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David and Goliath
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Business & Careers, Career Success
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Editor reviews
Summary
David and Goliath is the dazzling and provocative new book from Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers and What the Dog Saw.
Why do underdogs succeed so much more than we expect? How do the weak outsmart the strong? In David and Goliath Malcolm Gladwell takes us on a scintillating and surprising journey through the hidden dynamics that shape the balance of power between the small and the mighty. From the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Vietnam, through the tactics of civil rights leaders and the problem of privilege, Gladwell demonstrates how we misunderstand the true meaning of advantage and disadvantage.
When does a traumatic childhood work in someone's favour? How can a disability leave someone better off? And do you really want your child to go to the best school he or she can get into? David and Goliath draws on the stories of remarkable underdogs, history, science, psychology and on Malcolm Gladwell's unparalleled ability to make the connections others miss. It's a brilliant, illuminating book that overturns conventional thinking about power and advantage.
Author, journalist, cultural commentator, and intellectual adventurer, Malcolm Gladwell was born in 1963 in England to a Jamaican mother and an English mathematician father. He grew up in Canada and graduated with a degree in history from the University of Toronto in 1984. From 1987 to 1996, he was a reporter for The Washington Post, first as a science writer and then as New York City bureau chief. Since 1996, he has been a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine.
His curiosity and breadth of interests are shown in New Yorker articles ranging over a wide array of subjects including early childhood development and the flu, not to mention hair dye, shopping and what it takes to be cool. His first book, The Tipping Point, captured the world's attention with its theory that a curiously small change can have unforeseen effects, and the phrase has become part of our language, used by writers, politicians and business people everywhere to describe cultural trends and strange phenomena. His other international best-selling books are Blink, which explores how a snap judgment can be far more effective than a cautious decision, and What the Dog Saw, a collection of his most provocative and entertaining New Yorker pieces.
Critic reviews
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What listeners say about David and Goliath
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- ShabadooGMan
- 13-10-13
Swing and a miss
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I wouldn't recommend this. I've been a fan of Gladwell's since Blink. While Outliers was over-long, there was plenty of interesting stuff in there. But David & Goliath smacks of contractual obligation. The upshot is that the underdog needs to think a little differently in order to topple Goliath. Well, thanks, Malcolm.
What was most disappointing about Malcolm Gladwell’s story?
I kept waiting for him to take the stories he was telling and explain how perhaps we could apply it to our own lives. He didn't really do this. It was essentially Jackanory, with Malcolm telling a few stories - about civil rights, about the troubles in Northern Ireland - with little point. As a listener, there was a lot of "And?"
What does Malcolm Gladwell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Gladwell is a very good narrator. As is often the case with authors reading their own work, you can tell he really cares about his work. This certainly elevates it.
Was David and Goliath worth the listening time?
Ultimately, at seven hours, no, David & Goliath wasn't worth the reading time.
Any additional comments?
I'm still a fan of Gladwell and would check out his next work - he's an interesting voice. Let's hope this is just a rare misstep in an otherwise highly interesting and provocative career.
43 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Fat Viking
- 01-12-13
Rather too simplistic even for Gladwell
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Gladwell's continued cherry picking of selective 'evidence' in order to demonstrate a point without ever really testing any of the hypotheses he puts forward. The point was well made in the opening chapter when talking about the girls basketball team but went on a steady decline thereafter.'
What could Malcolm Gladwell have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
See above. I know the simplification of popular psychology is his 'style' however too selective and too simple this time.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Malcolm Gladwell?
The narration was fine and where possible or practical I like to listen to an audio book narrated by the author. Gladwell does a fine job in this regard.
Do you think David and Goliath needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No. I think the concept was exhausted in the first chapter.
Any additional comments?
Despite my comments above I enjoyed parts of the text and it passed the time on the walk to the station. That was until the chapter on the troubles in Northern Ireland. This chapter was a biased, poorly researched abomination that presents 'facts' in such a way that anyone reading this chapter who was ignorant of the facts of the troubles would be left with a very different impression of what actually happened during this time.
