Gladwell, Malcolm 1963-

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GLADWELL, Malcolm 1963-

PERSONAL: Born 1963, in England; son of Graham Gladwell (a professor). Education: University of Toronto, graduated, 1984.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Little, Brown, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Journalist. Washington Post, Washington, DC, reporter, science writer, and New York City bureau chief, 1987–96; New Yorker magazine, New York, NY, staff writer, 1996–. Also worked at American Spectator.

WRITINGS:

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 2000, with a new afterword by the author, Back Bay Books (Boston, MA), 2002.

Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 2005.

Contributor of articles to Slate and People.

SIDELIGHTS: Journalist Malcolm Gladwell is the author of two books that look at how the human mind works. In his first book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Gladwell takes a look at human behavior patterns and how seemingly insignificant factors can build into momentous changes. Specifically, he focuses on how various ideas take hold in the human mind and society, such as the succession of trends that pass in and out of style. Describing the phenomenon in the context of three laws called the "Law of the Few," the "Stickiness Factor," and the "Power of Context," the author substantiates his theories with research and case studies focusing on everything from how the television show Sesame Street became such a success to the factors that motivated infamous New York City subway shooter Bernard Goetz to open fire on his perceived attackers. In the case of Goetz, Gladwell attributes the shooting to the "Power of Context." He argues that the most important factors in the shooting were not the backgrounds or psychology of either Goetz or the four black youths he shot, but rather the overall condition of New York's subway system, a state then highlighted by such factors as the system's general disorder and the graffiti on the subway walls.

Writing in the Library Journal, Ellen Gilbert called The Tipping Point "an entertaining read." Miriam Udel Lambert, writing in the American Prospect, praised "the vigorous activism it champions. For those overwhelmed by the insurmountability of certain social ills or the intractability of human behavior generally, Gladwell's approach offers succor." The Tipping Point has also been widely embraced by the business community, which sees Gladwell's theories as offering important insights into such areas as marketing. Writing in the Ivy Business Journal, John S. McCallum noted that the book is "full of astute observations and excellent suggestions for executives who must manage change."

In Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking Gladwell sets forth his belief that people in all walks of life should rely more on their instinctual powers and ability to make snap decisions. Gladwell explains how people's "adaptive unconsciousness" enable them to take stock of situations quickly and make quick decisions that, more often than not, turn out to be the right decisions. For example, he talks about "thin-slicing," which is the mind's ability to draw conclusions from little data or "narrow slices of experience." Throughout the book, the author provides numerous stories and examples to bolster his case, such as a tennis coach who can predict students' errors before they happen or the male orchestra conductor who can somehow identify whether the musician playing an instrument is male or female without seeing them. In the end, Gladwell argues that decisions made very quickly and based on a gut instinct can be just as valid and ultimately successful as those made by gathering huge volumes of data and pondering over the question for extended periods of time. Nevertheless, Gladwell also points out that snap judgments can be wrong, such as in the case of a shooting by police officers of an innocent man in New York. In either case, the author writes, understanding this phenomenon can have an impact on many aspects of people's lives.

Writing in the New Republic, Richard A. Posner felt that many of the issues discussed in Blink are "obscured rather than elucidated by Gladwell's parade of poorly understood yarns." On the other hand, the reviewer went on to note that the book contains "interesting and even illuminating facts." In a review for Booklist, Donna Seaman noted that the author "brilliantly illuminates an aspect of our mental lives," adding that "Gladwell's groundbreaking explication of a key aspect of human nature is enlightening, provocative, and great fun to read." Mary Ann Hughes, writing in the Library Journal, commented that "Gladwell gets the science facts right and has the journalistic skills to make them utterly engrossing."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Gladwell, Malcolm, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 2000.

Gladwell, Malcolm, Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 2005.

PERIODICALS

Advertising Age, Stephanie Thompson, "'Tipping Point' Guru Takes on Focus Groups; Ad Creatives Big Fans of Gladwell's Call to Rely on Gut Instincts," p. 4.

American Prospect, July 17, 2000, Miriam Udel Lambert, review of The Tipping Point, p. 50.

Black Issues Book Review, November-December, 2004, Denise Simon, review of Blink, p. 64.

Booklist, September 1, 2004, Donna Seaman, review of Blink, p. 2.

Brand Strategy, April 5, 2005, "Profile—Malcolm Gladwell: The Accidental Guru," p. 16.

Business Record, January 31, 2005, review of Blink, p. 33.

Business Wire, March 1, 2005, "Best Selling Author Malcolm Gladwell to Keynote at Leading Minds 2005."

Community Care, December 2, 2004, review of Blink, p. 51.

Design Week, March 3, 2005, review of Blink, p. 12.

Entertainment Weekly, January 14, 2005, Jennifer Reese, review of Blink, p. 92.

Fast Company, January, 2005, Danielle Sacks, "The Accidental Guru," p. 64; March, 2005.

Ivy Business Journal, July-August, 2004, John S. McCallum, review of The Tipping Point, p. 1.

Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2004, review of Blink, p. 948.

Library Journal, March 1, 2000, Ellen Gilbert, review of The Tipping Point, p. 112; November 15, 2004, Mary Ann Huges, review of Blink, p. 75.

New Republic, January 24, 2005, Richard A. Posner, review of Blink, p. 27.

New Statesman, February 14, 2005, Edwina Curry, review of Blink, p. 51.

O, January, 2005, Paul Schneider, review of Blink, p. 86.

Publishers Weekly, April 3, 2000, review of The Tipping Point, p. 36; November 1, 2004, review of Blink, p. 52; January 24, 2005, Daisy Maryles, "Blink in the Pink," p. 29.

Time, January 10, 2005, Lev Grossman, review of Blink, p. 57; April 18, 2005, Romesh Ratnesar, "Malcolm Gladwell: Pop Purveyor of New Ideas," p. 103.