David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell believes that underdogs have certain advantages that may help them succeed and become overachievers. In an incredibly wide-ranging variety of anecdotes, he makes his point. The book is quite thought-provoking and interesting to read. I thought some chapters didn’t fit the theme as well or made me skeptical of his conclusions, although the book seems well-researched with numerous footnotes.

Many dyslexics are overachievers, although many are not. Being outnumbered didn’t prevent Lawrence of Arabia from succeeding  in a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. The British response to the troubles in Northern Ireland was all wrong, and Gladwell shows why. A leukemia researcher with a miserable childhood was strongly motivated to succeed in saving children’s lives. Being a big fish in a small pond is statistically more likely to lead to success in science or law than being a small fish in a big pond, which is why the author states that ivy league schools aren’t always the best choice. On the other hand, small class sizes aren’t optimal for students or teachers; medium-sized classes work best. Londoners who lived through the Battle of Britain found that remote misses were not as frightening as expected. Martin Luther King’s civil rights movement in Birmingham is discussed, and how and why a town in south-central France defied the Vichy regime and provided a haven to Jews fleeing persecution. Along with these serious topics, techniques for successfully coaching basketball are also included.

Brenda