The Book I Am Reading: Outliers

If you could choose only one book by Malcolm Gladwell — author of “The Tipping Point,” “Blink,” “Outliers” and “The Dog” — to read, my vote would be for “Outliers.” It poses the question, “What is it about the highly successful — or the ‘outliers’ — that makes them who they are?” Most people will tell you that a combination of genetics, a privileged upbringing and super ambition make people such as Bill Gates, J.D. Rockefeller and the Beatles who they are. But not Gladwell.

In Part I, Gladwell explores common theories for outlier potential, such as IQ and economic advantages, and he debunks them one by one. He instead suggests that a different set —“Opportunities” — give outliers a jumpstart, such as what time of the year and where you were born, what kind of work your parents did for a living and how many hours you spend practicing your craft. None of these alone seem to be cause for greatness, but together, Gladwell believes they have given rise to some of the most influential people of our time.

In Part II, the discussion shifts to cultural traditions that we inherit from our forbearers. Whether we like it or not, thoughts and attitudes from generations long past are still ingrained in us, influencing us either toward or away from successful behavior.

What makes “Outliers” much more than just an intellectual read is that it constantly makes us look for the outlier within ourselves and to acknowledge the doors that have been opened and the people that have directed us toward success. Or as Gladwell puts it, “no one — not rock stars, not professional athletes, not software billionaires, and not even geniuses, ever makes it alone.”

Carmen Caricchio is the The Book I am Reading column editor. If you would like to submit a book review, please contact her. She can be reached at carmen@coactivepr.com.