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5.53k reviews for:
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know
Malcolm Gladwell
3.83 AVERAGE
5.53k reviews for:
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know
Malcolm Gladwell
3.83 AVERAGE
Loved this book. I think of Malcolm Gladwell's books like ice cream—comfort food for the brain. They're consistently good, always satisfying, and I know exactly what I’m going to get: a fascinating premise, unconventional insights, and a series of compelling stories backed by data and narrative flair.
If you've read any of Gladwell’s other books, his signature style will feel familiar here. He presents an interesting, often counterintuitive idea, and then walks you through real-world stories and research that support it. Talking to Strangers is no exception.
What really sets Gladwell apart, in my opinion, is that he's not just a non-fiction writer—he’s a storyteller. His ability to weave together psychology, sociology, history, and human behavior into a gripping narrative is unmatched. Some may critique him for cherry-picking or oversimplifying, but you can’t deny his talent for storytelling. He makes you think, and he makes it enjoyable.
While I didn’t love this quite as much as Outliers or David and Goliath, it still ranks high among his work. It’s classic Gladwell: smooth, thought-provoking, and entertaining. Like I said—ice cream. You just can’t go wrong.
If you've read any of Gladwell’s other books, his signature style will feel familiar here. He presents an interesting, often counterintuitive idea, and then walks you through real-world stories and research that support it. Talking to Strangers is no exception.
What really sets Gladwell apart, in my opinion, is that he's not just a non-fiction writer—he’s a storyteller. His ability to weave together psychology, sociology, history, and human behavior into a gripping narrative is unmatched. Some may critique him for cherry-picking or oversimplifying, but you can’t deny his talent for storytelling. He makes you think, and he makes it enjoyable.
While I didn’t love this quite as much as Outliers or David and Goliath, it still ranks high among his work. It’s classic Gladwell: smooth, thought-provoking, and entertaining. Like I said—ice cream. You just can’t go wrong.
This was really fascinating. I would have liked Gladwell to dive more into race and racism specifically as related to this topic, but I still thought this was very well done and gave me a lot to think about. I listened to the audiobook which was excellent- I would highly recommend it. I'll probably listen again at some point, because I'd like to spend more time taking in and ruminating on all the information presented.
I hadn't read anything by Gladwell since high school so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it this time around... Turned out to be pretty much the same....
While it was a quick and easy-to-read way to get a glimpse of some interesting research in some cases...and I don't doubt each piece of research has merit on its own, to thread all of it into an overeaching hypothesis is far-fetched and stupid at best, and pretty dangerous at worst.
Not to dismiss the interesting points and stories (there were some), but reading a bunch of disparate studies in totally different areas of research and connecting them under some grand relevation about human nature like this is barely above a conspiracy theory.
"I've connected the dots"
Sir, you have NOT in fact connected anything, you do not possess the skillset necessary for such an undertaking, nor should you be putting this out in mainstream "knowledge."
While it was a quick and easy-to-read way to get a glimpse of some interesting research in some cases...and I don't doubt each piece of research has merit on its own, to thread all of it into an overeaching hypothesis is far-fetched and stupid at best, and pretty dangerous at worst.
Not to dismiss the interesting points and stories (there were some), but reading a bunch of disparate studies in totally different areas of research and connecting them under some grand relevation about human nature like this is barely above a conspiracy theory.
"I've connected the dots"
Sir, you have NOT in fact connected anything, you do not possess the skillset necessary for such an undertaking, nor should you be putting this out in mainstream "knowledge."
wow. WOW. Malcolm Gladwell is a master of words. Taking important and complicated topics and distilling them into digestible chapters that all intertwine beautifully. This is an incredibly important book for EVERYONE to read — especially if you’re frustrated with police brutality in this country. It not only provides some answers, but also gives you clarity on why interactions between stranger often go awry. Highly recommend !
I've been thinking for a few days about this book, which is, I suppose exactly the point. Full disclosure, I listened to this one as read by the author, which can change an interpretation. Malcolm Gladwell writes thoughtfully as usual. Sound arguments push for grace and kindness when talking with strangers. Without introducing any spoilers, I think what was troubling in the book was that it removes blame. Yes, that is the point. Yes, this was written before our current situation as a society. But right now it feels like maybe rather than remove blame, we should focus on creating a culture of responsibility for one another. These struggles detracted from the book for me. As thoughtful a writer as Gladwell is, maybe that is the point...
About gut-feeling, whistleblowers and our very fallible assumptions about how to interpret each other.
Many interesting examples, from espionage or court cases.
Many interesting examples, from espionage or court cases.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Some parts of thus book were fascinating, but it was not quite what I was expecting.
informative
medium-paced