Listen free for 30 days
-
David and Goliath
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Business & Careers, Career Success
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £14.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Tipping Point
- How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,532
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,171
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,160
In this brilliant and original audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell explains and analyses the 'tipping point', that magic moment when ideas, trends and social behaviour cross a threshold, tip and spread like wildfire. Taking a look behind the surface of many familiar occurrences in our everyday world, Gladwell explains the fascinating social dynamics that cause rapid change.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Frustratingly incomplete edition and poorly read
- By Amazon Customer on 04-07-18
-
Blink
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,153
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,742
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,724
Intuition is not some magical property that arises unbidden from the depths of our mind. It is a product of long hours and intelligent design, of meaningful work environments, and particular rules and principles. This audiobook shows us how we can hone our instinctive ability to know in an instant, helping us to bring out the best in our thinking and become better decision-makers in our homes, offices, and in everyday life.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very Average...
- By L on 12-12-12
-
The Bomber Mafia
- A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 522
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 450
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 447
Malcolm Gladwell, author of New York Times best sellers including Talking to Strangers and host of the podcast Revisionist History, uses original interviews, archival footage, and his trademark insight to weave together the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in Central Alabama, a British psychopath, and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard. As listeners hear these stories unfurl, Gladwell examines one of the greatest moral challenges in modern American history.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Oh dear!
- By Anonymous User on 30-04-21
-
Talking to Strangers
- What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,079
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,971
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,943
The routine traffic stop that ends in tragedy. The spy who spends years undetected at the highest levels of the Pentagon. The false conviction of Amanda Knox. Why do we so often get other people wrong? Why is it so hard to detect a lie, read a face or judge a stranger's motives? Through a series of encounters and misunderstandings - from history, psychology and infamous legal cases - Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual adventure into the darker side of human nature, where strangers are never simple and misreading them can have disastrous consequences.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
people aren't transparent. (done)
- By Amazon Customer on 17-01-20
-
Outliers
- The Story of Success
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,817
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,856
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,838
In this stunning audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers" - the best and the brightest, the most famous, and the most successful. He asks the question: What makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: That is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I never thought about it that way...
- By Mark on 23-12-12
-
The Comfort Book
- By: Matt Haig
- Narrated by: Matt Haig
- Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 489
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 414
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 406
It is a strange paradox that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learned while we are at our lowest. But then we never think about food more than when we are hungry, and we never think about life rafts more than when we are thrown overboard. The Comfort Book is a collection of consolations learned in hard times and suggestions for making the bad days better.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Nothing is stronger than a small hope
- By papapownall on 06-07-21
-
The Tipping Point
- How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,532
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,171
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,160
In this brilliant and original audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell explains and analyses the 'tipping point', that magic moment when ideas, trends and social behaviour cross a threshold, tip and spread like wildfire. Taking a look behind the surface of many familiar occurrences in our everyday world, Gladwell explains the fascinating social dynamics that cause rapid change.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Frustratingly incomplete edition and poorly read
- By Amazon Customer on 04-07-18
-
Blink
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,153
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,742
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,724
Intuition is not some magical property that arises unbidden from the depths of our mind. It is a product of long hours and intelligent design, of meaningful work environments, and particular rules and principles. This audiobook shows us how we can hone our instinctive ability to know in an instant, helping us to bring out the best in our thinking and become better decision-makers in our homes, offices, and in everyday life.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very Average...
- By L on 12-12-12
-
The Bomber Mafia
- A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 522
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 450
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 447
Malcolm Gladwell, author of New York Times best sellers including Talking to Strangers and host of the podcast Revisionist History, uses original interviews, archival footage, and his trademark insight to weave together the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in Central Alabama, a British psychopath, and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard. As listeners hear these stories unfurl, Gladwell examines one of the greatest moral challenges in modern American history.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Oh dear!
- By Anonymous User on 30-04-21
-
Talking to Strangers
- What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,079
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,971
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,943
The routine traffic stop that ends in tragedy. The spy who spends years undetected at the highest levels of the Pentagon. The false conviction of Amanda Knox. Why do we so often get other people wrong? Why is it so hard to detect a lie, read a face or judge a stranger's motives? Through a series of encounters and misunderstandings - from history, psychology and infamous legal cases - Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual adventure into the darker side of human nature, where strangers are never simple and misreading them can have disastrous consequences.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
people aren't transparent. (done)
- By Amazon Customer on 17-01-20
-
Outliers
- The Story of Success
- By: Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,817
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,856
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,838
In this stunning audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers" - the best and the brightest, the most famous, and the most successful. He asks the question: What makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: That is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I never thought about it that way...
- By Mark on 23-12-12
-
The Comfort Book
- By: Matt Haig
- Narrated by: Matt Haig
- Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 489
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 414
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 406
It is a strange paradox that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learned while we are at our lowest. But then we never think about food more than when we are hungry, and we never think about life rafts more than when we are thrown overboard. The Comfort Book is a collection of consolations learned in hard times and suggestions for making the bad days better.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Nothing is stronger than a small hope
- By papapownall on 06-07-21
-
One Hundred Years of Dirt
- By: Rick Morton
- Narrated by: Rick Morton
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7
Social mobility is not a train you get to board after you've scraped together enough for the ticket. You have to build the whole bloody engine, with nothing but a spoon and hand-me-down psychological distress. Violence, treachery and cruelty run through the generational veins of Rick Morton's family. A horrific accident thrusts his mother and siblings into a world impossible for them to navigate, a life of poverty and drug addiction.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Remarkable excavation of a harsh landscape
- By KMV on 03-08-20
-
Shakespeare
- The World as a Stage
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 657
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 499
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 491
Shakespeare's life, despite the scrutiny of generations of biographers and scholars, is still a thicket of myths and traditions, some preposterous, some conflicting, arranged around the few scant facts known about the Bard: from his birth in Stratford to the bequest of his second best bed to his wife when he died.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
cuts through the rubbish
- By Emily on 12-10-07
-
I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)
- Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power
- By: Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 656
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 549
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 545
Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I Think it is Just Me….
