Rating: 
Summary: Relevant to many current issues -- and fun too
Review: Let me start be saying that I'm not connected in any way with the publisher of this book. I further suggest that the glowing reader reviews for this book might be due to the fact that most people who have read it enjoyed it. The positive reviews are long because these readers are supporting their opinions with reasons, rather than just giving knee-jerk reactions and conspiracy theories. On to more important matters... I was quite surprised that The Tipping Point was not an overly thick book. At 288 pages, it is a good length, but not a difficult book to finish in a reasonable amount of time. Gladwell's experience as a magazine writer really shows in the way he manages to fill those pages with as much relevant information as one might find in a much longer book. In teaching us about the way social epidemics behave, Gladwell obviously uses many of his own ideas to make the lesson enjoyable to a wide range of people. Parts of the book are written in a way that invites the reader to participate. Gladwell administered a "connectedness" test to a variety of people, to compare how many people they know. The test is included in the book for the reader to try. The section on the contagiousness of yawns is written so suggestively that it makes the reader part of a live demonstration. I yawned at least four or five times while reading a page and a half on the subject. Real-world examples are used extensively. Gladwell analyzes Paul Revere's ride to illustrate how word-of-mouth travels. Children's shows serve as examples of how to get (and hold) a person's attention. The Hutterites and Gore, the company that makes Gore-Tex, both illustrate the same principle of group behaviour. The list goes on and on. The Tipping Point is filled with the views of real people interviewed by Gladwell. They include scientists, marketing experts, TV show creators, and many others who personify the ideas expressed in the book. All of these individual ideas and principles are neatly tied into one central argument. I found that many seemingly illogical things were clearly explained in The Tipping Point. I now have a better understanding of why some popular children's shows are virtually unwatchable by adults, or why teenagers suddenly start dressing in ways would have made them a target of ridicule only a couple of years before (and will again in a couple of years). In fact, it was nothing short of amazing the way Gladwell's book can be applied to so many of the important issues facing my community right now. Squeegee laws, crime, government reform, and smoking bylaws -- The Tipping Point has information relevant to all of them. Some of what Gladwell writes about human behaviour seems logical enough, but other ideas fly in the face of conventional thinking. I don't necessarily agree with all of his interpretations, but Gladwell does make a very convincing case. He backs his statements up with a substantial amount of research, citing studies whose results range from curious to humorous to downright disturbing. In all, The Tipping Point is a thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable book that was very hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, compelling & useful non-fiction
Review: This was a fascinating book. Gladwell seeks to explain how ideas can be passed like viruses, how ideas reach a "tipping point" when many people start adopting them and how this exponential growth of these ideas often takes us by surprise. I am constantly being reminded of the anecdotes that Gladwell uses to illustrate his points. There were stories regarding how cracking down on non-paying subway riders helped encourage the reduction of crime in New York City, how breast cancer education taught to hairdressers was more effective than many other means of education and why much of our anti-drug campaign may actually increase the likelihood of teens smoking or using drugs. Gladwell tries to explain all these phenomena through the theory of the "tipping point". Gladwell has been so successful in the marketing for this book that the tipping point has entered our cultural lexicon. I see it pop up in news articles all the time now. Gladwell forces his theory onto some situations and his evidence is not statistically overwhelming but the rationale of his argument is compelling and difficult to deny. A winner.
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.
Rating: 
Summary: Diagnosing social epidemics -- a prescription please?
Review: In "The Tipping Point", Malcolm Gladwell weaves disparate tales of trends and phenomena to create meaning and understanding of change and change forces. He analyzes everything from breakaway fashion developments to fluctuations in crime rate to the captivating nature of children's television programs. He compares trends to infectious outbreaks of disease and contends that messages are spread in a similar epidemiological fashion. The author diagnoses the essential players in the outbreak of social epidemics. His "Law of the Few" states that connectors, mavens and salesmen are the essential cogs in the cycle that serve to generate and proliferate messages to the point of critical mass, or the Tipping Point. Connectors have relationships with many people. Mavens have deep knowledge about particular subjects and are anxious to share it. Salespeople influence people to take action. The power of the few can turn a small and seemingly insignificant notion into an international phenomenon. Gladwell explores this recurrent pattern and makes it understandable. An examination of the important qualities of infectious messages indicates they must be "sticky" in order to take hold. They need that little extra bit of interest or flair that causes the idea to hang around in your thoughts for awhile - messages must be memorable. Messages also generate power based on the context in which they are received. When and where you hear or see something is powerful. Environment makes a significant difference. It's important to note this factor is one over which society can exert some control. Eliminating graffiti in subway stations reduced overall crime rates in New York. Missing from the book is a strong and clear prescription. How can people harness this knowledge of social epidemics to affect positive change? The idea that we can indeed create a revolution of change, very quickly, and with little resources is a hopeful and inspiring message. The implications could be far reaching for business, international relations and education.
