Rating: 
Summary: Very Insightful and Intriguing Book
Review: In this book the author explained that "stickiness" means that a message makes an impact. This book definitely had a high stickiness factor for me. You could say I had a great page turning discovery in reading this book. From fashion to television to more serious epidemics such as health, are all given explanations of how and why they came about.Looking at how we are "hardwired" for example in how we synchronize with one another in conversation. Our speech and timing coming into balance with each other. I liked finding out how we are all truly connected on some level, even living in a huge cosmopolitan city such as New York. And who would have known that literally cleaning up subway trains would have such a major impact in the decline of the city's crime rate? Very interesting book. I highly recommend this book and also another very resourceful book on a more personal level for discovering how to create and maintain a life you always dreamt of, without any work involved. That book is called "WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK" written by Ariel & Shya Kane.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a very difficult book to grasp
Review: People who pick up Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point because they think the ideas expressed therein will be intriguing probably won't be disappointed. In describing the role that certain types of individuals play in disseminating new ideas, Gladwell does provide us with a helpful framework for understanding how new trends develop and multiply themselves as they spread throughout a population. Gladwell's argument does have its limits. Insofar as many of the concepts Gladwell are ineffable, and unable to be quantified, he has a hard time proving that his assertions are really true (as anyone in the same position probably would). Gladwell points to the fact that there are certain people who are incredibly sociable and well-connected (the "connectors") and describes them in rich detail. Likewise, he launches into an entertaining description of "mavens" who have a unique grasp on the marketplace. But lacking specific evidence about how, say, the trend towards "hush puppies" started in bohemian New York, Gladwell falls back on a simple assumption that "connectors" and "mavens," through some mysterious, unlikely interactions, must have had something to do with it. The argument is somewhat circular. Invariably, Gladwell's examples become more interesting than his conclusions. His vivid descriptions of how subway vandalism virtually disappeared in New York City, or of classic social psychology experiments, are well worth reading. The problem is that they are too loosely stitched together by conclusions that seem overly straightforward and obvious. Gladwell posits a "stickiness factor" which makes certain trends click, while others similarly situated quickly fade away. Basically, this is another way of saying that there are both more and less effective ways of communicating the same piece of information. In other words, presentation matters. Don't most of us already know this intuitively? Gladwell is good at isolating factors that propel trends with an initial following in the hundreds to success in the millions, but his argument is often hampered by cliches like this.
Rating:
Summary: The Tipping Point - The little things that make big sales
Review: Why do some books become best sellers while others, as good or better, languish at the bottom of the list? Malcolm Gladwell says that the difference is in the little things that make a big difference. The difference is that the successful ones reach the "Tipping Point", the point of critical mass at which the book, product, fad, disease or idea reaches a sufficient number of people to become self-propelled. Well, what makes that happen? In this insightful, easy reading book, Gladwell theorizes that the Three Rules of Epidemics are the Law of the Few, The Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context. The Law of the Few is that only a few of the many people in the world make the difference between epidemic and no epidemic, between success of a book, product, fad, or idea and failure to catch on. Those people are categorized as Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen with some people filling multiple categories. A connector knows many people casually, but well enough to call or meet them whenever he wants to. A Maven is a knowledgeable person to whom many people turn for knowledge or recommendations. And a Salesman is one who can present a product as so desirable that all who hear him want to get it. The Law of the Few says that a few Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen are responsible for starting word of mouth epidemics. The Stickiness Factor is that essential attribute that makes people want to get it and to recommend it to their friends. The rule of The Power of Context is that if the environment isn't right at the time your book, product, fad or idea hits the market, no matter how many of the other factors are in place, the epidemic won't take off. As an author working to get my own new book to reach the Tipping Point, I found The Tipping Point extremely valuable for its insights into what it takes to get there. Roger M. Scovil
Author of Get Ahead: Scovil's 7 Rules for Success in Management (Longstreet Press)
Rating:
Summary: Obvious yes, we all know, but this is a good book
Review: At the most basic level of example we all have experienced a tipping of the scales whether from an event in childhood, esp in school, or from product consumption fads. This is a very American phenom as our market is structured as such and so openly. Gladwell admits this. In foriegn countries there will be a hundred different products (For the same purpose)in a hundred different homes, yet in the states there is more of a conformance to a tipped major product. One of Gladwells presentations for tipping is the law of the few, we all know it's not what you know to get a super opportunity, but who you know that will give that to you. Important people make these tipping changes. That for the most part is true, very few small time authors of books that are super get noticed. Obvious. Next you have to make the idea print in the mind as memorable, then make it an important part of our lives, again all to obvious. But what I'd like to say is that this is the only fundamental parts of the book, the applications in the pages are what made this book a best seller and I am surprised no one else has mentioned that. Gladwell didn't tip the scales on that BIG part. Amazon says we should recommend similar books. A super book, if it gets noticed much more, in my opinion would tip the scales over is SB 1 or God By Karl Mark Maddox
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the read
Review: Most books of this type can have their main theories wrapped up in two or three pages, and spend endless chapters "selling" a book you've already bought. Gladwell's premises, however, are not just "bumper sticker" ideas, they are carefully crafted and their limitations are detailed as well. I don't really think of it as a marketing kind of book; more like Social Philosphy. His case studies are compelling, and while some may seem obvious, it is nice to see "something you always knew" described in such a comprehensive way. After reading the book, I came away with the feeling that we can change things for the better; that a small push in the right direction might do a lot of good.
