I've read several of Gladwell's books now and have enjoyed each of them, including this one, which I received for Christmas. In customary fashion, Gladwell teases out unexpected (and likely valid) conclusions from data and studies not followed by the general populous. While I have enjoyed his other books more for this quality, the focus of this book is itself difficult but necessary to grasp -- what mistakes observers repeatedly make in analyzing the speech, conduct, and habits of strangers (and how we are primed to make such mistakes). It's a worthwhile subject handled in an illustrative and deliberate manner. Worth one's time.