Outliers: the Story of Success, written by Malcolm Gladwell delves a bit deeper into analyzing why certain people are successful.  We often assume that successful people were ambitious, driven, and hard working.

Malcolm refutes this and instead theorizes that successful people are that way because of the events and people around them.  They were in the right place at the right time.  It has to do with generation, culture, and class.  Opportunity. Luck.

He explains why Steve Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates of Microsoft are successful, why NHL hockey players are mostly born in January, why Asians are good at math, and how Korean Airlines got rid of their tarnished reputation for safety with a conscious change in cultural behaviour.

In the last chapter, he even analyzes how he became who he is with the story of his grandmother and his own mother in Jamaica.

This book was really fascinating, and it helps you understand the world around you.

It helps you put success in context…I want to be an outlier! (In a positive way!)

I give it a 10/10… read it- I highly recommend it.

Readers, have you read this book? Or any of the other Malcolm Gladwell books? What’d you think?

You might also want to check out these posts:

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2. youngandthrifty Book Review and Giveaway: Smarter Than the Street
3. youngandthrifty Book Review: The Intelligent Investor
4. youngandthrifty book review: The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
5. Youngandthrifty Book Review and Giveaway: Enjoy Your Money! How to Make It, Save It, Invest It, and Give It