Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

: For Blink, Malcolm Gladwell, author of the bestselling The Tipping Point explores the extraordinarily perceptive and deceptive power of the sub-conscious mind. Gladwell's major claim is that decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as a decision made cautiously and deliberately. What we are actually doing is what Gladwell calls `thin-slicing'. When we leap to a decision or have a hunch our unconscious is sifting through the situation in front of us looking for a pattern, throwing out the irrelevant information and zeroing in on what really matters. Our unconscious mind is so good at this that it often delivers a better answer than more deliberate and protracted ways of thinking. Much of this is utterly mysterious but some of the most astonishing and useful examples of thin-slicing can be learned.

 

Gladwell hopes to convince us that our snap judgements and first impressions can be educated and controlled so instead of merely praising the mysterious process of instinct and intuition he is interested in those moments when our instincts betray us, the situations where our powers of rapid cognition can go awry, where we fail to read the signs. Most disturbing of all is the degree to which culturally determined preconceptions and prejudices control us. Without reducing matters to racism and sexism Gladwell shows us that there are facts about people's appearance—their size or shape or color or sex—that can trigger a very similar set of powerful associations which explains why utter mediocrities (such as U.S. President Warren Harding) can sometimes end up in positions of enormous responsibility; or why tall people earn substantially more than their shorter colleagues; or why car salesmen unconsciously charge prices according to race and gender.

 

Gladwell's conversational prose style is concise, informative, accessible and entertaining. The stories, scientific findings and psychological tests are consistently surprising whether he is dealing with speed-dating, record promotions, police shoot-outs, the human face, or the reasons doctors get sued. --Larry Brown END

Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

An enjoyable and compelling read - more something that gets you thinking and not an intense scientific analysis., 18 Nov 2008
'Blink' is, as many others have said, an anecdotal, absorbing book on the premise of just how powerful gut instincts can be. It's not an in-depth analysis or criticism of theory, but as I picked it up that wasn't what I was looking for anyway. As a Psychology student, I read it outside of my course for enjoyment and not only does it give grounding to such an interest (i.e. a friend in her 3rd year of Psychology is using 'thin-slicing' in her project, and I lent her this book to help her understand it fully!) but is also one of those books that stays with you. It affects how you think about certain decisions and a greater understanding of your own mind. What more could you want from it?

A Critical Decision Making Tool!, 24 Jul 2008
Sometimes decisions need to be made quickly. All of our knowledge, education, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence must come together rapidly.

Malcolm Gladwell calls quick decision making thin slicing in his book: Blink. Thin slicing is the ability to focus on a small set of critical variables to make a quick decision rather than consciously considering every possible variable.

Many decisions are time dependent. Weighing the amount of information needed before making a decision, against the time available is a challenge.

Examples of when thin slicing is needed: combat, avoiding a car accident, or anything requiring an immediate decision. Another common name for thin slicing is thinking on your feet.

Gladwell does an excellent job of explaining what happens in these situations. For example:

"...in interviews with police officers who have been involved with shootings, these same details appear again and again: extreme visual clarity, tunnel vision, diminished sound, and the sense that time is slowing down. This is how the human body reacts to extreme stress..."

Besides the excellent examples given in the book, here is a classic example of using thin slicing.

Thin slicing was used on multiple occasions during the US space program. Gene Kranz (a flight controller on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs) writes about the need for quick accurate decisions in his book: Failure is not an Option.

Endless intensive simulations were run with the controllers, flight crew and others before every launch. Everyone's skills had to be razor sharp during the actual missions. Decisions had to be accurate and made in real time. There was little, and sometimes no room for error. Lives were at stake. Risk was part of their business.

Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:

"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."


Although we may not be faced with life and death decisions, we will (on occasions) have to make quick decisions. The better our skills and Critical Thinking are, coupled with training and quickness, the more prepared we will be to make sound decisions in the blink of an eye!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A new way of seeing, 17 Jul 2008
In the blink of an eye we gather huge amounts of information. The author, Gladwell, likens our brains to giant computers capable of processing lots of data in a flash. I found it fascinating how we can use this information either for survival purposes and / or we can apply our intuitive knowledge to any given situation. The author coins the term "thin slicing" to explain the process of applying one's intuition. He states that we are often suspicious of trusting this intuition because it's so quick and easy, even when it's on target. He relays experiments where instantaneous "thin slicing" has amazing results, sometimes in life and death situations, but also explains what can cause the skillto fall short. The reason often being that we are not truly living in the present moment.

Two books that easily guide one into the present moment are Ariel and Shya Kane's "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment" and "How To Create A Magical Relationship". These refreshingly fun and practical books effortlessly get the reader into the present moment where enlightenment resides. In an instant life can become brilliant and magical. Both of these intelligent books have shown me that life needn't be hard work in order to be amazing.

Enjoyable read, 07 Jul 2008
Gladwell's prose is effortlessly readable and the reader is constantly entertained by his anecdotes. I don't think he is a great thinker, but he presents his concepts very clearly and you immediately see how they are reflected in your own life. What the book lacks is a structured argument -by the end you feel as if it hasn't really gone anywhere. Nevertheless it's a very enjoyable read. Along similar lines, I would recommend Steve Taylor's excellent Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which 'unpacks' why we perceive time passing at different speeds in different situations and shows how we can become free of it.



Doesn't this guy understand irony, 19 May 2008
I am sorry but a book that discussing making good judgemnts on minimal information that then goes into page after page of repeating the same tired old examples and gives too much information. As the book says I knew it was right in the first few pages - why would I need the rest of it - now thats ironic

Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

An enjoyable and compelling read - more something that gets you thinking and not an intense scientific analysis., 18 Nov 2008
'Blink' is, as many others have said, an anecdotal, absorbing book on the premise of just how powerful gut instincts can be. It's not an in-depth analysis or criticism of theory, but as I picked it up that wasn't what I was looking for anyway. As a Psychology student, I read it outside of my course for enjoyment and not only does it give grounding to such an interest (i.e. a friend in her 3rd year of Psychology is using 'thin-slicing' in her project, and I lent her this book to help her understand it fully!) but is also one of those books that stays with you. It affects how you think about certain decisions and a greater understanding of your own mind. What more could you want from it?