The following text from another online review makes the point far better than I could, so I have quoted it below."One might imagine, on the basis of Gladwell’s account, that the majority of the casualties of the Troubles were killed by British forces. In fact, around 60 percent of the more than 3,500 people killed between 1969 and 2001 were killed by Republican forces, 30 percent by Ulster loyalists, and 10 percent by British troops. Within this overall figure, British forces and local security services suffered more than 1,100 deaths. If the British were Goliath in this conflict, they suffered a good many wounds in its course.
Gladwell’s account does more than oversimplify. It is a kind of moral cartoon, a rendition of events in which there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome by reasonable men and women of goodwill. He tells us nothing of the lengthy and tortuous path that led to the relative peace that prevails in Northern Ireland today. If only he had been around to have a quiet word with British commanders, Gladwell seems to be suggesting, and share a few academic papers with them, none of the horrors that unfolded need ever have happened."
21 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dejavu
- 05-12-19
It gets really dark
As you progress through the book it gets really dark.... stories are so graphic and horrific I had to fast forward certain bits not to traumatise myself... should come with a warning that it has a lot of description of violence and children suffering..
Other than that not bad! I wish he would make the book less dark...
6 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Glenda
- 27-10-19
Good but becomes quite morbid
It begins fantastically and really captures your attention. However, by half way through, you realise that you need to work out why each comparable situation to the story of David and Goliath, ‘David’ won. There is a lot more story-telling than explanations and, especially, with no concluding chapter, it does make you think.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kevin
- 16-06-18
Very insightful.
Would recommend this book to anyone. Gave very good insights for people with seeming disadvantages.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 24-04-18
Another great Gladwell book
5 stars. Gladwell at his best. insightful and moving the author takes you on a great journey. 5 stars.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- A. S. Wade
- 11-04-18
loved every minute
classic Malcolm Glad we'll full of great stories and cutting insights. highly recommended to all
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- T Scott
- 19-03-18
Some valuable life lessons
Where does David and Goliath rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
It's up there with the rest of the books I have read and also with other Gladwell books that I have read.
What about Malcolm Gladwell’s performance did you like?
His performance adds huge value to the book. So well told.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It made me connect to many ideas I have heard elsewhere and helped me see them more clearly. I now employ ideas when coaching my clients.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Book reader 42
- 17-02-18
Incredible book
Great narrating by MG and one of the best books I came across this year.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- LA
- 01-01-18
Thoughtful and inspirational
A little of this was repetitive but the overall information was thought provoking and inspiring for those of us who are the ‘Davids’ of this world.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Hellocat
- 02-02-16
Gladwell loses his way, and I my respect for him
Malcolm Gladwell has been believing his own press for way too long. When he started out with The Tipping Point in 2000, he had a knack for making interesting observations that went against the grain of common knowledge. Each thesis he presented was carefully thought out and argued, and encouraged one to re-evaluate the subject at hand instead of proclaiming definitively that his was the one and only version of the truth.
With the passage of time he has become bolder. Each of his subsequent books have seemed more sure of itself than the last, as his arguments for his "findings" have grown thinner and thinner. Even before the arrival of David & Goliath, he was already fond making sweeping generalizations that would make a politician blush, all the while having little but his own opinions backing up those statements.
With David & Goliath, Gladwell seems to have almost given up not only on presenting properly conceived theses, but has abandoned even trying to formulate coherent conclusions. His anecdotes meander pointlessly for ages before concluding abruptly, not coming to any conclusions and not providing the listener with sufficient information to draw their own.
