David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

by Malcolm Gladwell

Overview

Malcolm Gladwell's provocative new #1 bestseller — now in paperback.

Three thousand years ago on a battlefield in ancient Palestine, a shepherd boy felled a mighty warrior with nothing more than a pebble and a sling-and ever since, the names of David and Goliath have stood for battles between underdogs and giants. David's victory was improbable and miraculous. He shouldn't have won.

Or should he?

In DAVID AND GOLIATH, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, suffer from a disability, lose a parent, attend a mediocre school, or endure any number of other apparent setbacks.

In the tradition of Gladwell's previous bestsellers-The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers and What the Dog Saw-DAVID AND GOLIATH draws upon history, psychology and powerful story-telling to reshape the way we think of the world around us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316204378
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	04/07/2015
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	4,602
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. Prior to that, he was a reporter at the Washington Post. He is the author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw. Gladwell was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. He now lives in New York.

Hometown:

New York, NY

Date of Birth:

September 3, 1963

Place of Birth:

England, U.K.

Education:

University of Toronto, History degree, 1984

Editorial Reviews

"Truly intriguing and inspiring."—Hector Tobar, Los Angeles Times

"Provocative....David and Goliath is a lean, consuming read."—John Wilwol, San Francisco Chronicle

"As always, Gladwell's sweep is breathtaking and thought-provoking."—Joe Nocera, New York Times

"Fascinating....Gladwell is a master of synthesis. This perennially bestselling author prides himself on radical re-thinking and urges the rest of us to follow suit."—Heller McAlpin, Washington Post

"What propels the book, like all of Gladwell's writing, is his intoxicating brand of storytelling. He is the master of mixing familiar elements with surprise counter-intuitions, and then seasoning with a sprinkling of scientific evidence....Gladwell is a master craftsman, an outlier amongst authors."—Rob Brooks, Huffington Post

"Gladwell's most provocative book yet. David and Goliath challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, drawing upon history, psychology, and powerful narrative talent to rethink how we view the world around us and how to deal with the challenges life throws at us."—Susanne Jaffe, Columbus Dispatch

"Gladwell has made a career out of questioning conventional wisdom, and here he examines the allegedly unlikely triumph of the weak over the mighty and shows it's not so unlikely after all. 4 stars."—Judith Newman, People Magazine

"Engrossing.... Gladwell's singular gift is animating the experience of his subjects. He has an uncanny ability to simplify without being simplistic: clean and vivid Strunk and White prose in the service of peerless storytelling."—David Takami, Seattle Times

"Contemporary society can't escape history when Malcolm Gladwell explains the world as he does with David and Goliath."—Jane Henderson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell explores the dynamics that inform and effect our everyday lives. By analyzing the Biblical account of the clash between David and Goliath, Gladwell presents a bold new interpretation of the lessons we should apply from it."—Today Show

From the Publisher

"The explosively entertaining Outliers might be Gladwell's best and most useful work yet...There are both brilliant yarns and life lessons here: Outliers is riveting science, self-help, and entertainment, all in one book.

Entertainment Weekly

"Gladwell's theories could be used to run businesses more effectively, to turn products into runaway bestsellers, and perhaps most important, to alter human behavior.

New York Times

"Intoxicating".Gladwell is an engaging writer and a first-rate tour guide.?

Los Angeles Times

"BLINK moves quickly through a series of delightful stories?.Always dazzling us with fascinating information and phenomena.

New York Times Book Review

"Thought-provoking, entertaining, and irresistibly debatable...[Outliers] is another winner from this agile social observer.

Christian Science Monitor

"No other book I read this year combines such a distinctive prose style with truly thought-provoking content. Gladwell writes with a high degree of dazzle but at the same time remains as clear and direct as even Strunk or White could hope for.

Atlanta Journal Constitution