Rating: Summary: Mildly Interesting, but mostly obvious Review: As an entrepreneur, the subject of how trends are created is of particular interest. Unfortunately, I have three basic criticisms of this book:1. It holds nothing terribly new. It assigns labels to principles that are fairly common sense. An example is the author's discussion of "Connectors", or people who have a lot of influence in creating trends, as they know many people within different social spheres. The fact that people who have a large number of personal connections, in various settings, have the ability to "connect" others should be fairly obvious (e.g., Paul Revere was more successful than his counterpart in spreading the message about the British because he knew who to tell, namely officials or other influential individuals - as opposed to the town's janitor, I suppose). Most of the author's principles are similarly unrevolutionary. 2. Trends vs. Fads. Most of the "trends" discussed are in fact not trends at all, but fads. For example, the author embarks on a lengthy discussion of how Hush Puppies became a national fashion fad after some trendy youths began wearing them. Sadly, this isn't a trend at all, but a fashion fad that only lasted a few months. If you're interested in fads, this book is probably more relevant. As someone interested in how national and global trends are "tipped," I was largely disappointed. 3. Selective Research. To illustrate his hypothesis on the "Power of the Magic Number of 150," the author relies on discussions of the number of people in various hunter-gatherer groups, to the obscure religious group the Hutterites, both of which tend to divide themselves up in groups of about 150 people. I can't help but think you could find similar arbitrary data on just about any number you chose (What about the magic number 500?) Overall, although there were a couple of mildly interesting conclusions in the book, the work generally only states the obvious as revelation, and consistently fails to provide any quantitative justification for his conclusions. I wouldn't recommend it at all, but if you're determined, please email me. I'll make you a great deal on mine.
Rating: Summary: A Little Book That Can Make A Big Difference Review: Size doesn't matter. It's all in the heart. This book is all heart. I also recommend, The Little Guide To Happiness.
Rating: Summary: Great information! Review: I read this book a month or so ago, and was really fascinated by the findings that Gladwell discussed. If you're interested in the phenomenon behind Hush Puppies, various children's tv shows(particularly Sesame Street and Blue's Clues), crime waves and the spreading of various diseases pertinent to this era, read this book! The author discusses how different trends spread by specific means. See if you can spot yourself in any of the personality types he mentions - this is really interesting! I borrowed this book from a fellow booklover at Bookcrossing, (http:///www.bookcrossing.com) which is a huge supporter of Amazon, so if you're interested check them out! I'm glad I read it - I don't usually read non-fiction or case studies, but this book was a welcome exception.
Rating: Summary: A Book for the Real World Review: The Tipping Point is one of those books that is so popular that it has generated its own vocabulary, and it is now not uncommon to hear people talk about tipping points when discussing trends and fads. Most books like this have a sort of hucksterish salesman's pitch quality to them, but this one is different. Gladwell approaches the topic of how things become popular and universal scientifically, and in the process you learn a lot more about the world you live in.
Rating: Summary: Great book. Explains how trends are created Review: Rather than repeat what others have stated or going on with a long, drawn out review, let me say simply that this book explains how trends are created. One noted example is the one about Hush Puppies. How without much fanfare demand exploded and Hush Puppies became a phenonomon. All serious business people should read this book. It will powerfully impact your bottom line.
Rating: Summary: Beguiling nonsense Review: Despite all the clamor and fandom, Gladwell's thesis is essentially nonsense. What he claims, in essence, is that a few well-placed and influential people can be the critial factor in social change. He attempts to prove this by working backwards, finding the "early adopters" and pointing to them as the critical factor in a new trend, movement or whatever. Careful and thoughtful readers might ask themselves: If these early adopters are the important factor in new trends, shouldn't they be the critical factor in more than one new trend? And interestingly enough, they are not. And that is the flaw in the argument. Looking at any movement you're going to find that *someone* had to be first, even if if the growth of the movement was totally random. The real critical factor in the growth of new trends is not the people who are influential, but rather the opposite- people who are very easily influenced. They're the ones who follwo every new trend, or buy every new consumer good. And this is something that social scientists- and Madison Avenue- have known for decades.
Rating: Summary: Great theory AND a great read... Review: If you are engaged in ANY kind of human organization, or just like to know how isolated events take on a life of their own, read The Tipping Point. Gladwell's work is detailed, yet easy to read. You will come away with a clear understanding of the term that has now worked its way into common speech.
Rating: Summary: Rev-up your marketing motor Review: As an author and romance/relationship coach self-promotion and creative marketing are my wheels of publicity. The Tipping Point sent my creative marketing motor into overdrive. The book inspired me to invent more ways to get and keep those big wheels turning. I learn and teach much better when the lesson plan or message incorporate a thing or things with which I can easily identify. The clever publicity ideas and angles The Tipping Point provoked within me put an enormous spring in my (Hush Puppy wearin') step. Thanks to Malcolm it's just a matter of time until I tip. I know The Tipping Point is not a new phrase or concept. Nevertheless, Mr. Gladwell's use of examples involving, Marriage & family, love, raising children, best-selling books, Suicide, Sesame Street & Blues Clues, Paul Revere's ride, Gortex, dental floss, Hush Puppy shoes, New York's subway system and crime and many other familiar people, places and things made it simple for me to understand and apply his prose in my world Mr. Gladwell's explanation of why word-of-mouth travels fast or doesn't is very compelling. To illustrate his word-of-mouth theory Mr Gladwell wisely uses Paul Revere's history changing ride. He shares with the reader why Paul was able to spread the word like wildfire and why some other horseman--his name I still can't recall without looking in the book--started knocking on doors at the same time Paul did but only alerted a fraction of the folks. And no, Paul wasn't riding Seabiscuit. Nicely done Malcolm. I only yawned a few times while reading The Tipping Point. Not because it bored me but because Mr. Gladwell woke me up by intentionally making me yawn in his section on contagiousness. The author had me unknowingly participating in experiments until his point was driven home by an ah-ha! moment. I learned a lot from this book. There's something for everyone in The Tipping Point. And that something has the potential to be for EVERYONE.
Rating: Summary: good stuff Review: If you need more check out www.antiventurecapital.com for startup manual for entrepreneurs who are unable or unwilling to tap venture capital.
Rating: Summary: The science of Big Bird Review: This book, at its heart is about the theoretical "tipping point", but it is also a pretty cool compendium of interesting information. Including things such as: -The counter-intuitive method NYC used to lower the crime rate. -The incredible amount of developmental psychology work that went into creating shows like Sesame Street and Blues Clues. -How suicide and smoking are as contagious as fashion fads. -Why Paul Revere's ride was successful, but not William Dawes, who did the same thing on the same night. -How spouses, or even close groups of people tend to use their collective memory as one unit.
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