Worst of all, judgement has crept into his analyses. No longer does he objectively look at issues and how people perceive them, but tinges all his arguments with his own point of view. This is brought home in a bizarre fashion in the chapter on the three strikes law. Not only is this well-trodden ground - everything he talks about has been common knowledge almost since the law's inception - but he seems to have no aim but to rip apart the poor father who instigated the law with only the best of intentions. It's nothing but an exercise in character assassination, and his unbelievable conclusion seems to be only that the father should have "gotten over" his daughter's brutal murder instead of trying to make the world a better, safer place. The merits of the law's logic notwithstanding, it was a breathtakingly cringe-worthy experience hearing Gladwell so heartlessly stomp on this man's grief and how he coped with it. His method of coping was, by the way, nothing but positive and inspirational.
The book as a whole reads more like a drunken man in a bar shouting "now let me tell you something" rather than a well-conceived series of arguments about interesting topics.
Gladwell has become an almost unrecognizable parody of himself, and this will be the last book of his I purchase.
3 people found this helpful
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- Rahul
- 02-12-13
Brilliant
What did you love best about David and Goliath?
Extremely intriguing and educating.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
Very easy language.
Which scene was your favorite?
The bit where he explains the duel of David and Goliath and why David was always the favourite to win,
What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?
The bit about hitting a level below what you would otherwise just squeeze into.
Any additional comments?
Great book in the most mesmerising voice of Gladwell himself.
1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-01-22
Amazing Read!
absolutely loved and resonated with central theme of this book! highly recommended collection of inspirational ideas and stories.
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- Kindle Customer
- 28-04-21
Out of the box, thin evidence, great storytelling.
Kia ora koutou,
I enjoyed David and Goliath, as a mix of fascinating anecodots the writer links together in support of his main premise: Underdogs, like David, are not always as weak as they appear, as disadvantages can lead to strengths, and the apparent strength of favourites, like Goliath, do not always produce the beneficial results expected. Gladwell argues that material resources, such as are at hand amongst big companies/nations and movements, can be misused. Conversely, he contends also that painful circumstances, oppression and a lack of CONVENTIONAL strengths can lead to the formation of the type of CHARACTER which leads ultimately to victory in ways more important than wealth, comfort or life.
In making these points he borrows from a diverse set of anecodots, such as the approaches of the Irish to the British in the Troubles, main figures in the American CRM in the 60s to racist leaders and David's response to Goliath - and much more.
In some ways the links between various stories was tenuous and lacked depth and evidence, but in other ways they were interesting and surprising.
I'd recommend giving this a read and considering how winning doesn't always look like more money, a bigger army or getting revenge. In fact, it can look like quite the opposite.
Nga mihi
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- Ellen Nel
- 26-02-21
Not Your Usual MG
If you're a Gladwell fan like me, expect something different. Contrary to Outliers (which I found brilliant) , this book feels more like a collection of case studies so ideas are not as structured as in some other books but the book presents profound ideas and refers back to those ideas as it examines individual cases.
I thoroughly enjoyed this title and it was lighter than some of the other material I usually read; refreshing!
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- Sandy
- 27-03-20
Great book and enjoyed listening to it
He book has a relatively simple message woven into many stories. It was great to listen to.
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- defjam
- 11-01-20
Clear the decks, this one will grab your attention
Did all 7 hours in one day.. couldnt stop listening.. and I'm not a book person, but im going to start trying to be. Great captive voice the writer has as well. All the small intertwined and captive stories, has you thinking non stop.
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-12-19
Well done Malcolm.
Another fantastic read. All the authors books have been wonderful, and well voiced too 😁
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- Lily Dash
- 13-10-19
incredible I want buy all the gladwel books now
this is a wonderful work of art, for anyone dyslexic like me I think it's life changing.
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- Mr. Bowker
- 18-09-19
A great listen for its time.
The book is a great listen. it is interesting as it meanders throughout the storyline linking one price to the next and to previous chapters.
My only complaint would be that if you have listened to Revolutionist History, you may be disappointed by the delivery. The quotes and actual accounts are more impactful if made by the person saying them - which is the format Gladwell has developed in his newer work.
However, this should not detract from a great, thought-provoking book.
