Book Review: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

The Tipping Point takes an interesting look at the causes and impact of social phenomena

In The Tipping Point, the British journalist and writer Malcolm Gladwell analyzes the effect of social phenomena, taking a multidisciplinary approach to subjects such as social epidemics and the butterfly effect. This clear and detailed summary and analysis is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand Gladwell’s thought-provoking book: it features a thorough explanation of the author’s methodology, the main concepts underpinning his work, such as the principle of adherence, and the contextual background to his work, including his career as a journalist. It also provides an introduction to what he calls “rare birds”, the main criticisms of his work and potential extensions of his approach, giving you everything you need to understand this interesting, unusual book in just 50 minutes.

This accessible and insightful 30-page summary and analysis is structured as follows:

• Why the little things can make the biggest difference
• About the author and background to the book
  • The author: Malcolm Gladwell
  • background and current work
• Summary of The Tipping Point
  • Rare birds
  • The principle of adherence
  • The importance of context
  • The tipping point
• Consequences of The Tipping Point
  • Criticisms of Gladwell’s approach
  • Similar extensions and approaches
• Recap of Gladwell’s main ideas

About The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point’s phenomenal success can be summed up with the advance that Gladwell and his co-partner received for the book: an estimated US$1–1.5 million. However, the book has come under some criticism due to its scientific evidence, and while some of Gladwell’s results have been reproduced, the conclusions that he came to have occasionally been disputed in the scientific community. Nevertheless, the book is still very popular; one of the reasons for its success is the large amount of original research that Gladwell put into the book. He analyzes a range of things, not only experiments in social psychology, but also books and fads.

About Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell was born in 1963 in Fareham in the United Kingdom. However, at the age of six, he and his family moved to Canada, where the young Gladwell would eventually graduate with a degree in history. He became a journalist, writing for a range of publications including the American Spectator and the New York Times. In addition to his unusual, somewhat outspoken articles, Gladwell has also published several books.