One of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, has a new book out that sounds promising. I've mentioned the "The Tipping Point" before, and "Blink", and can't wait to get my hands on his new book, "Outliers". I still bring up things I learned in "The Tipping Point" and it looks like I'll have new tidbits from his latest work.
"Outliers can be enjoyed for its bits of trivia, like why most pro hockey players were born in January, how many hours of practice it takes to master a skill, why the descendents of Jewish immigrant garment workers became the most powerful lawyers in New York, how a pilots' culture impacts their crash record, how a centuries-old culture of rice farming helps Asian kids master math. But there's more to it than that. Throughout all of these examples--and in more that delve into the social benefits of lighter skin color, and the reasons for school achievement gaps--Gladwell invites conversations about the complex ways privilege manifests in our culture. He leaves us pondering the gifts of our own history, and how the world could benefit if more of our kids were granted the opportunities to fulfill their remarkable potential." --Mari Malcolm
