Tipping Point

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

by Malcolm Gladwell

No cover — Malcolm Gladwell: Tipping Point (2002, Little, Brown Book Group Limited)

288 pages

English language

Published Aug. 19, 2002 by Little, Brown Book Group Limited.

ISBN:: 978-0-349-11346-3

View on OpenLibrary

(166 reviews)

16 editions

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.

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.