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Binding: Audio CD
Dewey Decimal Number: 302
EAN: 9781600240058
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
ISBN: 1600240054
Label: Hachette Audio
Manufacturer: Hachette Audio
Number Of Items: 8
Publication Date: April 03, 2007
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Sales Rank: 12453
Studio: Hachette Audio
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
'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 anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a 'Connector': he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere 'wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston,' he was also a 'Maven' who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the 'stickiness' of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that 'tipping point,' like 'future shock' or 'chaos theory,' will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan
Amazon.com Review:
'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 anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.
For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a 'Connector': he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere 'wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston,' he was also a 'Maven' who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.
Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the 'stickiness' of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that 'tipping point,' like 'future shock' or 'chaos theory,' will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
If you work in marketing, like me, you know that traction for a brand is critical and good products have tipping points en route to skyrocketing sales. Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point is a fascinating exploration of makes ideas explode. His anecdotes and research are fascinating, and some of his exploration focuses directly on consumer products, such as the resurgence of Hush Puppies.
Rating: -
Gladwell eloquently illustrates how little things make a big difference. It only takes one different approach or element to dramatically change the way people view the world, how we react to certain information and more. I think most of us have embraced this notion at least to some degree.
One of my favorite ways to look at change is to consider this quote that I've heard used throughout Glazer-Kennedy. "Little hinges open big doors." I also like the fact that this particular quote is ... Read More
Rating: -
If you are a sociologists probably you would not think that this is an interesting book, but if you don't have a specific education in social sciences, you may learn a lot.
The book depends on many famous articles which may be familiar to scientists but the way the author presents them is very sensible for the unspecified reader.
As in many books some ideas are unnecessarily repeated, but it is nearly impossible to find a book without this boring feature.
The book helped me to figureout ... Read More
Rating: -
i needed this book for a class i am taking and it worked out well enough for that. its seemed like the shipping took longer than expected though...
Rating: -
Mr. Gladwell's book is an easy read, and presents a cogent view of how trends evolve and grow from inception to complete fruition.
However, I did find it a bit too simplistic in some aspects, and missing some of the other elements that surely affect whether an idea catches on or not. For example, the concept of "stickiness" surely has an equal and opposite concept I would call "repulsiveness" that can, (and I am sure actually does) stop some trends from evolving at all. And, there is no mention ... Read More
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