Reviews
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
smadams's review against another edition
This book is so complex, and definitely has its high and low points. What it did, as most Malcolm Gladwell stuff does for me, is to make me think and see things from a different perspective. There's rarely one truth. Did I agree with everything? No. But it made me think.
averygwyn's review against another edition
4.0
I'd recommend the audiobook, it is produced very well with voice actors and contains a musical theme.
jeannamarie's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting read.
This book was not quite what I was expecting, but the information was useful and interesting all the same. Not sure I would recommend to friends, unless they were looking for something specifically about reading other people.
Definitely learned a lot about historical situations I only knew a little bit about prior to reading the book.
This book was not quite what I was expecting, but the information was useful and interesting all the same. Not sure I would recommend to friends, unless they were looking for something specifically about reading other people.
Definitely learned a lot about historical situations I only knew a little bit about prior to reading the book.
inthedark's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This feels like required reading for all humans. It took me a chapter or two to really get into it, but Gladwell does a phenomenal job of weaving social science and history into a fascinating story. I took notes the entire time. With the world so polarized, we absolutely need information like this to live more compassionate lives.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Rape
olive515's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting case studies and arguments from a range of sources and areas. I noted many references to learn more about just because they were thought provoking, and am interested to see if this does impact future interactions/if I remember some of the principles in real time.
captaincocanutty's review against another edition
2.0
If this book had stayed within the bounds of social interaction I think it would've been a perfectly alright book, but Malcolm Gladwell seems to go beyond what he has a proper understanding of and try and apply theories of social interaction (that have not even been tested and are in fact his personal takes, not that he presents them as such) to why sexual assaults are covered up and even occur.
In his own personal view as well, we are either completely naive individuals who blindly expect the best in others and ignore a report of 'horseplaying' in the shower alone and after hours between a coach and MINOR child. Or if we do not blindly believe others we are immensely paranoid and would be like Harry Markopolos and hiding out in our houses waiting for government agents to come and take us for reporting a financial fraudster like Bernie Madoff. Instead of pointing out the flaws in both of these extremes and encouraging a healthy dose of skepticism, Gladwell encourages us to believe that being skeptical is just too difficult and would derail all of our interactions, instead of weighing it on a case by case basis.
I would also encourage him to familiarize himself with Kohlberg's 6 Stages of Moral Development, because his excuse for Brock Turner's behavior is extremely weak, even without introducing this model. For starters, he endorses a theory of drunkeness that the reason people act differently than when they're sober, is because the part of their brain that reminds them of the consequences of thier actions is drowned out/turned off. However, he attempts to 'correct' Emily Doe's victim impact statement that campaigning against campus drinking culture instead of teaching men to respect women is a cop out, by saying that "Brock Turner was given a difficult task of interpreting a strangers intentions that night, something we all struggle with under normal circumstances."
Now, if the only reason people control themselves is fear of consequences/punishment then we are all operating with a child's sense of morality. Avoiding punishment is the 1st stage of moral development, and so Brock Turner assaulted Emily Doe not because he had too much to drink and couldn't comprehend the consequences, but because he didn't think it was wrong in the first place.
In his own personal view as well, we are either completely naive individuals who blindly expect the best in others and ignore a report of 'horseplaying' in the shower alone and after hours between a coach and MINOR child. Or if we do not blindly believe others we are immensely paranoid and would be like Harry Markopolos and hiding out in our houses waiting for government agents to come and take us for reporting a financial fraudster like Bernie Madoff. Instead of pointing out the flaws in both of these extremes and encouraging a healthy dose of skepticism, Gladwell encourages us to believe that being skeptical is just too difficult and would derail all of our interactions, instead of weighing it on a case by case basis.
I would also encourage him to familiarize himself with Kohlberg's 6 Stages of Moral Development, because his excuse for Brock Turner's behavior is extremely weak, even without introducing this model. For starters, he endorses a theory of drunkeness that the reason people act differently than when they're sober, is because the part of their brain that reminds them of the consequences of thier actions is drowned out/turned off. However, he attempts to 'correct' Emily Doe's victim impact statement that campaigning against campus drinking culture instead of teaching men to respect women is a cop out, by saying that "Brock Turner was given a difficult task of interpreting a strangers intentions that night, something we all struggle with under normal circumstances."
Now, if the only reason people control themselves is fear of consequences/punishment then we are all operating with a child's sense of morality. Avoiding punishment is the 1st stage of moral development, and so Brock Turner assaulted Emily Doe not because he had too much to drink and couldn't comprehend the consequences, but because he didn't think it was wrong in the first place.
boomlikefire's review against another edition
4.0
I love everything that Malcolm Gladwell writes, and this book is no exception. It isn’t my favorite of his books (Blink takes the cake), but it’s still an interesting look into how humanity communicates. That being said, I think anyone who plans to read it should be aware of some of the content. CW: sexual assault, child sexual assault/abuse, police violence against POC. I was not aware (possibly didn’t do enough research first), and was surprised by how much these topics (specific cases—Sandra Bland, Mike Brown, Brock Turner/Emily Doe, Larry Nassar/USA gymnastics). Just be aware!