A Critical Decision Making Tool!, 24 Jul 2008
Sometimes decisions need to be made quickly. All of our knowledge, education, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence must come together rapidly.

Malcolm Gladwell calls quick decision making thin slicing in his book: Blink. Thin slicing is the ability to focus on a small set of critical variables to make a quick decision rather than consciously considering every possible variable.

Many decisions are time dependent. Weighing the amount of information needed before making a decision, against the time available is a challenge.

Examples of when thin slicing is needed: combat, avoiding a car accident, or anything requiring an immediate decision. Another common name for thin slicing is thinking on your feet.

Gladwell does an excellent job of explaining what happens in these situations. For example:

"...in interviews with police officers who have been involved with shootings, these same details appear again and again: extreme visual clarity, tunnel vision, diminished sound, and the sense that time is slowing down. This is how the human body reacts to extreme stress..."

Besides the excellent examples given in the book, here is a classic example of using thin slicing.

Thin slicing was used on multiple occasions during the US space program. Gene Kranz (a flight controller on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs) writes about the need for quick accurate decisions in his book: Failure is not an Option.

Endless intensive simulations were run with the controllers, flight crew and others before every launch. Everyone's skills had to be razor sharp during the actual missions. Decisions had to be accurate and made in real time. There was little, and sometimes no room for error. Lives were at stake. Risk was part of their business.

Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:

"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."


Although we may not be faced with life and death decisions, we will (on occasions) have to make quick decisions. The better our skills and Critical Thinking are, coupled with training and quickness, the more prepared we will be to make sound decisions in the blink of an eye!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A new way of seeing, 17 Jul 2008
In the blink of an eye we gather huge amounts of information. The author, Gladwell, likens our brains to giant computers capable of processing lots of data in a flash. I found it fascinating how we can use this information either for survival purposes and / or we can apply our intuitive knowledge to any given situation. The author coins the term "thin slicing" to explain the process of applying one's intuition. He states that we are often suspicious of trusting this intuition because it's so quick and easy, even when it's on target. He relays experiments where instantaneous "thin slicing" has amazing results, sometimes in life and death situations, but also explains what can cause the skillto fall short. The reason often being that we are not truly living in the present moment.

Two books that easily guide one into the present moment are Ariel and Shya Kane's "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment" and "How To Create A Magical Relationship". These refreshingly fun and practical books effortlessly get the reader into the present moment where enlightenment resides. In an instant life can become brilliant and magical. Both of these intelligent books have shown me that life needn't be hard work in order to be amazing.

Enjoyable read, 07 Jul 2008
Gladwell's prose is effortlessly readable and the reader is constantly entertained by his anecdotes. I don't think he is a great thinker, but he presents his concepts very clearly and you immediately see how they are reflected in your own life. What the book lacks is a structured argument -by the end you feel as if it hasn't really gone anywhere. Nevertheless it's a very enjoyable read. Along similar lines, I would recommend Steve Taylor's excellent Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which 'unpacks' why we perceive time passing at different speeds in different situations and shows how we can become free of it.



Doesn't this guy understand irony, 19 May 2008
I am sorry but a book that discussing making good judgemnts on minimal information that then goes into page after page of repeating the same tired old examples and gives too much information. As the book says I knew it was right in the first few pages - why would I need the rest of it - now thats ironic

A few minutes well spent, 31 Oct 2008
The One Minute Manager is perfect for anybody who is just embarking on a career in management. It is a very short lesson in management, written in simple language in the form of a story about the perfect manager.

Do not let its size or lack of academic language fool you. This book is the distillate of powerful psychological and management principles, so simple and easy to remember that anybody can use them to manage effectively.

I would recommend this book to anybody who cares about effective management and about their staff and colleagues.

Not impressed, 05 Apr 2008
I didnt get this book at all. I dont understand what all the fuss is about. Its not a very brillant style of writing. I have read "who moved my cheese" and was not impressed either.

I don't understand why its a bestseller.

Good one subject book that is quick to read, 15 Apr 2007
Quite sensible contents. I think the book is best for people who haven't studied much about leadership but are interested of that. After reading One Minute Manager you might know will you want to study more about leadership or not. Book could be more detailed, but that would lead book to be something else than quick to read. I quess this book is best on plane, train etc vehicle or place where you need to wait for a while and you dont want to read magazine.

Good, but very light on content, 26 Jan 2007
This is a good, fast paced read. It can be read in about an hour. It contains very basic people management skills information, wrapped into a story. The basis of the story is that there is a manager who can restrict his contact with colleagues to one minute bursts and be the most effective manager in the organisation. A newcomer learns the skills and represents the reader in the story. Most managers you know have read this book, so if you have not, buy it and read it tomorrow - must keep up with the competition!

Universally applicable!, 31 Aug 2006
This is one of my favorite books. It is geniusly simple, respectful and powerful. I was surprised to find out that I can easily apply the 3 principles in almost every relationship. So many people around deserve to be praised and taught a lesson and it is very important HOW you will do it because the final result can be very positive or just the opposite. It is a very valuable book which is very well written and is a fast read. I also highly recommend the other books from the One Minute Manager series because every book has a lot to offer and they will be especially helpful if you are in a business environment.

Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

An enjoyable and compelling read - more something that gets you thinking and not an intense scientific analysis., 18 Nov 2008
'Blink' is, as many others have said, an anecdotal, absorbing book on the premise of just how powerful gut instincts can be. It's not an in-depth analysis or criticism of theory, but as I picked it up that wasn't what I was looking for anyway. As a Psychology student, I read it outside of my course for enjoyment and not only does it give grounding to such an interest (i.e. a friend in her 3rd year of Psychology is using 'thin-slicing' in her project, and I lent her this book to help her understand it fully!) but is also one of those books that stays with you. It affects how you think about certain decisions and a greater understanding of your own mind. What more could you want from it?