Rating:
Summary: Tipping Point
Review: Malcolm Gladwell's bestselling book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, illustrates real world events that served as tipping points to epidemics. A tipping point is the one dramatic moment where everything changes at once and an epidemic begins. More importantly, Gladwell explains why some ideas, behaviors and/or products start epidemics and others don't; and what we can do to deliberately start and control positive epidemics of our own.
According to Gladwell, the three agents of change in epidemics are: The law of the few, the stickiness factor and the power of context. The law of the few refers to the fact that some people (Gladwell labels them connectors, mavens and salesmen) matter more than others. The law states that the success of any kind of epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of these few, influential messengers. The stickiness factor refers to the point that in order for a epidemical message to be contagious, it must be memorable, able to create change and drive people to action. The power of context describes that small changes in context are important in tipping epidemics. Gladwell states that if you want to bring about fundamental change in people's belief and behavior, you need to create a community around them, where those new beliefs could be practiced, expressed and nurtured.
Using interesting and well-known examples and case studies, Gladwell explores how social epidemics work and what can be learned from them. Tipping Point serves as an inspiration to everyone, whether he or she is causing an epidemic in a classroom or boardroom. Gladwell gives hope that one by one, we can help change the world.
Rating:
Summary: Little Things Mean A Lot
Review: As a fond reader of Malcolm Gladwell's articles in the New Yorker, I was anxious to read The Tipping Point, particularly in light of the buzz the book has been getting. I can see why the book is so popular. Gladwell uses extremely simple terms to define what he calls a "new" theory: that ideas and trends do not become popular through a gradual process; instead, they "tip," pushed beyond an invisible boundary where they spread rapidly, like an epidemic. Ideas and trends catch on for certain reasons, because the idea/trend is "sticky" or hits the right people (connectors, mavens, salesmen) in the right environment. Gladwell draws upon several interesting case studies and experiments, littering them throughout the book with the aim of backing up his premise. The first problem with the book, though, is that this premise doesn't need any support. It is not a groundbreaking idea... sociologists have been describing this phenomenon for years, it's just that none of them has dumbed the idea down well enough for the book to become a bestseller... until now. Gladwell cites a great many sociological and psychological experiments which are admittedly very interesting; but what the results of the studies suggest is often up for debate, but Gladwell tells us that while some experts believe an experiment indicates x, the real meaning of the results is y. He then supports y without ever explaining why x is not a valid interpretation. I also found it irksome that he was constantly referring to his own experiences and group of friends, rather than taking himself out of the picture (this is the difference between real investigative studies and pop-sociology, this book falling into the latter category). I also wish he would have found more interesting trends to examine than children's television shows and footware (with only a handful of fully fleshed-out case studies, two are focused on children's tv: Sesame Street and Blue's Clues; and two on shoes: Hush Puppies and Airwalks). Towards the end of the book he includes a very irritating chapter on smoking which compares cigarrettes to suicide (the sections on suicide were interesting, but the sections on smoking sounded like a lecture from a high school guidance counselor). Again, the book has some very good points and can be put to practical use. But in reading it I had the feeling that Gladwell believes he has a more revolutionary theory on his hands than he actually does.
Rating:
Summary: A new way to think about fads, trends and problems
Review: Gladwell has laid out well reasoned arguments on what makes things "tip". From hush puppy shoes to teen smoking, his description of the spread of ideas and the people inportant in their spead will give you reasons the rethink the way we look at the world. You don't have to agree with his conclusions to have new ways of looking at why some things change and others don't.
Rating: 
Summary: Read the New Yorker article instead
Review: Superfically intriguing ideas, better and more concisely (and concretely) expressed in Gladwell's original New Yorker article -- as well as in (heaven forfend) the decade-old academic articles upon which Gladwell's book is based. The book feels stretched, like an article press-ganged into a book by a large advance. As for the ideas themselves ... well, let's just say that pop sociology is like Japanese food -- good fun, but leaves you hungry for something more substantial shortly thereafter. Put another way, connectors and the rest are interesting ideas, but to the extent that they are empirically demonstrable, these are old ideas; and to the extent that some of the things Gladwell talks about are new, they are largely untestable.
Rating:
Summary: Important book from a wannabee maven-connector!
Review: This is an important book that gracefully synthesizes interesting ideas from a number of fields including epidemiology, marketing, sociology and marketing. It is written in beautiful prose that is very easy to absorb and not a little sticky....
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