Book: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Genre: NF
Rating: B+
For: F2F Book Club
Our book club has waited for over a year for our turn at the library's book club set of this book so it was fun to finally get it read and have a little discussion last night. (The turnout wasn't quite as good as last month though. Remember then I had 14 people show up. Last night there were four! Oh, well. But it does make me wonder what the difference is between months. The book? The stuff going on with everyone? The Twilight movie? I don't know... but that could be another post!)
So, this book was about how we make instant decisions about all kinds of different things without really knowing we are doing it. And how, for the most part, we should trust those "blink" instincts. There were several interesting stories. My favorites: the chapter on the guys who studied facial expressions, even taking seven years to catalogue every single movement a face can make, and how they learned to "read minds" just by what the face was doing. The chapter about the rock star (Kenna) who all the big wigs in the music industry said was fabulous, but the normal radio people wouldn't play. The chapter on symphony auditions that are done behind screens so the judges only hear the person, not see them. And on and on!
It was all fun and interesting for the most part. But I found myself several times falling asleep. Now, that could be that I was just simply tired and have nothing to do with the book, so if you haven't read it yet, and are interested in this mind/brain/psychology kind of stuff... go for it!
Other reviews:
I read this one, too. Interesting - we both gave it the same rating ;o). I remember enjoying it. I also read it for a book club. I'm not sure I would have picked it up on my own, but I'm glad I read it. Here's a link to my review:
ReplyDeletehttp://passionforthepage.blogspot.com/2008/01/blink-by-malcolm-gladwell.html
This is on my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteThis book actually sounds like something I'd be interested it, but if I was reading it for fun I would probably skip over the slower parts.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds fun, except for the falling asleep part. I've seen this all over the place -- it's nice to finally know what it's about. I shall seek it out, thanks Suey. :)
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention this one! I went to a family gathering last night and my cousin was telling me that this is a must read. My library actually has it (miracle!) so I'll give it a go sooner than later. :)
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