David and Goliath
by Malcolm Gladwell · first published 2013
33% recommend52% neutral14% critical
Why HN recommends it
Gladwell reframes the biblical battle and other underdog stories to show how apparent disadvantages can become advantages. It is an engaging, idea-rich read suited to general readers and founders.
Common criticism: Critics find it thin, with only a few strong stories padded into a long book.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
We all know that underdogs can win -- that's what the David versus Goliath legend tells us, and we've seen it with our own eyes. Or have we? In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell, with his unparalleled ability to grasp connections others miss, uncovers the hidden rules that shape the balance between the weak and the mighty, the powerful and the dispossessed. Gladwell examines the battlefields of Northern Ireland and Vietnam, takes us into the minds of cancer researchers and civil rights leaders, and digs into the dynamics of successful and unsuccessful classrooms–all in an attempt to demonstr
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Currently reading Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath and it's easily one of my favorites of 2013. The introduction - Gladwell explains what actually happened in the epic biblical battle of the same name - is revelatory and an unforgettable piece of literature.…
on “The Best Books I Read in 2013” ↗david and goliath by gladwell is indeed a good motivational/justificational book for underdog or lean startup aiming at big corporate.
on “Cards Against Humanity’s “$5 More” Black Friday Sale” ↗…whole-hog with their own forms of myth, legend, priesthood, and dogma. If materialists read the Bible with the same reverence that they read Shakespeare with, they'd see why their positions are so silly. David and Goliath is a phenomenal read on the dynamics of ego and courage. If Shakespeare had been born in that day, he'd have been on the committee writing the Bible. It's just that the Bible is so old that you need…
on “The Meta-Problem of Consciousness [pdf]” ↗…order). Many of these have been mentioned in other comments: * Harry Potter series (thankfully I read this as a kid when I had more time) * Thinking, Fast and Slow * How to Win Friends and Influence People * David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants * Self-Made Man: One Woman's Year Disguised as a Man * The Martian: A Novel * How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used Brains, Not…
on “Ask HN: Which book are you reading these days?” ↗Malcolm Gladwell's book David and Goliath talks about that example (among others). It's a pretty interesting read.
on “I started a one-man biz that's beating VC-backed startups” ↗…interesting looks at important historical figures in situations we don’t often prescribe to them. Her first book “Destiny of the Republic” (James Garfield) is also good but the other two are superior. “David and Goliath” by Malcolm Gladwell.
on “Ask HN: What are the best audiobooks you have ever listened to?” ↗There are several interesting studies on colleges, their ranking, and the outcomes of individuals. It's really well outlined in the book "David and Goliath" by Malcom Gladwell. Top schools don't necessarily increase your chances of getting and advanced degree or being successful. In fact, it can do the opposite. I recommend reading what he has to say…
on “Ask HN: I got into MIT. Should I go?” ↗Gladwell's most famous book, 'The Tipping Point', suffered a similar fate. It was largely predicated on the 'broken window theory' [1] which too was proven not to be valid [2]. After his book 'David and Goliath' received numerous bad reviews for oversimplifying things and pinning causes on things that don't make sense, Gladwell lashed out at his critics and basically said that his books are not written for experts.…
on “Malcolm Gladwell's famous 10k hour rule isn't holding up in new research” ↗Could someone help me out, I've read Pinker's criticisms, Chablis' and others, but I don't feel convinced because they all seem to be generic attacks on accuracy. From their articles, I was not able to identify a specific point that Gladwell has made that is false. Lets take for example, his most recent book, David & Goliath. I was impressed by his unusual look at the David coming down the valley
on “Should we stop believing Malcolm Gladwell?” ↗This is called relative deprivation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_deprivation) and Malcolm Gladwell's book "David and Goliath" has some interesting examples of its destructive power, such as when bright students enroll in STEM courses in top-tier schools, but end up dropping out from STEM because the amount of students smarter…
on “We Have Luxurious Jobs but We Are Not Aware of It” ↗…the study shared in the OP, if you tell yourself that you are good at something, you are less likely to try hard, thats when you'll fall behind. I read a book that shared a story like this recently, 'David and Goliath' by Malcolm Gladwell.
on “On Being Smart (2009) [pdf]” ↗> "Moreover, in David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell draws upon research that shows it’s actually more advantageous for a student to attend a college where they can be in the top 10% rather than in the bottom half of the class. It’s the…
on “Our obsession with elite colleges is making our kids feel worthless” ↗If his TED Talk on the David and Goliath story http://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_the_unheard_story_... is any indication, his book is for people who find Sun Tzu too subtle. Much of his previous writing and public speaking are, at least,…
on “Why Malcolm Gladwell Matters and Why That's Unfortunate” ↗From TFA: This leads to my last topic, the psychology experiment Gladwell deploys in David and Goliath to explain what he means by "desirable difficulties." The difficulties he talks about are serious challenges, like dyslexia or the death of a parent during one's childhood. But the experiment is a 40-person…
on “The Trouble With Malcolm Gladwell” ↗…things that have happened to us the way James has, we could probably become more observant too, and hence spot more opportunities. Also, Malcolm Gladwell has some interesting bits in his latest book, David and Goliath, about how childhood trouble like dyslexia can turn into opportunities. I'm going to butcher the research if I try and bring it up now, but there's some neat bits there if you haven't read them.
on “Why are some people so much luckier than others?” ↗