Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell is a Canadian-born journalist and author whose books about human behaviour, social psychology, and the hidden forces that shape success, decision-making, and culture have made him one of the most influential non-fiction writers of the twenty-first century. His ability to find surprising stories within academic research and use them to challenge conventional wisdom has created a distinctive genre of narrative non-fiction. Born in Fareham, Hampshire in 1963 to a Jamaican mother and an English father, Gladwell grew up in rural Ontario, Canada. He studied history at the University of Toronto and worked as a journalist at The Washington Post before joining The New Yorker as a staff writer, where he has published some of the most widely read and debated articles in the magazine's history. The Tipping Point (2000) explored how small changes can trigger social epidemics. Blink (2005) examined the power and pitfalls of snap judgements. Outliers (2008) challenged the myth of self-made success, introducing the "10,000 hours" concept. David and Goliath (2013) reframed the advantages of disadvantage. Talking to Strangers (2019) explored why we are so bad at reading other people. The Bomber Mafia (2021) told the story of a group of military innovators. The American Way of Killing continues his exploration of how ideas and systems shape human outcomes. Gladwell's Revisionist History podcast has extended his reach into audio, and he is one of the founders of Pushkin Industries, an audio content company. The audiobook editions of Gladwell's books are outstanding — his storytelling translates perfectly to audio. His books and audiobooks are essential for anyone who enjoys having their assumptions challenged by a master storyteller.