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: A very pleasant read ing experience
Review: This is one of the easiest and best reading books that I have ever read! So stimulating! So much powerful information! So many nonfiction books are dry and boring, not this one. You'll love it. We did. Must reading for all visionaries.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, compelling & useful non-fiction
Review: This was a fascinating book. Gladwell seeks to explain how ideas can be passed like viruses, how ideas reach a "tipping point" when many people start adopting them and how this exponential growth of these ideas often takes us by surprise. I am constantly being reminded of the anecdotes that Gladwell uses to illustrate his points. There were stories regarding how cracking down on non-paying subway riders helped encourage the reduction of crime in New York City, how breast cancer education taught to hairdressers was more effective than many other means of education and why much of our anti-drug campaign may actually increase the likelihood of teens smoking or using drugs. Gladwell tries to explain all these phenomena through the theory of the "tipping point". Gladwell has been so successful in the marketing for this book that the tipping point has entered our cultural lexicon. I see it pop up in news articles all the time now. Gladwell forces his theory onto some situations and his evidence is not statistically overwhelming but the rationale of his argument is compelling and difficult to deny. A winner.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Most Brilliant Books Recently Published
Review: But if you do enjoy theory, then this is an extra special treat. Gladwell weaves his text through numerous anecdotes, which at first are seemingly unrelated, converge to provide the big picture for his tipping point worldview. This "epidemic" book deserves all the hype it has been given. It the "Future Shock" or "The Media is the Massage" for the current generation. While it is true that Gladwell repeats his examples many times, he is also making sure that his lessons are fully comprehended and learned (Much like the "Blues Clues" example he uses in the book.) Perhaps this could be a problem for the serious scholarly reader, but for people part of the television generation like myself, he understands the purpose of writing is to communicate not to confuse. His well-chosen examples, and lucid writing make what could be a very complex thesis, readily understandable and applicable to the real world. The disparate subjects range from the importance of Paul Revere's famous ride; the sudden resurgence of popularity and coolness of Hush Puppy shoes during the 1990's; who "Connectors" are, and Stanley Milgram's six degrees of separation; the Children's Television Workshop staff who created "Sesame Street"; the subtle influences of the news media on elections; the rise behind the popularity of "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"; a suicide epidemic in Micronesia; and who actually calls those 1-800 numbers on bars of Ivory soap that ask for questions or comments. The chapters of the book are divided up into short numbered sections--smartly assimilated from his career as a journalist--making this a quick, easy read. This is an ideal book for people who don't have the time to read full chapters in one sitting. Gladwell gently reminds you of the examples that he provided before. This book is not just a business book, media professionals, or marketing book. Professionals in the health policy arena or criminologists could gain as much from this, as would entrepreneurs or grassroots campaign groups. "The Tipping Point" book is similar to the virus theory that its content expounds. Nearly 5 people asked me if I had read this book before I purchased it. People rarely suggest books to me, so the word of mouth worked--I have offered to lend this book out to several friends now, all of whom have bought it. If that is not "sticky", or "contagious," then I don't know what is. Go figure: Word-of-mouth still sells more books than Amazon.com's picks who had listed this for me a few years ago. Word-of-mouth is the best and cheapest form of advertising, but can be used in as many helpful instances as it can for profit. Personally, I have witnessed many instances of Gladwell's examples that I side with most all of his points. Amazon.com reviews are what Gladwell would call a "Maven trap" that also happen to provide the function of his definition of a "Salesperson." If you're interested in finding out what all that terminology written above means, click the "little gold-box" on this page and buy it! -GM
Rating:
Summary: One Tip Backward and One Tip Forward
Review: The author is a magazine writer and a good one. Magazine writers pretty much screwed up the definition of organizational theory several years ago via word of mouth so perhaps it is time to re-invent the concept of 'theory' as it realtes to word of mouth communication. One Tip backward and one Tip Forward. So it goes. Move quickly throught the first section on epidemics (sophomoric)but focus on the author's practical defintion and description of a 'maven'...the human with a database mind and how that type of mind fits within various communication and business systems that are emerging across the world. That theme of the importance of the 'maven' in business or in social systems that runs throughout this book is worth the price of the book.
If respect for the mavens among us reaches a tipping point this author will have achieved a new 'theory' of organization design which will move him from the magazine racks to the coffee shops where ...the really important decisions are made now days.
Nice Read. Try it. You'll like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not much here
Review: I bought this book on the basis of its cover and meant to read it on a flight; there is no way an intelligent, literate person can justify Tipping Point for more than a quick skim. The Hush Puppies example is particularly irrelevant. Who cares about fads? The overlong exposition on why "Sesame Street" is "sticky" has no relevance to the book's purpose; it's truly gratuitous. This book really insulted my intelligence. In fact I take umbrage for the benefit of the entire class of literate Americans who deserve something more than this stitched-together re-hash of tired old ideas.
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