Talking to Strangers

Let's do a book review.

I like Malcolm Gladwell a lot. He's written a number of popular books. I've also listen to his podcasts. It's pretty much the only podcast I've listened to. He writes about quirky stuff. He like pointing out things people think they know, but it turns out it might not be so. Granted, he does have a bit of an odd look, but he's a great author.

For example, in one of his podcasts he talks about Brian Williams. He was fired from the head NBC anchorman position because he said something about his experience that turned out to not be so. Malcom says it was quite possibly an honest mistake on his part. Witnesses get things wrong all the time. And when you're stressed, as being in or near a battle, your chance of getting things wrong is even greater. Have I been water skiing before? I'm not sure. I realized that I have a vivid memory of it happening. But as I think about, I'm not sure when that would have been. And since I have a fear of anything remotely dangerous, it seems unlikely I would have chosen to go water skiing. Anyway, Malcolm's point is we should not have been so quick to judge Brian Williams.

The full title of this book is "Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About The People We Don't Know". It's really interesting. For example, history has judged Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain for being taken in by Hitler's lies. Amanda Knox was convicted by society in a person's death because of she seemed to have a lack of remorse. Penn State's coach Joe Paterno the Penn State President and others very possibly acted quite responsibly in the school's scandal. Maybe even the vilified Jerry Sandusky is innocent. How did Bernie Madoff fool so many people for so long?

I won't spoil things for you, but its a great book. You would like reading it.