My review is somewhat mixed. The production of the material was outstanding!. Using real-life audio and reenacting other scenes added immeasurably to the presentation of the material. The music was another story: whether or not it was Gladwell's intention to promote a liberal story line, the music did that, especially the repeated screams of "Say his name!" after shouting a name of a supposed "victim" such as Michael Brown or Freddie Gray. I live in a Baltimore suburb and have an entirely different view of Gray: he was a career criminal whose ultimately fatal injuries were at least in part self-induced. He was canonized by local thugs and sycophantic politicians, including a mayor who saw her political career go up in the smoke of the fires and riots that followed. Gray is no one to celebrate. Additionally, while the information was well-researched and reported, there seemed to be no real conclusions reached, no resolution, no strategies to address the problems Gladwell so clearly articulated. As a result, I found the book somewhat incomplete.

Positives: The production value was tremendous. Using the audio/film clips and having actors read transcripts for other studies/testimony really helps paint an audio picture. It provides a fullsome/podcast-y listening experience that is easy to consume. Gladwell is a good narrator. The book is interesting and thought provoking and he does a good job of contextualizing things, by applying his thoughts to cases/scenarios you may be aware of. Negatives: I don't really know what the point was. This isn't a book about teaching you strategies for talking to strangers. Some of the ideas in it feel contradictory...it was an interesting journey but I don't know if I ever arrived at the destination. There didn't seem to be any real conclusion - which may have been the point. I'm planning on listening to it again to see if there's something I missed. Though, John W. seems to have the same 'incomplete' feeling that I did.

Another brilliant and inquiring experience from our/my favorite author. I would recommend this audiobook to everyone! And to learn how to be polite to everyone you meet, because most of the book slams into your head the message: People are judgemental and can't understand new ideas, things, or people that are different. In all seriousness though: 1. I found the "High quality Podcast" style very entertaining and appreciate the slow emergence of audiobooks adapting pieces of modern style 'Productions'. 2. Most of the parts were very entertaining and educational, but I did feel like the overall message was rather..... childish? Like.... other than the statistics and names of researchers, nothing that was "taught to me" seemed new to me. The decades of research and years of experience all lead to the point of: Don't be rude, be understanding, and trust others till they prove that point wrong. 'Put simply': Treat others like you want to be treated. that thing anyone in grade school, Sunday school, or with decent parents were told. 3. I am glad I didn't spend money on this and it was part of a Christmas special credit program, because I would rather go and listen to a season of a proper, free high quality Podcast then spend money on a 8 1/2 hour "new and special audiobook"

Phenomenal!

I found this to be tedious and without any definition

I don’t think I even got to the end of chapter one before I fell asleep. I found this books content okay but the reading was very dry and boring. I don’t think I could carry on without sleeping all the way through the book.

If you are listening to this book to learn how to better talk to people in your life, this will be a waste of time. These are stories that explain the difficulty we experience when interacting with strangers in unique circumstances. As a fan of Malcolm Gladwell I enjoyed it. The background music was slightly distracting though.

Malcolm Gladwell done it again. The way he analyzed and elaborate human interaction is just enjoyable to listen and learn. I enjoy thoroughly.

This was a phenomenal listen! It was like an extended version of his podcast- actual interviews, court clips, etc. Each of the cases examined were extremely interesting and Malcolm’s narration was engaging. I definitely recommend it.

great read!