• 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 (24,264 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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Gladwell continues to amaze and encourage

D&G is a series of tales that are most amazing by the sincerity of their truth. Gladwell breaks down complex ideas, adds the human spirit to them, and brings ideas to life. An excellent book. Excellent title.

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great!

another great book by Malcolm Gladwell. great and easy read, listen to this book today.

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inspirational

this book is a collection of examples in posttraumatic growth, and reframing negative factors in one's life experiences to show their positive potential. as usual, Malcolm Gladwell is a genius at describing concepts that can be abstract and difficult to grasp in a way that is not only enlightening but also entertaining.

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A story of statistical faith

I want to write and tell stories like Malcom.
That ending tho.
Really should get the physical copy

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Another, Wait before you think you know the story

Really enjoy the detailed research, conveyed in a way that weaves very interesting stories.

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one of the best books I have read

Gladwell is a master in helping us consider the world in a new light. The diligent research and honest, objective presentation of material gives us a chance to adopt different ways of thinking and appreciating events and human behavior. Hopefully, we can use these lessons for the betterment of individual and community.

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Story is a bit lacking, but overall good

Easy to follow and enough stories to boast Gladwells central argument, though the sheer amount of stories does add a sense of drudgery. Overall excellent work.

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another great one from Malcolm Gladwell

Loved it. So did my 14 year old son and 60 year old parent. Highly recommended.

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Great thesis on asymmetrical conflict

I find many factual claims in this book, esp dealing with the historic account of David and Goliath, to be suspect but that's hardly the point. This book is a chapter by chapter thesis on asymmetric conflict and counter-intuitive solutions. It also has the strange quality that even if all of his facts were wrong, his methodology is still sound.

This isn't quite as good as his later works, which is to say that Gladwell just keeps getting better over time, but it's still worth a listen. If you're a fan of his at all, definitely do so.

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Very good!

Great book, great ideas! This and "Outliers" are his 2 best books I've listened to so far.

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