A Critical Decision Making Tool!, 24 Jul 2008
Sometimes decisions need to be made quickly. All of our knowledge, education, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence must come together rapidly.

Malcolm Gladwell calls quick decision making thin slicing in his book: Blink. Thin slicing is the ability to focus on a small set of critical variables to make a quick decision rather than consciously considering every possible variable.

Many decisions are time dependent. Weighing the amount of information needed before making a decision, against the time available is a challenge.

Examples of when thin slicing is needed: combat, avoiding a car accident, or anything requiring an immediate decision. Another common name for thin slicing is thinking on your feet.

Gladwell does an excellent job of explaining what happens in these situations. For example:

"...in interviews with police officers who have been involved with shootings, these same details appear again and again: extreme visual clarity, tunnel vision, diminished sound, and the sense that time is slowing down. This is how the human body reacts to extreme stress..."

Besides the excellent examples given in the book, here is a classic example of using thin slicing.

Thin slicing was used on multiple occasions during the US space program. Gene Kranz (a flight controller on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs) writes about the need for quick accurate decisions in his book: Failure is not an Option.

Endless intensive simulations were run with the controllers, flight crew and others before every launch. Everyone's skills had to be razor sharp during the actual missions. Decisions had to be accurate and made in real time. There was little, and sometimes no room for error. Lives were at stake. Risk was part of their business.

Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:

"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."


Although we may not be faced with life and death decisions, we will (on occasions) have to make quick decisions. The better our skills and Critical Thinking are, coupled with training and quickness, the more prepared we will be to make sound decisions in the blink of an eye!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A new way of seeing, 17 Jul 2008
In the blink of an eye we gather huge amounts of information. The author, Gladwell, likens our brains to giant computers capable of processing lots of data in a flash. I found it fascinating how we can use this information either for survival purposes and / or we can apply our intuitive knowledge to any given situation. The author coins the term "thin slicing" to explain the process of applying one's intuition. He states that we are often suspicious of trusting this intuition because it's so quick and easy, even when it's on target. He relays experiments where instantaneous "thin slicing" has amazing results, sometimes in life and death situations, but also explains what can cause the skillto fall short. The reason often being that we are not truly living in the present moment.

Two books that easily guide one into the present moment are Ariel and Shya Kane's "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment" and "How To Create A Magical Relationship". These refreshingly fun and practical books effortlessly get the reader into the present moment where enlightenment resides. In an instant life can become brilliant and magical. Both of these intelligent books have shown me that life needn't be hard work in order to be amazing.

Enjoyable read, 07 Jul 2008
Gladwell's prose is effortlessly readable and the reader is constantly entertained by his anecdotes. I don't think he is a great thinker, but he presents his concepts very clearly and you immediately see how they are reflected in your own life. What the book lacks is a structured argument -by the end you feel as if it hasn't really gone anywhere. Nevertheless it's a very enjoyable read. Along similar lines, I would recommend Steve Taylor's excellent Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which 'unpacks' why we perceive time passing at different speeds in different situations and shows how we can become free of it.



Doesn't this guy understand irony, 19 May 2008
I am sorry but a book that discussing making good judgemnts on minimal information that then goes into page after page of repeating the same tired old examples and gives too much information. As the book says I knew it was right in the first few pages - why would I need the rest of it - now thats ironic

A few minutes well spent, 31 Oct 2008
The One Minute Manager is perfect for anybody who is just embarking on a career in management. It is a very short lesson in management, written in simple language in the form of a story about the perfect manager.

Do not let its size or lack of academic language fool you. This book is the distillate of powerful psychological and management principles, so simple and easy to remember that anybody can use them to manage effectively.

I would recommend this book to anybody who cares about effective management and about their staff and colleagues.

Not impressed, 05 Apr 2008
I didnt get this book at all. I dont understand what all the fuss is about. Its not a very brillant style of writing. I have read "who moved my cheese" and was not impressed either.

I don't understand why its a bestseller.

Good one subject book that is quick to read, 15 Apr 2007
Quite sensible contents. I think the book is best for people who haven't studied much about leadership but are interested of that. After reading One Minute Manager you might know will you want to study more about leadership or not. Book could be more detailed, but that would lead book to be something else than quick to read. I quess this book is best on plane, train etc vehicle or place where you need to wait for a while and you dont want to read magazine.

Good, but very light on content, 26 Jan 2007
This is a good, fast paced read. It can be read in about an hour. It contains very basic people management skills information, wrapped into a story. The basis of the story is that there is a manager who can restrict his contact with colleagues to one minute bursts and be the most effective manager in the organisation. A newcomer learns the skills and represents the reader in the story. Most managers you know have read this book, so if you have not, buy it and read it tomorrow - must keep up with the competition!

Universally applicable!, 31 Aug 2006
This is one of my favorite books. It is geniusly simple, respectful and powerful. I was surprised to find out that I can easily apply the 3 principles in almost every relationship. So many people around deserve to be praised and taught a lesson and it is very important HOW you will do it because the final result can be very positive or just the opposite. It is a very valuable book which is very well written and is a fast read. I also highly recommend the other books from the One Minute Manager series because every book has a lot to offer and they will be especially helpful if you are in a business environment.

Good Introduction.., 20 Sep 2008
It is a good book to get you started. Covers alot of the models in NLP and is set out so its easy to read and understand. But as i said a very basic book.

If you want some good advice as a rule of thumb on getting books on NLP avoid the new stuff. Stick to the earlier books by Bandler preferably the first ones for e.g 'From Frogs to Princes ( is a must if your serious about this subject ) not only are they humerous but are like the bible of the subject and come from the pioneers, the fountain of knowledge. Derren Brown will even give you this advise also.