- By Bernice on 20-05-17
-
Think Again
- The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
- By: Adam Grant
- Narrated by: Adam Grant
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 955
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 782
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 772
Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there's another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. In recent months, the pandemic has forced us all to reevaluate our assumptions about health and safety and multiple acts of police brutality have challenged most of us to reconsider our responsibility for fighting racism. Yet in our daily lives, too many of us still favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
This did not make me think again
- By Amanda P on 31-07-21
-
Peril
- By: Bob Woodward, Robert Costa
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
- Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 306
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 265
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 263
The storming of the Capitol on 6 January 2021 revealed the transition from President Trump to President Biden to be one of the most dangerous periods in American history, with the result of the election called into question by the sitting president. But, as internationally best-selling author Bob Woodward and acclaimed reporter Robert Costa reveal for the first time, it was far more than just a domestic political crisis.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not worth it
- By Mr Skinner on 01-11-21
-
My Brother Moochie
- Regaining Dignity in the Midst of Crime, Poverty, and Racism in the American South
- By: Issac J. Bailey
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
At the age of nine, Issac J. Bailey saw his hero, his eldest brother, taken away in handcuffs, not to return from prison for thirty-two years. Bailey tells the story of their relationship and of his experience living in a family suffering guilt and shame. Drawing on sociological research as well as his expertise as a journalist, he seeks to answer the crucial question of why Moochie and many other young black men - including half of the ten boys in his own family - end up in the criminal justice system. What role did poverty, race, and faith play? What effect did living in the South, in the Bible Belt, have?
-
The Fry Chronicles
- An Autobiography
- By: Stephen Fry
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,959
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,681
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,651
This dazzling memoir promises to be a courageously frank, honest and poignant read. It will detail some of Fry's most turbulent and least-well-known years, with writing that will excite you, make you laugh uproariously, move you, inform you, and, above all, surprise you.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Hours of delighted listening
- By Mary on 21-09-10
-
The Examined Life
- By: Stephen Grosz
- Narrated by: Peter Marinker
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,752
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,326
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,302
We are all storytellers - through stories, we make sense of our lives. But it is not enough to tell tales. There must be someone to listen. In his work as a psychoanalyst, Stephen Grosz has spent the last 25 years uncovering the hidden feelings behind our most baffling behaviour. The Examined Life distils over 50,000 hours of conversation into pure psychological insight, without the jargon. This extraordinary book is about one ordinary process: talking, listening, and understanding.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting cases, interpretations too Freudian.
- By Santiago on 27-02-19
-
Norse Mythology
- A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: full cast, Diana Rigg, Derek Jacobi, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 553
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 482
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 481
Meet the trickster god Loki and his astonishing children – the giant wolf Fenrir, Jormungundr the snake that encircles the world and Hel, the little girl who grows up to be Queen of the dead. Here, too, is Odin the all-father, who sacrificed his eye to see the future, Thor the thunderer, who defends Asgard with his fearsome strength and mighty hammer and Freya the understandably angry, most beautiful of the gods and always being gambled for by unwanted suitors.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fabulous!
- By J. Tomasevic on 22-02-19
-
The Trust Edge
- How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a Strong Bottom Line
- By: David Horsager
- Narrated by: David Horsager
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 6
In The Trust Edge, David Horsager reveals the foundation of genuine success - trust. Based on research but made practical for today’s leader, The Trust Edge shows that trust is quantifiable and brings dramatic results to businesses and leaders. In this book, Horsager teaches listeners how to build the 8 Pillars of Trust. When leaders learn how to implement these pillars, they enjoy better relationships, reputations, retention, revenue, and results.
-
48 Laws of Power
- By: Robert Greene
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 23 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,250
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,861
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,853
Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distills 3,000 years of the history of power into 48 well-explicated laws. This bold volume outlines the laws of power in their unvarnished essence, synthesizing the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and other infamous strategists. The 48 Laws of Power will fascinate any listener interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Too little nuance
- By Santiago on 17-10-16
-
Some NEW Kind of Trailer Trash
- By: Dr. Brad Blanton
- Narrated by: Dr. Brad Blanton
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2
Brad Blanton is at ease in this first volume of his autobiography. Some NEW Kind of Trailer Trash tells the tale of Brad Blanton, including the most intimate details, demonstrating the inner security and self-deprecating humor which it would seem support his international reputation as a gestalt therapist, seminar leader, and writer published all over the world. He owns his life in all aspects and finds in his weirdness his salvation, demonstrating the radical honesty he's made famous and rooting his self-understanding, which is considerable, in his childhood.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
What a story !!!
- By Chris Dickinson on 27-10-18
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
More from the same
Author
Narrator
What listeners say about David and Goliath
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- 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
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- 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!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 10-12-19
Well done Malcolm.
Another fantastic read. All the authors books have been wonderful, and well voiced too 😁
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- 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.
