Category: Reading

Gladwell presents a wonderful collection of stories that focus on how the underprivileged Davids of the world are not so bad off as we usually think in their fight against the Goliaths. Instead, whatever their disadvantages are, those very disadvantages often provide the perfect circumstances to beat excel. From physiological issues like dyslexia to life events like losing a parent and even the way in which authority is presented to us. Each of these would seem to seem to reduce one’s chances of success but those who suffer them and persevere are stronger than those who never face such challenges.

Interesting tidbit: The biblical Goliath was likely nearly blind.

Gladwell presents a vast collection of meticulously researched and well planned. While each chapter is self contained, the chapters cover a broad rand of topics from the Dog Whisper (the book’s namesake) to the fight against cancer.

Interesting tidbit: New York City’s crime rates rank among those of retirement communities.

Taleb takes us on a journey through life (with a money market focus) and points out a variety of situations and events that we attribute, incorrectly, to skill. Instead, much of what we chaulk to patterns is actually random noise with no real pattern.

We finally understand (mostly at least) how the biggest animals on the planet eat. This article describes the fascinating process that rorqual whales (e.g. blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales) go through to get a little food into their bellies.

It is especially interesting to me that we are barely (in the past decade) getting enough information to piece this process together.

http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/issue.aspx?id=8779&y=0&no=&content=true&page=2&css=print

Gilbert strings together a variety of studies to help explain one of the greatest mysteries of our time: how ‘happiness’ works. The book is chocked so full of useful information that it has become one of my best reads in a long time.

Interesting tidbit: humans are really bad predictors at what will make them happy.
Interesting tidbit 2: Most people would drive across town to save $100 on a $200 stereo but would not drive across town to save $100 on a $20,000 car. Even though they save the same amount of money.