Fantastic layout, imple, yet effective, 17 Aug 2008
At first I thought NLP was some hocus-pocus magic stuff, that didn't really work, but boy did it! I am now able to easiloy create rapport, and I find I communicate a hell of a lot more easily... You have inspired me...!!!!!

Better than I thought it would be, 05 Aug 2008
I started this book with a very cynical view thinking it wouldnt be that good. I was pleasantly surprised though to find it is in fact quite interesting and has many helpful ideas.

The page on looking at a persons eyes to see if they are thinking about the past, present, remembering etc is very accurate. I tried it myself and it seems to work.

Definately a useful book to read and find out more about NLP.

Excellent introduction , 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent introduction to NLP and presents all the core concepts in an accurate way. NLP is a very wide-ranging theory but this author has managed to introduce the core framework very cogently. Perhaps there could have been more diagrams and illustrations, and perhaps a little less jargon too - but as NLP has so much of its own terminology it's difficult to see how this could be avoided. I would have liked to read a little more about time perception too, after reading Steve Taylor's excellent book Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which looks at why time seems to speed up and slow down (and even completely disappear) in different situations.





Too much detail and not enough 'how to practicality'., 12 May 2008
If u enjoy reading science textbooks or biology books or pages and pages of jargon and talking, then this is for u.if like me ur intrigued by NLP and want a few 'how to' tips then find something more practical. A waste of money.Minimum info on reading body language. A BIG disappointment.

Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

An enjoyable and compelling read - more something that gets you thinking and not an intense scientific analysis., 18 Nov 2008
'Blink' is, as many others have said, an anecdotal, absorbing book on the premise of just how powerful gut instincts can be. It's not an in-depth analysis or criticism of theory, but as I picked it up that wasn't what I was looking for anyway. As a Psychology student, I read it outside of my course for enjoyment and not only does it give grounding to such an interest (i.e. a friend in her 3rd year of Psychology is using 'thin-slicing' in her project, and I lent her this book to help her understand it fully!) but is also one of those books that stays with you. It affects how you think about certain decisions and a greater understanding of your own mind. What more could you want from it?

A Critical Decision Making Tool!, 24 Jul 2008
Sometimes decisions need to be made quickly. All of our knowledge, education, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence must come together rapidly.

Malcolm Gladwell calls quick decision making thin slicing in his book: Blink. Thin slicing is the ability to focus on a small set of critical variables to make a quick decision rather than consciously considering every possible variable.

Many decisions are time dependent. Weighing the amount of information needed before making a decision, against the time available is a challenge.

Examples of when thin slicing is needed: combat, avoiding a car accident, or anything requiring an immediate decision. Another common name for thin slicing is thinking on your feet.

Gladwell does an excellent job of explaining what happens in these situations. For example:

"...in interviews with police officers who have been involved with shootings, these same details appear again and again: extreme visual clarity, tunnel vision, diminished sound, and the sense that time is slowing down. This is how the human body reacts to extreme stress..."

Besides the excellent examples given in the book, here is a classic example of using thin slicing.

Thin slicing was used on multiple occasions during the US space program. Gene Kranz (a flight controller on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs) writes about the need for quick accurate decisions in his book: Failure is not an Option.

Endless intensive simulations were run with the controllers, flight crew and others before every launch. Everyone's skills had to be razor sharp during the actual missions. Decisions had to be accurate and made in real time. There was little, and sometimes no room for error. Lives were at stake. Risk was part of their business.

Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:

"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."


Although we may not be faced with life and death decisions, we will (on occasions) have to make quick decisions. The better our skills and Critical Thinking are, coupled with training and quickness, the more prepared we will be to make sound decisions in the blink of an eye!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A new way of seeing, 17 Jul 2008
In the blink of an eye we gather huge amounts of information. The author, Gladwell, likens our brains to giant computers capable of processing lots of data in a flash. I found it fascinating how we can use this information either for survival purposes and / or we can apply our intuitive knowledge to any given situation. The author coins the term "thin slicing" to explain the process of applying one's intuition. He states that we are often suspicious of trusting this intuition because it's so quick and easy, even when it's on target. He relays experiments where instantaneous "thin slicing" has amazing results, sometimes in life and death situations, but also explains what can cause the skillto fall short. The reason often being that we are not truly living in the present moment.

Two books that easily guide one into the present moment are Ariel and Shya Kane's "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment" and "How To Create A Magical Relationship". These refreshingly fun and practical books effortlessly get the reader into the present moment where enlightenment resides. In an instant life can become brilliant and magical. Both of these intelligent books have shown me that life needn't be hard work in order to be amazing.

Enjoyable read, 07 Jul 2008
Gladwell's prose is effortlessly readable and the reader is constantly entertained by his anecdotes. I don't think he is a great thinker, but he presents his concepts very clearly and you immediately see how they are reflected in your own life. What the book lacks is a structured argument -by the end you feel as if it hasn't really gone anywhere. Nevertheless it's a very enjoyable read. Along similar lines, I would recommend Steve Taylor's excellent Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which 'unpacks' why we perceive time passing at different speeds in different situations and shows how we can become free of it.



Doesn't this guy understand irony, 19 May 2008
I am sorry but a book that discussing making good judgemnts on minimal information that then goes into page after page of repeating the same tired old examples and gives too much information. As the book says I knew it was right in the first few pages - why would I need the rest of it - now thats ironic

A few minutes well spent, 31 Oct 2008
The One Minute Manager is perfect for anybody who is just embarking on a career in management. It is a very short lesson in management, written in simple language in the form of a story about the perfect manager.

Do not let its size or lack of academic language fool you. This book is the distillate of powerful psychological and management principles, so simple and easy to remember that anybody can use them to manage effectively.

I would recommend this book to anybody who cares about effective management and about their staff and colleagues.

Not impressed, 05 Apr 2008
I didnt get this book at all. I dont understand what all the fuss is about. Its not a very brillant style of writing. I have read "who moved my cheese" and was not impressed either.

