Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know by

app.thestorygraph.com · Unknown · 2025-10-01

intriguing 3.50

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell is a haunting and compelling read that explores miscommunication and assumptions when dealing with strangers. The book is convoluted and difficult to follow but offers brilliant storytelling and thought-provoking insights.

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell is a haunting and compelling read that took the reviewer by surprise. The book explores the implications of miscommunication and assumptions we make when faced with strangers, using various historical events to illustrate its points. The narrative is convoluted and difficult to follow, and it makes some questionable statements on sensitive topics. However, it is a brilliant piece of storytelling that makes sense in the end. The book is built upon three pillars: the default-to-truth, transparency and mismatched people, and coupling. Each of these pillars offers insights into why our communication with strangers often goes wrong. Despite its shortcomings, the book is engaging and thought-provoking, touching on controversial and sensitive topics. The reviewer found it to be 40% quality storytelling and 60% morbid curiosity.

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Default to truth becomes an issue when we are forced to choose between two alternatives, one of which is likely and the other of which is impossible to imagine.

Transparency is a myth — an idea we’ve picked up from watching too much television and reading too many novels where the hero’s ‘jaw dropped with astonishment’ or ‘eyes went wide with surprise’.

Because we don’t know how to talk to strangers, what do we do when things go awry with strangers? We blame the stranger.

valthura.com · Unknown · 2022-06-15

mixed 3.50

The book is entertaining and thought-provoking, though some found the ending flat and the chapters disjointed. The audiobook version is highly praised for its engaging delivery. The book introduces intriguing concepts but some theories are criticized for being overly generalized and lacking depth.

Many readers found 'Talking to Strangers' to be an entertaining and thought-provoking read, though not all were satisfied with the execution. Some felt the ending was flat and the chapters lacked cohesion, making it difficult to grasp the book's overall point. The audiobook version, however, received high praise for its engaging delivery, making it a favorite for some. The book introduces several intriguing concepts about how we misunderstand strangers, drawing from various real-life cases. However, some readers criticized Gladwell's theories for being overly generalized and lacking depth, feeling that he drew connections where few existed. The book also delves into sensitive topics such as racism, police brutality, and sexual assault, which some readers found unsettling. Despite these criticisms, the book serves as a good conversation starter and challenges readers to think differently about their interactions with strangers.

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Not my favorite of Gladwell's, but still very entertaining and thoughtprovoking. The ending felt a little flat though

Was this book entertaining? Yes. But I'm still not quite sure what the point of the book was.

Here's the thing. When someone begins a claim with "I'm not victim-blaming," and then says something that is clearly victim-blaming, _they're still victim-blaming_.

extraordinaryteam.com · Unknown · 2019-12-16

intriguing 3.50

Malcolm Gladwell's 'Talking to Strangers' explores the challenges of interacting with people we don't know, highlighting our tendency to default to truth and judge honesty based on demeanor. The book raises awareness about the complexities of these interactions but lacks actionable advice on improving them.

Malcolm Gladwell's 'Talking to Strangers' delves into the difficulties of understanding and communicating with strangers. He presents intriguing cases to illustrate how we often struggle to detect lies and how our initial judgments can be misleading. The book emphasizes that we are naturally inclined to believe others until we have significant doubts, and our assessments of honesty are heavily influenced by a person's demeanor. However, while the book effectively raises awareness about these dynamics, it falls short of providing practical advice on how to improve our interactions with strangers. Instead, it serves as a reminder to be more mindful of our assumptions and the limitations of our judgments when engaging with new people.

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You believe someone not because you have no doubts about them. Belief is not the absence of doubt. You believe someone because you don't have enough doubts about them.

Well-spoken, confident people with a firm handshake who are friendly and engaging are seen as believable. Nervous, shifty, stammering, uncomfortable people who give windy, convoluted explanations aren't.

We need to talk to them. But we're terrible at it….and we're not always honest with one another about just how terrible at it we are.

nytimes.com · Unknown · 2019-09-10

intriguing 3.50

The review highlights Malcolm Gladwell's engaging storytelling and thought-provoking insights into human behavior, though some may find his conclusions simplistic.

Malcolm Gladwell's 'Talking to Strangers' offers a compelling exploration of how we misunderstand those we don't know. His use of real-life examples and psychological studies makes for an engaging read. However, some critics argue that his conclusions oversimplify complex social interactions. Overall, the book provides valuable insights but may leave readers wanting more depth in its analysis.

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Gladwell's storytelling is as engaging as ever

The book's insights are thought-provoking but sometimes feel superficial

A compelling read that challenges our assumptions about strangers

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know

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