Gladwell, Butcher

Some time ago, Alan put me onto Malcolm Gladwell who wrote Tipping Point and Blink. The first book is about marketing and the phenomenon of products that reach a "tipping point" when they just take off. The second, Blink, is about the phenomenon of "rapid cognition" whereby we sometimes make very accurate judgments based on very little data because we have observed a pattern that we recognize in an instant, in the "blink of an eye." I have read Blink more than once because it is highly entertaining and the anecdotes are fascinating. And I have convinced others to read the book.

While snooping around the Internet today, I learned that Gladwell has written a new book called Outliers. In this book Gladwell asserts that you cannot use "rapid cognition" to discover why super performers (called Outliers), like Bill Gates or Tiger Woods, are so successful because there is no real predictable pattern to success. He argues that most success stories derive as much from luck, circumstance, opportunity and timing as the talent of the individual. I tend to agree with this assessment. I look forward to reading the book.

I also ran across a blog that Gladwell maintains which had a very interesting post about inventive ideas. If you like Gladwell, you will find this post well worth the time.

BTW, Cathy found out that Jim Butcher's newest Dresden Files will be out in April 09--Turncoat. This will be the 11th book in the series. Here's a plot summary:

"When Morgan shows up on Harry's doorstep, broken, bleeding, and begging for protection from the Wardens, Harry finds himself at odds with the White Council yet again.

The Warden Morgan has been accused of treason against the Wizards of the White Council—and there's only one, final punishment for that crime. He's on the run, wants his name cleared, and needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog. Someone like Harry Dresden.

Now, Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less-than-agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head—someone like Harry."

Happy reading!