I don't understand why its a bestseller.

Good one subject book that is quick to read, 15 Apr 2007
Quite sensible contents. I think the book is best for people who haven't studied much about leadership but are interested of that. After reading One Minute Manager you might know will you want to study more about leadership or not. Book could be more detailed, but that would lead book to be something else than quick to read. I quess this book is best on plane, train etc vehicle or place where you need to wait for a while and you dont want to read magazine.

Good, but very light on content, 26 Jan 2007
This is a good, fast paced read. It can be read in about an hour. It contains very basic people management skills information, wrapped into a story. The basis of the story is that there is a manager who can restrict his contact with colleagues to one minute bursts and be the most effective manager in the organisation. A newcomer learns the skills and represents the reader in the story. Most managers you know have read this book, so if you have not, buy it and read it tomorrow - must keep up with the competition!

Universally applicable!, 31 Aug 2006
This is one of my favorite books. It is geniusly simple, respectful and powerful. I was surprised to find out that I can easily apply the 3 principles in almost every relationship. So many people around deserve to be praised and taught a lesson and it is very important HOW you will do it because the final result can be very positive or just the opposite. It is a very valuable book which is very well written and is a fast read. I also highly recommend the other books from the One Minute Manager series because every book has a lot to offer and they will be especially helpful if you are in a business environment.

Good Introduction.., 20 Sep 2008
It is a good book to get you started. Covers alot of the models in NLP and is set out so its easy to read and understand. But as i said a very basic book.

If you want some good advice as a rule of thumb on getting books on NLP avoid the new stuff. Stick to the earlier books by Bandler preferably the first ones for e.g 'From Frogs to Princes ( is a must if your serious about this subject ) not only are they humerous but are like the bible of the subject and come from the pioneers, the fountain of knowledge. Derren Brown will even give you this advise also.

Fantastic layout, imple, yet effective, 17 Aug 2008
At first I thought NLP was some hocus-pocus magic stuff, that didn't really work, but boy did it! I am now able to easiloy create rapport, and I find I communicate a hell of a lot more easily... You have inspired me...!!!!!

Better than I thought it would be, 05 Aug 2008
I started this book with a very cynical view thinking it wouldnt be that good. I was pleasantly surprised though to find it is in fact quite interesting and has many helpful ideas.

The page on looking at a persons eyes to see if they are thinking about the past, present, remembering etc is very accurate. I tried it myself and it seems to work.

Definately a useful book to read and find out more about NLP.

Excellent introduction , 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent introduction to NLP and presents all the core concepts in an accurate way. NLP is a very wide-ranging theory but this author has managed to introduce the core framework very cogently. Perhaps there could have been more diagrams and illustrations, and perhaps a little less jargon too - but as NLP has so much of its own terminology it's difficult to see how this could be avoided. I would have liked to read a little more about time perception too, after reading Steve Taylor's excellent book Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which looks at why time seems to speed up and slow down (and even completely disappear) in different situations.





Too much detail and not enough 'how to practicality'., 12 May 2008
If u enjoy reading science textbooks or biology books or pages and pages of jargon and talking, then this is for u.if like me ur intrigued by NLP and want a few 'how to' tips then find something more practical. A waste of money.Minimum info on reading body language. A BIG disappointment.

Buy BEFORE you start your dissertation!, 14 Aug 2006
I started my dissertation very late - too late - and bought this book to help me through. It's a very simple, uncomplicated book which helps you set out your dissertation in the right way and guide you through the process of planning it, writing it, and checking it.

Also, as it is written by an ex lecturer the advice is coming from the right sort of person. There is a checklist at the back of the book which helps you mark your own piece of work and check that you've done the basics. It also has some useful tips yo help you avoid the most common errors.

I managed to get a First for my dissertation, thanks largely to this book. But save yourself rushing about like I did if you can, and buy this simple little book early, before you start!

very helpful and it's in plain english, 18 Apr 2005
I bought this book alongside with other books on writing dissertations. I found this the most useful and helpful of the lot as it was written in a clear logical way that i could understand, there were no fancy words, complicated issues etc.

Throughout my dissertation it has provided me with guidance on what to write in certain sections of my work, not only that it has provided me with the structure of what a dissertation should look like. Overall it has kept me sane and I would definately recommend it to people who are undertaking a dissertation, plus it is at a reasonable price too.

Lets wait and see., 01 Jun 2004
I bought this book some time ago, knowing that i would have to choose a dissertation for when i go back to university in Sept 2004. The task is much more difficult as i am currently on placement in Westminster and my university is in Sheffield so its impossible to recieve any help/ advice on what i am supposed to do. I haven't read a book in at least 8 years and then that was a shakespear book for my GCSE's i think? Anyway this was the first book i have read in all that time and found it easy to get into. It had some nice tips and advice on how to choose the right subject. It was very limited in parts and after reading two thirds of the way into the book i got bored and just flicked through the rest - it was unhelpful for my subject of Business information systems as i think it is more aimed at social degree's and masters thesis students. I did take a couple of tips from it and feel that it was a good first book to read in order to progress onto other more MEATY titles, which will go more into depth about dissertation writing. I have Since gave the book to my girlfriend and read three other titles (becoming the proverbial book worm) - i hope she gets more from it than i did. I will see if it was helpful, when i begin my final year in Sept.

Very helpful!, 11 Feb 2004
I have used this book constantly whilst thinking about my dissertation and when doing the write up. Very helpful, and very informative!

If only I had bought it sooner..., 04 Jun 2003
This book is ideal for when you are first thinking about your dissertation. Unfortunely I panic bought it when I was doing the writing up, so it was unable to provide me with information that I didnt already know at that point. I will definitely pass it on to someone going into their final year as it is a good starting point.

Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

An enjoyable and compelling read - more something that gets you thinking and not an intense scientific analysis., 18 Nov 2008
'Blink' is, as many others have said, an anecdotal, absorbing book on the premise of just how powerful gut instincts can be. It's not an in-depth analysis or criticism of theory, but as I picked it up that wasn't what I was looking for anyway. As a Psychology student, I read it outside of my course for enjoyment and not only does it give grounding to such an interest (i.e. a friend in her 3rd year of Psychology is using 'thin-slicing' in her project, and I lent her this book to help her understand it fully!) but is also one of those books that stays with you. It affects how you think about certain decisions and a greater understanding of your own mind. What more could you want from it?

A Critical Decision Making Tool!, 24 Jul 2008
Sometimes decisions need to be made quickly. All of our knowledge, education, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence must come together rapidly.

Malcolm Gladwell calls quick decision making thin slicing in his book: Blink. Thin slicing is the ability to focus on a small set of critical variables to make a quick decision rather than consciously considering every possible variable.

Many decisions are time dependent. Weighing the amount of information needed before making a decision, against the time available is a challenge.

Examples of when thin slicing is needed: combat, avoiding a car accident, or anything requiring an immediate decision. Another common name for thin slicing is thinking on your feet.

Gladwell does an excellent job of explaining what happens in these situations. For example:

"...in interviews with police officers who have been involved with shootings, these same details appear again and again: extreme visual clarity, tunnel vision, diminished sound, and the sense that time is slowing down. This is how the human body reacts to extreme stress..."

Besides the excellent examples given in the book, here is a classic example of using thin slicing.

Thin slicing was used on multiple occasions during the US space program. Gene Kranz (a flight controller on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs) writes about the need for quick accurate decisions in his book: Failure is not an Option.

Endless intensive simulations were run with the controllers, flight crew and others before every launch. Everyone's skills had to be razor sharp during the actual missions. Decisions had to be accurate and made in real time. There was little, and sometimes no room for error. Lives were at stake. Risk was part of their business.

Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:

"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."


Although we may not be faced with life and death decisions, we will (on occasions) have to make quick decisions. The better our skills and Critical Thinking are, coupled with training and quickness, the more prepared we will be to make sound decisions in the blink of an eye!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A new way of seeing, 17 Jul 2008
In the blink of an eye we gather huge amounts of information. The author, Gladwell, likens our brains to giant computers capable of processing lots of data in a flash. I found it fascinating how we can use this information either for survival purposes and / or we can apply our intuitive knowledge to any given situation. The author coins the term "thin slicing" to explain the process of applying one's intuition. He states that we are often suspicious of trusting this intuition because it's so quick and easy, even when it's on target. He relays experiments where instantaneous "thin slicing" has amazing results, sometimes in life and death situations, but also explains what can cause the skillto fall short. The reason often being that we are not truly living in the present moment.

Two books that easily guide one into the present moment are Ariel and Shya Kane's "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment" and "How To Create A Magical Relationship". These refreshingly fun and practical books effortlessly get the reader into the present moment where enlightenment resides. In an instant life can become brilliant and magical. Both of these intelligent books have shown me that life needn't be hard work in order to be amazing.

Enjoyable read, 07 Jul 2008
Gladwell's prose is effortlessly readable and the reader is constantly entertained by his anecdotes. I don't think he is a great thinker, but he presents his concepts very clearly and you immediately see how they are reflected in your own life. What the book lacks is a structured argument -by the end you feel as if it hasn't really gone anywhere. Nevertheless it's a very enjoyable read. Along similar lines, I would recommend Steve Taylor's excellent Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which 'unpacks' why we perceive time passing at different speeds in different situations and shows how we can become free of it.



Doesn't this guy understand irony, 19 May 2008
I am sorry but a book that discussing making good judgemnts on minimal information that then goes into page after page of repeating the same tired old examples and gives too much information. As the book says I knew it was right in the first few pages - why would I need the rest of it - now thats ironic

A few minutes well spent, 31 Oct 2008
The One Minute Manager is perfect for anybody who is just embarking on a career in management. It is a very short lesson in management, written in simple language in the form of a story about the perfect manager.

Do not let its size or lack of academic language fool you. This book is the distillate of powerful psychological and management principles, so simple and easy to remember that anybody can use them to manage effectively.

I would recommend this book to anybody who cares about effective management and about their staff and colleagues.

Not impressed, 05 Apr 2008
I didnt get this book at all. I dont understand what all the fuss is about. Its not a very brillant style of writing. I have read "who moved my cheese" and was not impressed either.

I don't understand why its a bestseller.

Good one subject book that is quick to read, 15 Apr 2007
Quite sensible contents. I think the book is best for people who haven't studied much about leadership but are interested of that. After reading One Minute Manager you might know will you want to study more about leadership or not. Book could be more detailed, but that would lead book to be something else than quick to read. I quess this book is best on plane, train etc vehicle or place where you need to wait for a while and you dont want to read magazine.

Good, but very light on content, 26 Jan 2007
This is a good, fast paced read. It can be read in about an hour. It contains very basic people management skills information, wrapped into a story. The basis of the story is that there is a manager who can restrict his contact with colleagues to one minute bursts and be the most effective manager in the organisation. A newcomer learns the skills and represents the reader in the story. Most managers you know have read this book, so if you have not, buy it and read it tomorrow - must keep up with the competition!

Universally applicable!, 31 Aug 2006
This is one of my favorite books. It is geniusly simple, respectful and powerful. I was surprised to find out that I can easily apply the 3 principles in almost every relationship. So many people around deserve to be praised and taught a lesson and it is very important HOW you will do it because the final result can be very positive or just the opposite. It is a very valuable book which is very well written and is a fast read. I also highly recommend the other books from the One Minute Manager series because every book has a lot to offer and they will be especially helpful if you are in a business environment.

Good Introduction.., 20 Sep 2008
It is a good book to get you started. Covers alot of the models in NLP and is set out so its easy to read and understand. But as i said a very basic book.

