. I learned some things about interesting historical events and appreciated the author's take on them. I found his thesis new and interesting. However, I think he failed to tie all of his stories into his thesis, leaving some questions unanswered as to how those stories really related to the wider theme.
weird take on the Brock Turner case, but I appreciated the section on the book about Sandra Bland and the concept of “coupling.”
informative
sad
medium-paced
Gladwell does make reading informative possibly boring subject material quite engaging. If anything this book is a good case study in how to assemble an argument for academic research. However, I feel like his work glosses over a great deal of context and tries a little to hard at coming off as grandiose and profound when it really isn't? It's difficult to describe but this man writes as if there is a EUREKA going off in his writing every so often . Writing style aside I'm not exactly sold on all his points. Partially because the scenarios Gladwell talks about glosses over significant context and complexity. Understandably this is done in service of supporting his argument. However, it sometimes falls flat in its execution especially in the context of policing. Which for being part of Gladwell's closing arguments suffers the most. Ultimately, the book may help people conceptualize and perceive specific ideas and contexts with a different perspective.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Police brutality, War
challenging
informative
fast-paced
This was a well researched and put together book. I enjoyed how the audiobook was read by multiple actors, like Gladwell’s podcast.
Taking multiple examples from recent history/current events and bringing them together to conclusively answer his initial question was a unique way to structure the book and I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t agree with everything in his analysis (ch 8), but overall I think he makes a good argument.
Taking multiple examples from recent history/current events and bringing them together to conclusively answer his initial question was a unique way to structure the book and I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t agree with everything in his analysis (ch 8), but overall I think he makes a good argument.
Everyone should read. Such a good writer- gets crucial thought provoking points across. Weaving sources together in a way that only build the conversation.
This book was definitely provocative...tackling sensitive subjects like racism and sexual abuse isn't easy. However, Gladwell did a great job with both. In explaining that despite our ingrained belief in the ability to read people, we just cannot, Gladwell magnifies that our perceptions of reading people are costly. Certain signs we believe are telltale signs of lying could be signs of one's personality trait and so forth. Towards the end, it felt a bit disjointed though.
informative