![]() ![]() ![]() Gladwell is a Canadian journalist, raised in the Mennonite tradition. They can reach large numbers of people and move them and serve as the vehicle for powerful insights.” But at the same time stories have extraordinary advantages. Their conclusions can seem simplified or idiosyncratic. They do not always capture the full range of human experience. Stories necessarily involve ambiguity and contradiction. I have always tried to be honest about the shortcomings of this approach. Of his own work Gladwell writes: “I write in the genre of what might be called “intellectual adventure stories.” Books like David and Goliath combine narratives and ideas from academic research in an attempt to get people to look at the world a little differently. Whether you agree or disagree with Gladwell’s assertions, you’ll find yourself thinking or re-thinking your own biases. While the book shatters assumptions about underdogs, assumptions and seemingly lost causes. Gladwell’s latest book David and Goliath demonstrates his considerable abilities when it comes to using stories to challenge long-held assumptions. Gladwell is for this preacher/storyteller an inspiration! Gladwell is a storyteller’s storyteller. In addition to gobbling up each of his books, I savour his articles in The New Yorker. Gladwell’s mind works in ways that delight, challenge, encourage and confound. David and Goliath like you’ve never heard this story before! I have enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell’s writing ever since a wise seminary professor put a copy of The Tipping Point on my personal reading list. ![]()
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