• David and Goliath

  • Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants
  • By: Malcolm Gladwell
  • Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
  • Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (24,257 ratings)

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David and Goliath

By: Malcolm Gladwell
Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
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Editorial reviews

Editors Select, October 2013 - Get ready to have your view of the world turned upside down. Malcolm Gladwell - best-selling author of Blink, The Tipping Point, and Outliers - returns to present new ways of looking at why being among the advantaged is not always advantageous. David & Goliath explores the \"art of battling giants\" through the personal accounts of underdogs and misfits whose wild success stories are often falsely considered flukes. This is not a sentimental celebration of good things happening to good people. In true Gladwellian fashion, the real reasons behind so many pull-from-behind wins are completely unexpected. And if you've ever heard any of the author's many speaking engagements you know to expect a lively listening experience with Gladwell narrating the book himself. (Tricia, Audible Editor)

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Nonfiction, 2014

Explore the power of the underdog in Malcolm Gladwell's dazzling examination of success, motivation, and the role of adversity in shaping our lives, from the best-selling author of The Bomber Mafia.

Three thousand years ago on a battlefield in ancient Palestine, a shepherd boy felled a mighty warrior with nothing more than a stone and a sling, and ever since then the names of David and Goliath have stood for battles between underdogs and giants. David's victory was improbable and miraculous. He shouldn't have won.

Or should he have?

In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwellchallenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks.

Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy those many years ago. From there, David and Goliath examines Northern Ireland's Troubles, the minds of cancer researchers and civil rights leaders, murder and the high costs of revenge, and the dynamics of successful and unsuccessful classrooms - all to demonstrate how much of what is beautiful and important in the world arises from what looks like suffering and adversity.

In the tradition of Gladwell's previous best-sellers - The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw - David and Goliath draws upon history, psychology, and powerful storytelling to reshape the way we think of the world around us.

©2013 Malcolm Gladwell (P)2013 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about David and Goliath

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My New Favorite Book

Ahh.maz.ing! This book was so helpful and changed the way I think and view advantages and disadvantages in the world. I will read this again and several more times, thereafter.

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Changed my how I view the world

Gladwell's novel understanding and perspective on all of the case studies he brings up is amazing. He draws very deep insights that everyone can benefit from using his analysis of history and anecdotes.

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I greatly enjoyed listening to this book!

Malcolm gladwell is absolutely brilliant! The way he pulls everyday examples and stories from people of all walks of life to develop a narrative that illustrates how much power we really have is inspiring and eye opening.

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Excellent Book

Malcom Gladwell is an engaging story teller. His pace and rythm are excellent and he tells interesting stories that give one the opportunity to view events in a different light than how we might ordinarily examine them. In the end we must attempt to find the positive in the events that unfold and make the best of the hand we are dealt.

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Another excellent book from Malcolm

Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite authors, this new book is another excellent perspective backed up with examples, research and human nature.

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Very interesting, if at times over simplified

Familiar themes for Gladwell, entertainingly told. At times he over simplifies complex sociological analysis to make a point, but generally to good effect. Recommended.

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As always; excellent perspective on lot of things

Loved reading (or listening to) this book. Malcolm Gladwell does it again with his gladwellian style of juxtaposing things in a different light. Gladwell does a great job of putting the stories in a proper sequence and the book flows nicely. With such boring topics, Gladwell knows how to make things shiny.

I have read all his books and this and Outliers are one of his best. Go for it. And Gladwell narration is one of the best too.

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Nice narrative and easy "reading".

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, simply because Malcolm Gladwell is great.

Any additional comments?

Not Gladwell's best work but still engaging and interesting. The fact that it is read by the author is definitely a plus! I would say yeah, read it for sure, but after the tipping point and blink.

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Fantastic book. Fascinating perspective.

Will read again. I really enjoyed listening to this book. Glad my Senator kept bringing it up in conversations about dyslexia.

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Best book of the year 2013!!!

Where does David and Goliath rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is my favorite recommendation of all the books I read in 2013

What other book might you compare David and Goliath to and why?

Gladwell's other book, Outliers. (My favorite until this one)

Have you listened to any of Malcolm Gladwell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have read all of his publications. Many more than once. Id say this was his best.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many moments movd me. One in particular was the big fish in a small pond analysis of our collegiate system.

Any additional comments?

My only whish is that Gladwell write faster so I could have more of his work to read and listen to.

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