Comments (64)

Talking to Strangers

What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know
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1 to 25 of 64 items
Sep 22, 2023
This book is an important reminder that even though we believe that we can "read people", often times we are wrong and it backs it up with many examples. A great book for humanity.
Sep 10, 2023sarakburgess rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating book! Hated the audio effect that added in sounds other than the reader's voice. Especially when approaching the end of every chapter; the sounds were so distracting I always lost focus and often wondered if the sounds were…
Aug 15, 2023Luckybe rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Gladwell describes the complexity of interactions between strangers especially for policing. He highlights the impossible tasks we have assigned police with everything from confronting armed, dangerous criminals to dealing with domestic…
Aug 07, 2023jrhiggins rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
The subtitle of this book says it will tell us “what we should know about the people we don’t know.” I picked it up in the library and brought it home because that intrigued me. But the book does not do this at any point. It’s NOT a…
Aug 07, 2023Lord_Vad3r rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Apparently, Cubans are really good at few things: baseball, sandwiches, and spy craft. That's right, spy craft. What's that buzzing noise? Maybe it's too soon for Havana syndrome jokes. Anyway, In Talking to Strangers, Gladwell again…
Aug 02, 2023Karolin90 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I'm hooked! I learned so much and am trying to remember the things I learned when talking to strangers or friends even. I can't wait to read all the other Malcom Gladwell books.
Jul 06, 2023LBJXenia rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and compelling non-fiction about human behavior, especially communication between strangers. Author reviews actual investigations, for example: traffic stops by police, arrests, spying, cover-ups and miscommunication between…
May 07, 2023cshamm1 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Reading Gladwell is like stepping into a car with a friend who won't tell you where you're going but promises your destination will be someplace great. The destination at end of Gladwell's strange and winding road is indeed someplace…
Jan 06, 2023OIPgayle rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Not much new here for me except the idea or "coupling"---peoples' actions are often related to geography or very personal circumstances.
Jul 04, 2022jAsiKA rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Dozens of true stories on heavy topics retold in an analytical, yet persuasive, yet conversational tone. If you’ve read a similar book by Gladwell before, you’ll know this novel isn’t some compact guide on how to interact with strangers…
May 21, 2022BriMused rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Chef’s Kiss! Some hard topics discussed with a curiosity and openness that takes the edge off. While I’m sure Gladwell’s writing speaks for itself, if you’re unfamiliar his voice, I suggest his podcast “Revisionist History” or perhaps just…
Feb 09, 2022Mitzi352 rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
BUYER BEWARE - If you are annoyed by footnotes, best stay away from this one. There are even footnotes within footnotes! The author also makes frequent references to his other books throughout as well as other authors’ books. Otherwise…
Nov 22, 2021Shoogs780 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I am so glad I didn't listen to the bad reviews--some of which are by people who I am convinced either didn't read it, judged the book by its cover and summary, or the whole…
Nov 20, 2021archera rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Thought provoking! The blend of audiobook with podcast elements made it an immersive listening experience.
Oct 18, 2021rixonkj rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Talking to Strangers is liberal, flawed, decently-researched, and somewhat interesting. I both learned a few new things and thought the author's analysis was superficial and mistaken due to lack of factoring in power structures.
inthestacks
Jul 13, 2021inthestacks rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
This book was as convoluted as its title, though the content of the book didn’t come anywhere near representing the title it was given. Gladwell does not teach you how to talk to strangers. To support his theory -- which I’ll admit, I was…
May 10, 2021dirtbag1 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Gladwell always writes such interesting books.
Jan 24, 2021jackiegladman rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
An interesting overview of the way we interact with strangers from various perspectives via interesting relatable narratives. Would not have picked based on the title but it chosen as a read or the Mac alum book club. Glad they did.
Jan 19, 2021Bookworm1136 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
4 stars. This book was recommended to me highly by family members and is my non-fiction read of January. I found it to be a very interesting read about how we don't read other people well and how it impacts others, using some very famous…
Jan 06, 2021BarhorstJulie rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Wow. Gladwell delivers quality and insightful information, as usual. But, skip chapter 5 if you have a weak stomach.
Dec 27, 2020kristenruiz rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
For some reason I went into this book thinking it was going to tell me how to be better at "talking to strangers." Instead, the book highlights three societal characteristics that influence WHY we often mess up in our judgments and actions…
Oct 12, 2020danielestes rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
One of Gladwell's best! Talking to Strangers has become even more relevant in 2020, the year of COVID, where the book's central topic, how to understand strangers, and police violence are once again at the forefront of the national…
Oct 10, 2020dizzycircus rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Talking to Strangers, he does a brilliant job challenging common thought around some high-profile catastrophes. Through a compelling combination of skillful storytelling and shrewd observation he is able to…
Oct 06, 2020
If you enjoy insightful books about human behavior, you'll like this book. Gladwell takes research statistics and merges them with case studies to create a compelling book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Oct 02, 2020BraveNOTPerfect rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
“To assume the best about another is the trait that has created modern society.” “Because we do not know how to talk to strangers, what we do when things go awry with strangers? We blame the stranger.” Interesting stories picked to prove…