Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review:
Tipping Point is an interesting collection of observations that makes for a good read, although I would not call it scientific. Very well written. I advice to at least have a look at it, as it might not suit everyone. Another good read that I suggest is "Can We Live 150 Year?" by M. Tombak. Also not very scientific but interesting approach to health, aging and longevity...
Rating: 
Summary: A Little Book with a Big Message
Review: An unknown book hovers in the back shelf for years and then becomes a runaway bestseller. Dorky shoes worn by grandmothers suddenly become the next big thing for hip adolescents.
Gladwell examines biological epidemics to extract a theory of how fringe ideas like these "tip" into a full-blown trend. Take crime in New York City. In 1992 alone, there were 2154 murders and 626,182 "serious crimes". But at some point, the tide suddenly and dramatically began to turn. Within 5 years, New York was well on its way to becoming the safest big city in the US, a rank it retains today. What happened?
Gladwell posits that all epidemics are functions of three things. Certain people transmit infectious agents disconcertingly well, as was the case in the 1995 syphilis surge in Baltimore. The infectious agent itself is also important - a virulent strain will be more resistant to treatment. Finally, the environment in which the agent is operating is crucial - in Baltimore, a drop in medical outreach staff and changes in housing demographics contributed to the spread.
He extrapolates that a new trend will catch on if a small group of influential opinion leaders spread the word, frame the idea in a contagious and "sticky" way and if the context supports it. These don't have to be big things. In New York, concerted, small efforts to "clean up" the subway worked wonders - eradicating grafitti and turnstile-jumping helped combat the climate of lawlessness that had developed.
This book fluidly pulls together disparate studies to cull important principles for anyone trying to inspire behavioural change of any kind, from child discipline to spiritual revival, police reform and environmental conservation.
Rating:
Summary: Great Insights into Mass Behaviors
Review: Despite an earlier reviewer poo-pooing this book for shallow insights, I beg to differ. This book is a fascinating and original take on what makes people behave in a certain way en masse. Tying together Paul Revere, Hush Puppies and many other very accessible ideas makes this book, that is in some ways very academic, read like a thriller. I read it in three sittings. It has an impact on several levels. One, as a marketer, it gave me insights into how word-of-mouth really works. I'll be experimenting with these concepts for years. Second, as a member of society, I gained insight into why I am pulled this way and that by trends. If you enjoyed this, you'll also enjoy the groundbreaking book by Robert Cialdini called "Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion." It makes some of the same points. Finally, it makes me think that some savvy activists will find some ways to use these principles to start societal epidemics that will ultimately have a positive effect. I believe Gladwell has introduced a concept, "the Tipping Point," that will have a wide-ranging impact on how we view the world and human behavior.
Rating: 
Summary: The Tipping Point of Divorce
Review: Gladwell presents a provocative and worthwhile thesis, but in language so dense it's sometime like trying to read through a fog. Furthermore, taking one item that I know about, divorce, he searches for a far more complex answer than might really be necessary.
Gladwell refers to a loss of joint memory (shared with the ex-spouse) as contributing to the pain of divorce: "Divorced people who suffer depression and complain of cognitive dysfunction may be expressing the loss of their external memory systems."
Or maybe they're just dealing with betrayal, or the realization of the hell that they've been living with until it was finally acknowledged, or loss of the the simple physical contact from cuddling every night in bed--let alone the loss of physical intimacy.
But possibly even more likely than any of these is the loss of the benefit of 2 living together more cheaply than 2 can live separately, and coping with necessary rationing of often already overstreched marital finances when things must be divvied up. Or coping with the ugliness of the typical adversarial divorce.
So, at least regarding money matters, I offer far simpler and more direct preventative measures to alleviate post-divorce depression in "The Complete Guide to Protecting Your Financial Security When Getting a Divorce." By showing you how to come to a resolution with a new kind of thinking--settlements based on future financial projections of settlement impact on each party rather than division based on how the settlement would leave both parties at the point of divorce--I might very well be illustrating one example of Gladwell's tipping points.
Rating:
Summary: How things reach tipping point
Review: How Hush Puppy shoes became boom suddenly? Why Paul Revere could spread the news over the night before the beginning of Independence war without modern telecommunication tool? How NYC subway extinguished graffiti successfully?
This book provides us structure of those phenomena, various kinds of critical mass, which we are interested in but only have vague idea. The author grabs our attention from the beginning and we can read through excitingly with lots of discoveries. We can follow narrative tone smoothly, but you know, the contents are organizational behavior, behavioral psychology, leadership, and so on, I mean lots of science and social science stuff. Malcolm Gladwell cooked those things with beautiful manner. That is the reason why this book hits "tipping point."
