Rating: 
Summary: Watered down hype
Review: A combination of dry prose, extremely watered down social theory, and journalistic over-simplification. A few witticisms here and there would have helped the project along a bit. I somehow had the feeling that I was reading an extended magazine article rather than a book. No new ideas to speak of.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting ideas on how to change the status quo
Review: What do anti-smoking campaigns, NYC crime, STD epidemics, and the secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood have in common? They're states of equilibrium that get pushed beyond a tipping point into a new, and very different equilibrium. Interesting in changing the status quo? This book will give you ideas.Gladwell does an excellent job of synthesis, taking seemingly diffferent phenomenon, and capturing a theory that unifies them. The end of the analysis is a toolset for the reader to analyze situations on their own. If have a dilemna that we need to think systemically about, we can divide our targets into Connectors (those people who make it a point to connect to large groups), Mavens (information banks) and Salesmen (idea spreaders). The book cites examples of each, such as a Connector whose personal connections made his famous ride so successful. Indeed the impact of the book is seen in it's own proliferation. I received it from a friend, and recommended it to another, and here I am posting about it to Amazon. The ideas stick! My one complaint on the book is that despite the hype, the material isn't original. The issue isn't plagirism, it is just that much of the material has been hyped before. Followers of chaos theory or complexity know that a small change can have a big impact. Many of the studies cited here have appeared elsewhere, such as Caldini's "Influence." Despite that, if you've read the material before, it's a good reminder, and if you haven't, welcome to the new material. :-)
Rating: 
Summary: Must reading for all entrepreneurs
Review: If you are an entrepreur, a trend setter, want to find out how to set a new trend, read this book. The Tipping Point is for entrepreneurs; for pace setters, innovators and originators. Not me too people. I got a lot out of this book. Just the story on hush puppies alone was inspiring. How many Michael Dell's, Bill Gate's etc. will be created from this book? Read it and become one yourself. This book is must reading. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Typical Journalistic Tripe
Review: This book has a few interesting ideas--about a short magazine article's worth. The rest is padding, like so many other non-fiction books on the market today. The writing style is dry, as if ironed out to fit some kind of common denominator, without a scrap of vitality or wit. The author, while beating the obvious to absolute pulp, is also full of himself. I found reading The Tipping Point an unpleasant experience indeed, and regret ever having purchased the book.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting read; compelling
Review: I really for the life of me cannot understand the 1 star reviews here. This is a powerful book and one that should, not must be read by everyone. Highly recommended, but only for those who read books, not just the free information available here at Amazon.
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.
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