David and Goliath

Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

By: Malcolm Gladwell

Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell

Length: 7 hrs and 1 min

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

B+

This book was excellent, Gladwell continues to deliver. But, after experiencing the brilliance of The Outliers, Blink, and The Tipping Point, I can only see David and Goliath as a "B-side" dissertation. But then, those earlier books were beyond phenomenal. BTW- he is a very engaging narrator! While not his best work, this is nevertheless an enjoyable piece.

More mental than spiritual

Malcolm Gladwell's book David and Goliath is an interesting book and does bring some fresh perspective to an old thought process. His performance of the reading delivers the tone and emphasis of his writing style quite well. I would say the most disappointing piece to me is that the focus seems to be on human effort and control of one's self. There is little hope for those who do not have the same traits as those push past convention. The book was enlightening, yet disappointing, because I am not like that.

The American Connections

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

David and Goliath is one of the better books that I have read. It ties in beautifully with other works by Gladwell such as the tipping point and begs to illustrate the need for individual, outside the box thinking when faced with dogma and the cliched referred too Chinese description of insanity; Doing the same thing over again expecting a different result.

What was one of the most memorable moments of David and Goliath?

Frankly that David's defeat of Goliath was not a miracle because of a sling and stone against a giant, no, that was simply physics as wonderfully described by Gladwell, the miracle was the inspiration that a smaller, lighter, insignificant shepherd would understand that with agility and skill he could take down the dogmatic mechanism of his day that decisively settled battles.This book is one that every soldier, civilian professional and every politician needs to read. It begs for simple solutions and the obvious when faced with complexity and social structures that continue to fail but are promoted by only those with vested interests.

Which scene was your favorite?

Again David's battle against Goliath but I would also say that the story of J Freireich and Emil Frei working against the "smartest people in the room" to actually cure childhood leukemia was touching to the point of tears. I am a medical educator and I am sucked by the dogma that pervades our society when novel ideas and bold thinking are introduced. The entrenched bureaucracies of modern American medicine have not yielded better care but only more costly methods. The story of Freireich and Frei is a call to arms for every conscientious American physician to stand their ground for simplicity and sanity in the face of corporate crazies and politicians who promise the world but end up hurting people in with their avarice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, on my way to work and on cross campus walks for research collaboration.

Any additional comments?

Gladwell is such a good story teller. His soft-spoken voice and emotion in reading are both easy to listen too and appropriately measured. He is an American James Burke and his research is solid and his conclusions clear. He is a gift to America from our Canadian neighbors and we are the better for his work.

Enjoyed it.

I definitely enjoyed this book. Though because I absolutely loved several of Malcolm Gladwell's other books it's hard not to compare. My advice is to start with Outliers and The Tipping Point - and then if you need more Malcolm, this one is worth a read.

Great book and amazing storytelling!!

Great book and amazing storytelling as always from Malcolm Gladwell. Very entertaining, interesting and or of the box thinking.

Gladwell is a master story teller!

I have enjoyed no writing and narration more than Gladwell’s. Seriously, he is one heck of an author and narrator. His element of writing has anecdotes, facts, elements of surprise and contradictions which keeps one engaged through the story. This one also I really enjoyed and finished in no time.

Great Book! Malcolm Galdwell does it agian!

This book deserves all the praise it has and continues to receive. Gladwell is by far my favorite author and once again proves his dominence in his writings!

Amazing

words can mean so much. their is no such thing as a coincidence in chance

Astounding. Life-changing.

Astounding. Profoundly beautiful prose with a revelation on almost every page about the incorrect assumptions we make everyday and how they harm us. Inspiring. Life-changing. One of the best books I have ever read. If you only read one book this year, this must be it.

fantastic

MUST listen book. Gladwell is superb! Add this to the list and gain new perspective.