The Tipping Point

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

by Malcolm Gladwell

Paperback, 304 pages

English language

Published 2002 by Back Bay Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-316-34662-7
OCLC Number:: 55586972

Ideas, products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do." Behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world. 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.

16 editions

Book_Em_Danno reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

None

3 stars

About half of the book was fascinating, and the other half of the book looked at marketing/advertising which is a dreary topic and a hideous career that I will never respect. I despise capitalism and everything that goes along with it. Adults trying to figure out what teenagers think is cool, in order to sell them shit makes me want to vomit. Still, I might check out the sequel to see what has changed since the internet and social media have become so dominant in how ideas spread.

GenericMoniker reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Mixed

3 stars

This book has been on my shelf for years. I think the author is coming out with a new version soon so I thought I'd finally read the original. The thesis is that epidemics (mostly social ones) are triggered by small groups of people or small changes in approach. There were definitely interesting parts and examples, but some things have been supposedly debunked. I've come across the "broken windows" idea in other contexts and so looked briefly into detractors of that. They give unsatisfactory comments like, "We don't know why crime rates went down, but it sure wasn't because of what Gladwell said!" The book seems like it would appeal more to sales and marketing types who can fantasize about finding the tiny tipping point that will make their products suddenly successful.

Ian Channing reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Some things like broken glass theory cause problems but overall a fascinating book

makbeta reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Reading this book in 2018 made me question some of the science. Since the book's publications the science has been able to update and revise some of the theories presented in this book. Case in point, broken windows theory. Since it's first inception, it has been found to be not as effective as people originally thought.

However, what I liked about this book is that it encourages readers to look at the situation from the perspective of epidemiologist and sociologist. The author presents his information in an engaging story-telling format, which makes for a great read or listen.

Danie reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'GoodReads'

4 stars

A very interesting read covering topics that affect us daily such as urban crime, size of organisations, epidemics, etc.

Danie reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A very interesting read covering topics that affect us daily such as urban crime, size of organisations, epidemics, etc.

alkindy reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

None

4 stars

i found it facinating to read theories i never heard about them before and how they are related to social problems and treands

TowerOfTheArchmage reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This is a book about how little things can make a huge difference, if the right people are involved. For instance did you know on that night Paul Revere made his midnight ride that there was a second rider? The reason everyone remembers Paul Revere is because he was successful, and he was successful because he was an extraordinary connector of people. He knew everyone, and on that night, he knew who to tell to get the militias mobilized.

Don reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'Goodreads'

1 star

there were only a couple interesting points. mostly it felt like "wow! look at this very popular thing! before it happened, this other thing happened. there might be a cause and effect there!"

Ted reviewed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Review of 'The tipping point' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Gladwell talent is to decipher loads of academic studies and to put it down as very readable prose. This book is backloaded with cultural status, and as such it held up. He isn't afraid to state the obvious, and he is a wiz at counter-attacking seemingly infallible intuition. The New Yorker style through-and-through, which I love.