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating book with an optimistic message
Review: I found this book very interesting to read. It very practically shows how big changes in societies often happen unexpectedly and suddenly and can be caused by small events. The explanation is: if circumstances are right, ideas, behavior and products can, with the help of the right kinds of people, spread throughout a society like an epidemic. When that happens, a critical point, the tipping point, can be reached at which the behavior and features of the system itself suddenly change. This principle is clearly illustrated by stories about the sudden decrease in crime in New York in the nineties, by the sudden popularity of Hush Puppies and by several other interesting stories. This book contains many interesting ideas and facts, some of them very counter-intuitive. The author manages to make accessible some implications of chaos theory in a very easy and entertaining way for a large public. What I also like about this book is the optimistic tone and message: change is possible and it can happen non-linearly, which means that small events can lead to major changes. Fascinating book.
Rating:
Summary: Typical Gladwell, atypical text
Review: I read Blink first then Tipping Point. I am glad I did because I enjoyed Blink much more. First, Gladwell writes similar in each text (he relies on psychological/behavioral/sociological research, situational analyisis and connections, and broad assumptions). Whether he is right or wrong is our, your, decision.
This book is easy to read and is written in a striaght forward and simple manner. Gladwell makes each of his points obvious, repeating himself at times to do so, and uses extensive (and usually interesting) research to make his points to the reader--This is the pro, and possible con, of his books. Its his typical interaction-- interesting research + central assumption/connection = bestseller. So far, he is right.
One thing to note is that when someone uses so many research and scientific references, all in a light and thin book, compacted together, it is difficult to know whether we are being taken for a ride or not. The complex mountain of information intimidates us to the loss of our proper scrutiny. We are overwhelmed at times. I know that in Tipping Point, I read a part about key innovators of an idea, particularily religious movements, and he mentioned Brigham Young (pg. 172) as mormonism's innovator. This is a mis-statement (it was Joseph Smith) that I was privy to notice; how many others did I or you miss?
So, as with Blink, this is a fun and interesting read. It is jam-packed with "fun" information that we have to digest and move over quickly without knowing with certainty. Many connections to research become vague and uncertain. I got lost and uninterested in this text with the Gore company. However, the main argument and idea for the book is thought-provoking and of worth.
I say, if you got a couple nights to consider socio-behavioral phenomena, then read Gladwell's books. Entertaining? yes. Thought-provoking? yes. Founded upon loose connections? you decide.
Rating:
Summary: Still Refer to the Concepts in this Book once a Week!
Review: I read this book several years ago... then insisted my book club read it for the pick of the month. Because it was still in the hardback several resisted, but we still talk about the concepts of the Connector, the 150 group, the 6 degrees... great stuff. As a marketing consultant who focuses on strategies for growing a business through marketing, I even bought this as the client gift for my clients that year. During my speaking engagments, listed at www.resources-results.com, I usually give this book as the "door prize" when I collect business cards from the business owners who come to learn effective techniques to marketing their business without spending a lot of money. It's written in a very interesting style, not like a textbook... but the concepts really stick!! Outstanding. Highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: A fun, thought-provoking read...
Review: I would imagine one would need to be in the right mood to enjoy Gladwell's The Tipping Point. While employing random and, at times, disjointed examples with wildly creative comparisons, Gladwell amuses the reader interested in an entertaining description of a social phenomenum. However, for the reader seeking strong proof and sound logic and reasoning, the book will surely disappointment. Gladwell is exploring something abstract and largely theoretical, and while his examples certainly enlighten and entertain, the approach falls short from achieving any strong objective proof. That said, the literature is thought-provoking, and in the concluding chapter, particularly inspirational. Finally, while some might find the careful signposting of main points tedious or pedantic, I found the simple organization refreshing and quite clear. This is a fast read, written in a style similar to Dale Carnegie's classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People--light on strong proof, heavy on amusing anecdotes and entertaining description. I recommend as an enjoyable, fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Read
Review: Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer for New Yorker Magazine, in The Tipping Point, writes a fascinating study of human behavior patterns, and shows us where the smallest things can trigger an epidemic of change. Though loaded with statistics, the numbers are presented in a way that makes the book read like an exciting novel. Gladwell also gives several examples in history, where one small change in behavior created a bigger change on a national level. He also studies the type of person or group that it takes to make that change. Gladwell's first example is the resurgence of the popularity of Hush Puppies, which had long been out of fashion, and were only sold in small shoe stores. Suddenly, a group of teenage boys in East Village, New York, found the cool to wear. Word-of-mouth advertising that these trend-setters were wearing the once-popular suede shoes set off an epidemic of fashion change, and boys all over America had to have the "cool" shoes. Galdwell also examines the difference in personality it takes to trigger the change. For example, we all know of Paul Revere's famous ride, but how many of us know that William Dawes made a similar ride? The difference was that people listened to Revere and not to Dawes. Why? Revere knew so many different people. He knew who led which village, knew which doors to knock on to rouse the colonists. Dawes didn't know that many people and therefore could only guess which people to give his message. There are several other phenomena that Gladwell examines, showing the small things that spark a change, from the dip in the New York City crime rate to the correlation between depression, smoking and teen suicide. If you want to change the world for the better, this book will give you an insight into the methods that work, and those that will backfire. It's all in knowing where to find The Tipping Point. Jo @ MyShelf.Com
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