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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 302 EAN: 9780316346627 ISBN: 0316346624 Label: Back Bay Books Manufacturer: Back Bay Books Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 304 Publication Date: January 07, 2002 Publisher: Back Bay Books Studio: Back Bay Books Sales Rank: 206
Product Description: The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
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
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Having been hugely happy with Blink!
Having been hugely happy with Blink! I went out and purchased The Tipping Point almost right away. It, like most the other books I purchase, sat on a bookcase dedicated solely to books-yet-to-read until ... Read More
Rating: - Must read book
Macolm Gladwell's approach in this book is that of an observer. His deductions are thoroughly logical and offer a refreshing alternative to traditional thought. This book was a joy to read. I am also ... Read More
Rating: - THANK YOU AMAZON, and mixed review
I have to compliment Amazon on their awesome feature of look inside the book! I had bought this book about a year ago from [...] and for a few different reasons had not had the chance to read it until a ... Read More
Rating: - Interesting stories, not that useful
With 900 other reviews, I'll keep this one short. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell is an enormously interesting read. It tries to answer the question why and how certain ideas 'tip'. How they ... Read More
Rating: - A year later and I'm still marveling over this book!
I've heard Malcolm Gladwell speak, and he's superb! In this innovative book, whether he's referring to the Maven, or the Connector, it's relatable to all individuals. If you're looking for a light leadership ... Read More
- Must read book
- THANK YOU AMAZON, and mixed review