If you want some good advice as a rule of thumb on getting books on NLP avoid the new stuff. Stick to the earlier books by Bandler preferably the first ones for e.g 'From Frogs to Princes ( is a must if your serious about this subject ) not only are they humerous but are like the bible of the subject and come from the pioneers, the fountain of knowledge. Derren Brown will even give you this advise also.

Fantastic layout, imple, yet effective, 17 Aug 2008
At first I thought NLP was some hocus-pocus magic stuff, that didn't really work, but boy did it! I am now able to easiloy create rapport, and I find I communicate a hell of a lot more easily... You have inspired me...!!!!!

Better than I thought it would be, 05 Aug 2008
I started this book with a very cynical view thinking it wouldnt be that good. I was pleasantly surprised though to find it is in fact quite interesting and has many helpful ideas.

The page on looking at a persons eyes to see if they are thinking about the past, present, remembering etc is very accurate. I tried it myself and it seems to work.

Definately a useful book to read and find out more about NLP.

Excellent introduction , 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent introduction to NLP and presents all the core concepts in an accurate way. NLP is a very wide-ranging theory but this author has managed to introduce the core framework very cogently. Perhaps there could have been more diagrams and illustrations, and perhaps a little less jargon too - but as NLP has so much of its own terminology it's difficult to see how this could be avoided. I would have liked to read a little more about time perception too, after reading Steve Taylor's excellent book Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which looks at why time seems to speed up and slow down (and even completely disappear) in different situations.





Too much detail and not enough 'how to practicality'., 12 May 2008
If u enjoy reading science textbooks or biology books or pages and pages of jargon and talking, then this is for u.if like me ur intrigued by NLP and want a few 'how to' tips then find something more practical. A waste of money.Minimum info on reading body language. A BIG disappointment.

Buy BEFORE you start your dissertation!, 14 Aug 2006
I started my dissertation very late - too late - and bought this book to help me through. It's a very simple, uncomplicated book which helps you set out your dissertation in the right way and guide you through the process of planning it, writing it, and checking it.

Also, as it is written by an ex lecturer the advice is coming from the right sort of person. There is a checklist at the back of the book which helps you mark your own piece of work and check that you've done the basics. It also has some useful tips yo help you avoid the most common errors.

I managed to get a First for my dissertation, thanks largely to this book. But save yourself rushing about like I did if you can, and buy this simple little book early, before you start!

very helpful and it's in plain english, 18 Apr 2005
I bought this book alongside with other books on writing dissertations. I found this the most useful and helpful of the lot as it was written in a clear logical way that i could understand, there were no fancy words, complicated issues etc.

Throughout my dissertation it has provided me with guidance on what to write in certain sections of my work, not only that it has provided me with the structure of what a dissertation should look like. Overall it has kept me sane and I would definately recommend it to people who are undertaking a dissertation, plus it is at a reasonable price too.

Lets wait and see., 01 Jun 2004
I bought this book some time ago, knowing that i would have to choose a dissertation for when i go back to university in Sept 2004. The task is much more difficult as i am currently on placement in Westminster and my university is in Sheffield so its impossible to recieve any help/ advice on what i am supposed to do. I haven't read a book in at least 8 years and then that was a shakespear book for my GCSE's i think? Anyway this was the first book i have read in all that time and found it easy to get into. It had some nice tips and advice on how to choose the right subject. It was very limited in parts and after reading two thirds of the way into the book i got bored and just flicked through the rest - it was unhelpful for my subject of Business information systems as i think it is more aimed at social degree's and masters thesis students. I did take a couple of tips from it and feel that it was a good first book to read in order to progress onto other more MEATY titles, which will go more into depth about dissertation writing. I have Since gave the book to my girlfriend and read three other titles (becoming the proverbial book worm) - i hope she gets more from it than i did. I will see if it was helpful, when i begin my final year in Sept.

Very helpful!, 11 Feb 2004
I have used this book constantly whilst thinking about my dissertation and when doing the write up. Very helpful, and very informative!

If only I had bought it sooner..., 04 Jun 2003
This book is ideal for when you are first thinking about your dissertation. Unfortunely I panic bought it when I was doing the writing up, so it was unable to provide me with information that I didnt already know at that point. I will definitely pass it on to someone going into their final year as it is a good starting point.

Uninspiring, 22 Feb 2008
As someone keen to learn from entrepreneurs I didn't find this book useful; it is too brief and lacking in substance to be of any real use in that respect. I like Richard Branson and feel that he surely has much more insight to offer than is contained within this short book, so I will probably buy his full autobiography.



To coin an old cliché "short and sweet", 20 Jan 2008
Having not read Richard Branson's biog, I would have to assume that many of the stories of inspiration he uses have been well covered before. To me it was new material and added lots of insight into a great business mind.

A short book that I read in just two sittings. I only put it down the first time because I had to go to work! Best 'three quid' I have spent recently.

Get the full story!, 04 Jan 2008
I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Quick read, shallow story ...., 05 Dec 2007
I'm reviewing this book, not the man. The book is so concise (big print, designed for emergent readers) that even though you get through it cover to cover in just two hours there is very little satisfaction to be had.

It's a collection of snippets. Those who composed it do not even do us the service of keeping it to a decent chronological flow. It leaps back and forth chapter by chapter.

In compressing so many deeds into so few pages, I was left with the perception that Richard Branson was very smug; I did this good deed, then I had this great adventure, then I set up and sold a big business for a large profit, then I brokered a hostage-saving deal with Saddam Hussein, then I persuaded Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral. I am sure that he is not the smug man that this book might lead you to believe. I would guess that you'd be better served (and learn more) by reading a fuller story.

PS I had to laugh at the Scottish reviewer of this book who worked out that he'd gotten just two words to the penny! Laugh out Loud!!


Easy way to learn from the best, 12 Nov 2007
There's no debate about it- Sir Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time and a role model for so many.

Im a big believer that if you want to be like the best, you need to learn from the best. This book helps you do just that.

Great business and life concepts are easily explained. And at a bargain price- what more do you want?

