Tuesday, August 29, 2006
The Tipping Point
by Malcolm Gladwell
review by N. Sosulski
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do."
Although I first read this a few years ago, I enjoy rereading it. Gladwell’s account of how events “tip” over into trends, is enlightening and entertaining reading. As of March 17, 2006 the paper edition had been on the bestseller list for 82 weeks. The cloth The Tipping Point spent 28 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list and more than two years on Business Week's, and today there are almost 800,000 copies in print. Companies from The New Yorker to Starbucks purchase it for their employees.
review by N. Sosulski
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do."
Although I first read this a few years ago, I enjoy rereading it. Gladwell’s account of how events “tip” over into trends, is enlightening and entertaining reading. As of March 17, 2006 the paper edition had been on the bestseller list for 82 weeks. The cloth The Tipping Point spent 28 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list and more than two years on Business Week's, and today there are almost 800,000 copies in print. Companies from The New Yorker to Starbucks purchase it for their employees.
