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5.47k reviews for:
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know
Malcolm Gladwell
3.83 AVERAGE
5.47k reviews for:
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know
Malcolm Gladwell
3.83 AVERAGE
Not sure how this is my first Gladwell book. Really interesting and timely. One I think I will visit again to really understand his points. Audio was fantastic.
A bunch of neat case studies people should know. I didn't feel they were as cohesive as he thought he made them. Still no real prognosis from the thoughts- just things aren't always what you think.
One point that annoyed me, was the Stanford rapist chapter. I'm wondering if it would have been different if he read Know My Name. It came out the same month, so he maybe didn't have that extra information. Or maybe that extra information directly from her would make a bias, as his book shows, not sure. One thing, he kind of uses alcohol as an excuse, but what really annoyed me was he quoted from her victim statement, but did not include the passage where she says alcohol is not the excuse, other people at the party were drunk and they didn't rape her. I felt not speaking to this specific statement was a complete cop out given the chapter's willingness to say alcohol makes people act differently. Though at least he noted that what Brock told police that night and what he testified to was completely different.
One point that annoyed me, was the Stanford rapist chapter. I'm wondering if it would have been different if he read Know My Name. It came out the same month, so he maybe didn't have that extra information. Or maybe that extra information directly from her would make a bias, as his book shows, not sure. One thing, he kind of uses alcohol as an excuse, but what really annoyed me was he quoted from her victim statement, but did not include the passage where she says alcohol is not the excuse, other people at the party were drunk and they didn't rape her. I felt not speaking to this specific statement was a complete cop out given the chapter's willingness to say alcohol makes people act differently. Though at least he noted that what Brock told police that night and what he testified to was completely different.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
The points he makes are interesting, but it was tough to repeatedly read the most extreme examples of interactions with strangers gone wrong, many of which were highly sensitive tragedies that happened to real people, rather than good case studies. The conclusions were interesting, sure, but the way he built his arguments I found problematic.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
a really compelling book, but the argument didn’t quite come together/reach its fullest form in the last few pages
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I always enjoy Gladwell’s writing. He has an ability to make topics that could be extremely boring into stories. Rather than piling the reader with straight data he share anecdotes supported by research or facts that lead you to understand his opinion.
I read his book blink more than ten years ago and think pairing these books would be interesting. The transparency theory in this book applied to fast thinking in Blink and how they affect each other.
Overall an interesting and easy read.
I read his book blink more than ten years ago and think pairing these books would be interesting. The transparency theory in this book applied to fast thinking in Blink and how they affect each other.
Overall an interesting and easy read.