Small but Perfectly Formed, 22 Nov 2008
Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell on fine form in this shiny little gem of a book. Don't we all love to read about the rich and successful. Give me 10,000 hours and I could be one of them!

conversation starting, thought-provoking, 21 Nov 2008
Spurred on by having tickets to hear Gladwell speak next week, I started reading this as soon as it arrived through the post. At first, I couldn't decide if Gladwell's ideas were incredibly basic or so profound I was missing something. By the time I finished, in one extended sitting, I was not only convinced by his argument about success, but empowered. I realised that Gladwell's brilliance is his ability to take what now seems like such an obvious, logical idea (clearly only in retrospect) and make it real. He not only makes the idea - that success is largely due to one's background and opportunities - come alive, but explains it in a fluent, engaging and utterly persuasive way. A way that, judging by the success of Blink or The Tipping Point, will surely make an impact on a massive number of people. A must read for anyone from their teens on up, who wishes to reconsider what we in the western world have been taught about success: that it requires, above all, spectacular talent or brilliance.

Gladwell at his best - inspirational!, 21 Nov 2008
I don't usually write reviews but was so surprised that someone could deem this 'boring', I felt compelled to respond. The one thing it isn't is boring. This book is fascinating, insightful and - as cliche as it sounds - empowering. It made me think a lot about my children and the way I thought about their potential for success. It made me reconsider the way I thought about my own personal achievements and the achievements of my family and friends. I love the way Gladwell tells a story and it's simply a delightful and inspirational book. I can't stop thinking and talking about the book to anyone and everyone who will listen!

Brilliant and thought provoking, 21 Nov 2008
I've not done this before and need to fess something up straight away - I work for the publisher of this book and also work with Amazon. However having read the first review up for this title I have say I couldn't disagree more - this is by some way the best Gladwell I've read, it is bursting with the usual nuanced and angled views on (yes) quite an obvious subject. No, it's not a celeb heavy statement of greatness, it's much more subtle than that. What makes the book so strong is how Gladwell digs into what everyone knows - hard work brings success - to uncover all the other elements. In fact it's a mistake to assume the theme of this book is as simple as hard work = success. Gladwell shows the background, the groundings on which success occurs. In the case of many sports you can work as hard as you like or focus as much as possible on your success - unless you are born in the right places and get exposed to the right competition you are not likely to crack it. And the personal ending to this book is a real departure for Gladwell, a fascinating insight into the very real side of some of these theories. So, yes, I'm biased, and yes, don't buy this if you want to hear Bill Gates tell you how he got so good. But do buy it if you have interest in the hidden side of success, the sociological elements of achievement (and failure), and just the sheer joy in unseen paths that Gladwell can bring out. I'm lucky, I didn't have to buy it - but I rammed through it in one sitting, enjoying every second of it.

Sheer nonsense!, 21 Nov 2008
Gladwell always tries to take a common topic of interest and put an unusual spin on it. In this case he has spun out of control. In this book he tries desperately to identify which factors make a person successful. There is no logical sequence - nor any logic at all to this book. Gladwell jumps around from one haphazzard topic to the next, grasping at straws, throwing in some spurious statistics to identify what set of factors makes a person successful.

As we all know, success is the result of knowing what you want and focusing on it. Whilst he may bring up a few interesting points, to wade through the content of the book for a highlight here and there is simply not worth it. In a nutshell, this book is boring, and does not add value to the reader. Rather read the autobiography of a successful person like Branson. (Branson's new book : "Business Sripped Bare" will give you far more insight into a multitude of success factors than the theoretical nonsense contained in Outliers!)

An enjoyable and compelling read - more something that gets you thinking and not an intense scientific analysis., 18 Nov 2008
'Blink' is, as many others have said, an anecdotal, absorbing book on the premise of just how powerful gut instincts can be. It's not an in-depth analysis or criticism of theory, but as I picked it up that wasn't what I was looking for anyway. As a Psychology student, I read it outside of my course for enjoyment and not only does it give grounding to such an interest (i.e. a friend in her 3rd year of Psychology is using 'thin-slicing' in her project, and I lent her this book to help her understand it fully!) but is also one of those books that stays with you. It affects how you think about certain decisions and a greater understanding of your own mind. What more could you want from it?

A Critical Decision Making Tool!, 24 Jul 2008
Sometimes decisions need to be made quickly. All of our knowledge, education, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence must come together rapidly.

Malcolm Gladwell calls quick decision making thin slicing in his book: Blink. Thin slicing is the ability to focus on a small set of critical variables to make a quick decision rather than consciously considering every possible variable.

Many decisions are time dependent. Weighing the amount of information needed before making a decision, against the time available is a challenge.

Examples of when thin slicing is needed: combat, avoiding a car accident, or anything requiring an immediate decision. Another common name for thin slicing is thinking on your feet.

Gladwell does an excellent job of explaining what happens in these situations. For example:

"...in interviews with police officers who have been involved with shootings, these same details appear again and again: extreme visual clarity, tunnel vision, diminished sound, and the sense that time is slowing down. This is how the human body reacts to extreme stress..."

Besides the excellent examples given in the book, here is a classic example of using thin slicing.

Thin slicing was used on multiple occasions during the US space program. Gene Kranz (a flight controller on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs) writes about the need for quick accurate decisions in his book: Failure is not an Option.

Endless intensive simulations were run with the controllers, flight crew and others before every launch. Everyone's skills had to be razor sharp during the actual missions. Decisions had to be accurate and made in real time. There was little, and sometimes no room for error. Lives were at stake. Risk was part of their business.

Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:

"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."


Although we may not be faced with life and death decisions, we will (on occasions) have to make quick decisions. The better our skills and Critical Thinking are, coupled with training and quickness, the more prepared we will be to make sound decisions in the blink of an eye!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A new way of seeing, 17 Jul 2008
In the blink of an eye we gather huge amounts of information. The author, Gladwell, likens our brains to giant co