Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities.

In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell breaks down his research through the world of “outliers” - the best and brightest people of our society. The main question that he attempts to address is what makes the high achievers different from the rest of our society.

He breaks the book down into smaller portions, filling each of his arguments with interesting anecdotes. He preaches about how people are too focused on the idea of what successful people are like, instead of their background - who they are, their family, the generation they are from, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. He tries to uncover the secrets of billionaires, the elite soccer players, and even how the Beatles were so successful as a rock band.

While I enjoyed his arguments, the research feels like it has some loose ends. There is little engagement with counter arguments and criticisms that he may face. Even if an author sounds reasonable, I would like more discussion to spark within the book.

Overall, this was an short and sweet read. Realistically, the book could be summarized in a short page of notes, but the stories and insight that he provides are still worth reading.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10