WWTBAM Bored

I just finished two, and each has something worthwhile. They are high on the nonfiction list but I didn't know that until just now.

Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell. His previous books were The Tipping Point, which I thought was insightful, and Blink, which struck me a little less amazing but still interesting. This one is about how we do not achieve greatness solely by talent and hard work, but by being born in the right month or year or culture or to the right set of parents. He shows how kid athletes get advantages by being born near the cutoff date, and being bigger for their age group then later-borns. 9 or 10 of the world's wealthiest people ever, adjusted for current dollars, were born in the U.S. in the 1830s, when they were exactly the right ages to cash in on railroads and industry and oil. Etc. Very good.

Dewey, Vicky Myron. He was the library cat in Spencer, Iowa for 19 years, after he was found in the overnight book drop box, nearly frozen. It's a little bit autobiographical and a little bit Iowa/farm love letter as well as being about an awesome cat. She describes in the book how he posed for this picture as a teenager, once he understood what the camera was for:

http://www.earlyword.com/wp-content/upl ... /dewey.jpg

Ritterskoop wrote:I just finished two, and each has something worthwhile. They are high on the nonfiction list but I didn't know that until just now.

Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell. His previous books were The Tipping Point, which I thought was insightful, and Blink, which struck me a little less amazing but still interesting. This one is about how we do not achieve greatness solely by talent and hard work, but by being born in the right month or year or culture or to the right set of parents. He shows how kid athletes get advantages by being born near the cutoff date, and being bigger for their age group then later-borns. 9 or 10 of the world's wealthiest people ever, adjusted for current dollars, were born in the U.S. in the 1830s, when they were exactly the right ages to cash in on railroads and industry and oil. Etc. Very good.

Dewey, Vicky Myron. He was the library cat in Spencer, Iowa for 19 years, after he was found in the overnight book drop box, nearly frozen. It's a little bit autobiographical and a little bit Iowa/farm love letter as well as being about an awesome cat. She describes in the book how he posed for this picture as a teenager, once he understood what the camera was for:

http://www.earlyword.com/wp-content/upl ... /dewey.jpg

So, was Dewey responsible for the library card cat-alogues?

Ritterskoop wrote:
Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell. His previous books were The Tipping Point, which I thought was insightful, and Blink, which struck me a little less amazing but still interesting. This one is about how we do not achieve greatness solely by talent and hard work, but by being born in the right month or year or culture or to the right set of parents. He shows how kid athletes get advantages by being born near the cutoff date, and being bigger for their age group then later-borns. 9 or 10 of the world's wealthiest people ever, adjusted for current dollars, were born in the U.S. in the 1830s, when they were exactly the right ages to cash in on railroads and industry and oil. Etc. Very good.

I'm also reading this - a friend suggested to my wife that she get it for me as a xmas present - the issue with birthdates is very apparent in my family - he also talks about the effect of school cutoff dates. My kids are 3 yrs, 3 mos apart. - but as July and Ocotber babies, they are 4 grades apart. The oldest has always been one of the youngest in her class - and vice-versa. I suspect they are generally equal in school smarts - but the extra 9 mos has always showed up in better performance for my youngest - at less effort. (I also agree "Blink" is less compelling than his other two books.)

Another somewhat similar book is "Fooled by Randomness" by Taleb. We often attribute success to hard work - but usually it is more driven by randomness. The two books together are thought provoking.