Blink

The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

By: Malcolm Gladwell

Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The landmark book that has revolutionized the way we understand leadership and decision making - from number-one best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell.

In his landmark best seller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant, in the blink of an eye, that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work, in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing", filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.

Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology and displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Blink changes the way you understand every decision you make. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

Don't miss any of Malcolm Gladwell's books, articles, and interviews.

©2005 Malcolm Gladwell (P)2005 Time Warner AudioBooks

Critic reviews

2005 Quill Award Nominee

"Gladwell's groundbreaking explication of a key aspect of human nature is enlightening, provocative, and great fun to read." (Booklist)

"Entertaining and illuminating." (Publishers Weekly)

Malcolm Gladwell does it again!

You should definitely get this book if you enioy anything Malcolm Gladwell has written.

Great piece on understanding human intuition.

One minor point, not a huge fan of the little bits of music in the recording

I used to think; now I just read Gladwell instead

What did you love best about Blink?

Gladwell has a way of looking at a story that others might not think too interesting and telling it in such a way that it is nothing short of compelling.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blink?

I knew Warren Harding was a President to be forgotten. Gladwell's anecdote about why people at the time - voters - couldn't forget such a horrible candidate was mesmerizing.

What does Malcolm Gladwell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

When someone reads their own work there is no guessing at the meanings, the inflection, the important points of emphasis. He read like a great professor would explain to his class a point that has taken him a lifetime to understand.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Try not to judge everything at face value. If you do, prepare to adjust your opinion if you keep an open mind.

Blink

Excellent! Great book, easy listening - contains tons of great information.

captivating

did not take much to get and stay interested in this book.I highly recommend !

Excellent

I got this book at the advice of a friend for a great business book. Blink is so much more.... it is applicable to all aspects of our lives.

Interesting but could do more

Has fascinating examples and explanations, but what I found lacking was more learnings and advice on practices to apply this to daily life, business, etc.

So interesting and so informative!

Malcolm Gladwell is a great writer and a great and clear thinker! He tells wonderful stories to illustrate the points he is making. I learned so much about how the subconscious influences our lives. I enjoyed this book so much and felt that I could learn so much from it that I listened to it three times. The author does a great job of narrating his own book.

Gladwell Has A New Fan

Any additional comments?

I'm always fascinated by psychology and enjoy understanding myself and my fellow man in greater detail. Blink made a major change in my method of thinking. I crave more data and information and believe with sufficient data, I can analyze and solve any problem. Blink made me consider that often, I need virtually no data at all to surmise a situation and respond to it properly and efficiently. This was the first Malcolm Gladwell book I have enjoyed, and I will look forward to learning much more from his other book offerings.

thorough

interesting detail regarding cops, heart rate and how decision making processes are affected by adrenaline.

Changed my way of thinking

I never write reviews but this book is certainly worth it. It's not what we don't know that get us into trouble, but it's what we do know that just isn't so. There's always more than one way to look at a situation.