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|  | Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Publisher: Back Bay Books
List Price: $15.99
Buy Used: $5.77
as of 11/22/2009 00:51 CST details
You Save: $10.22 (64%)
New (102) Used (170) Collectible (1) from $5.77
Seller: peacewgc
Rating:  1096 reviews
Sales Rank: 143
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Pages: 320
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 0316010669
Dewey Decimal Number: 153.44
EAN: 9780316010665
ASIN: 0316010669
Publication Date: April 3, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 21-25 of 1096
 A worthwhile read on the role of the unconscious in decision-making September 21, 2009
Beth Cholette (Upstate NY USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Blink was my first experience with popular author Malcolm Gladwell. As I initially began reading this book, I felt for sure that I was going to love it. In the Introduction, Gladwell explains how various experts turned out to be wrong after spending months of research attempting to verify the authenticity of a marble statue, whereas several other experts called out the statue as fake after a mere cursory glance. Therefore, in Blink, Gladwell focuses on the many rapid, often unconscious--but usually correct--decisions, that we make, almost always without knowing exactly why we are doing so.
Thus, this book seemed like a perfect fit for me. As a psychologist, I've always called my own use of rapid cognition "intuition," but the term Gladwell uses is "thin-slicing," referring to the way in which we utilize just a small piece of the available information. To make his points, Gladwell presents many different fascinating examples and anecdotes, from psychologist John Gottman's studies of marital relationships to our inherent appearance/racial biases to the tragic police shooting of Amadou Diallo in 1999. Although I enjoyed reading all of these illustrations, I generally felt that Gladwell drew them out too long--i.e., he seemed to overplay his hand, to the extent that I often wanted to say "enough already; get to the point!"
Overall, however, I found Blink to be a worthwhile read. I particularly liked the Afterward, where Gladwell suggested some ideas for determining when we should rely on our instincts and when we should take time for more substantial analysis; I actually wished this section had been lengthier. I would not hesitate to recommend this book, and I certainly may go on to read more of Gladwell's work.
 A series of fascinating anecdotes, but little synthesis September 15, 2009
PaperChased
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've never been quite as disappointed with such a page-turner. I give this book 4 stars on pacing, style, and level of interest, but 1.5 stars on synthesis. The author has a remarkable ability to captivate the reader with a series of stories that are at times quite technical, but he fails on his promise in the introduction to show us when to trust our first impressions, and when they lead us astray. What was it about the kouros-statue experts that made their first impressions right, but made the NYPD officers who shot an innocent man 41 times wrong? The author never really tells us. In the end, the author seems to imply that our intuitions are to be trusted when they produce good results--a wholly unsatisfying conclusion that gives us no guidance going forward.
Blink September 14, 2009
roccogig (New York)
I feel this book provides insights from real world examples which make the book much more tangible for me. As a professional working for a large corporation as well as a citizen in the U.S. the amount of red tape is startling. That said, as with all information one must read it understand how it applies and remember not all situations will ever be the same. Taking the concepts from this book into my job has been very useful. It provokes thought and is very entertaining.
 Blink September 12, 2009
Warren Langer (Deerfield Beach, FL)
Hi, actually I am the wife of the Kindle reader who purchased Blink in June. To the best of my knowledge he has not read it. I, however, have not only read it, but I have been pushing the ideas in Blink on my Advanced Placement students for several years now. The main principle is directed toward having students believe that they know the answers better than their neighbor on tests. They have to believe that and then prove it to themselves. Many have reported amazing progress in taking tests and knowing that they know answers. I am grateful every day for Malcolm Gladwell. I wish I could get him to come to my high school and listen to my AP Art History students rave about him. P.S. every AP Psych student is required to read Blink.
Understanding actions September 12, 2009
J. Tyler (Houston, Texas)
Helps you reads peoples actions, allowing you to understand what is coming at you, and avoid unwanted trouble.
Showing reviews 21-25 of 1096
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