Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know

My little cousin read this before going into college it’s a great read with a lot of explanation and research to back it this book got me into reading all his other books which are also great!

Interesting and thought-provoking. Gladwell's writing style is conversational and easy to enjoy. There are some flaws in his logic at times. Also, he has very strong opinions that sometimes flavor his conclusions. Overall, however, well worth reading.

Very introspective into a lot of the societal problems that seem to be occurring more frequently. Even if you don’t entirely agree with all the conclusions, it’s definitely worth the read

Such an insightful and great read. Quick and easy. If everyone read this book and applied its lessons, our society might be able to heal and move forward in truth.

Unfortunately, my Executive Board chose this as our first Book Club Book. I’ve ready other books by Malcolm Gladwell and was excited by the choice. Then I started reading it. I’m not sure he could’ve chosen more horrible examples to illustrate the purposes in this book. Was it intentional for shock value? To be provocative? If you are sensitive to suicide, rape, child abuse, white collar crimes, torture, or Hitler - remove this from your cart. There were some pages and chapters I had to skip because the details were so raw and vivid. I would sit back and say, was that really necessary to get the point he was aiming for across. My answer is a firm “no.” In a world filled with negativity, this book falls right in line instead of providing hope and positive insight. I highlighted maybe three sentences in this book as takeaways and I hope I can forget all the rest of it. What a downer and very triggering. Even the formatting was off-putting, with the chapters just sort of ending in the middle of a point, and picking up later in a chapter. Hugely disappointed with this one.

Couldn't put it down once started. I liked how the author addresses serious issues that lead to tragic events. Conundrums that we don't have answers for - events that the authors use are "hard to believe" true stories. The book turned out different from what i expected from encountering the title, but enjoyed reading it from beginning to end. Recommend it to everyone and recommend to discuss it with your kids, students, young people especially.

First, I'm an avid Gladwell fan. I love his work. I've read every book, can't wait for each Revisionist History episode (his podcast), and read his works in various publications. I love his ability to convey a story, delve into data and nuance while maintaining interest, and perfectly make a sharp and often novel point by the end. I purchased the audiobook at the recommendation of his podcast after listening to the sample he posted and was not disappointed in the production quality. I'm an Audible member and always buy audiobooks. This one set a new standard for the format. It was captivating to listen to - masterfully done in the same style as his podcast. However, (SPOILERS - stop now) that sharp point so notorious in his work was missing in this book. The storytelling was great, but the premise (that we cannot understand others, discern their intentions, or understand their context as well as we think we can or at all) was not the profound perspective shift I've grown to love about Gladwell. Yes, there were some interesting points made, like that overly paranoid behavior with strangers is counterproductive as an alternative to a "default of truth" and that we tend to judge others as transparent 1-dimensional people we can read clearly, but do not believe the same judgement should be applied to ourselves. The stories were told brilliantly and I enjoyed listening to all of them, but they were told in service of a thesis that did not, in my opinion, justify such arduous dissection. All of that, to be honest, still would have gotten this book 5 stars from me - but, I was left with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth in the way some stories were portrayed, especially when it comes to Brock Turner and Sandra Bland. For example, with Brock Turner, Gladwell uses this to make the point that there's a fine line of consent. Men and women see things differently. Under the influence we see things differently. A lot is left up to interpretation. However, in this case, there was no "miscommunication" and a mismatch of signals interpreted as what was consent or not... the victim was literally unconscious. There are millions of stories that could be used to show the nuance of communication and interpretation in consent - some involving celebrities... this was not one. I get the points these stories were designed to illustrate, but I felt they were used for their notoriety, not their ability to underscore the point. Gladwell's podcast episode on a police-involved shooting illustrated this book's point better than the somewhat clumsy and also disconcerting analysis of the Sandra Bland case. I still say this book is entertaining and extremely well done (of course it is; it's Gladwell). It's still worth the time. The point is a good one to learn, but not Gladwell at his best.

The author describes in detail some examples where experienced people who should be experts have misjudged and trusted people they shouldn’t have. Quite eye-opening. Written in a style that draws your interest and a desire to know more.

Buenisimo como todos los libros del autor. una introspeccion en el arte de escudriñar a la gente y porque no sabemos si dicen la verdad o no entre otras cosas. muy recomendable

Gladwell tackles some uncomfortable subjects in this book, which may account for some of the negative reviews. Get past the nastier examples though, and this book shines with insight.

Kids should read and discuss this type of book in class, that would change the next generation for better. Necessary read.

Talking to Strangers is another compelling book by Malcolm Gladwell that delves into the complexities of human interaction, particularly with people we don't know. Gladwell examines how our preconceived notions, cultural biases, and psychological quirks can affect our ability to accurately perceive and interact with strangers.Key themes and concepts:The default assumption: The idea that we instinctively assume strangers are friendly and trustworthy until proven otherwise.The stranger effect: The phenomenon of how our perception of strangers can be skewed by our preconceived notions and stereotypes.The power of context: How the environment and circumstances can influence our interactions with strangers.Examples explored in the book:The case of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died in police custody after a traffic stopThe phenomenon of "stranger danger" and its impact on our interactions with strangersThe challenges of communicating effectively across cultural boundariesWhy this book is important:Understanding human interaction: Talking to Strangers provides valuable insights into the complexities of human relationships, particularly with those we don't know.Improving communication: The book offers practical advice on how to communicate more effectively with strangers and avoid misunderstandings.Challenging our biases: Gladwell encourages us to question our preconceived notions and stereotypes about strangers.If you're interested in learning more about human psychology, communication, and the challenges of interacting with strangers, Talking to Strangers is a thought-provoking and informative read.

Excellent book , a must read