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Journalist, author, and podcast host Malcolm Gladwell (b. 1963) was born in England, where he lived until his family moved to Elmira, Ontario, when he was six. His mother, Joyce, is a psychotherapist and his father, Graham, was a professor of mathematics and engineering. Gladwell graduated from Trinity College of the University of Toronto in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in history. He worked as a journalist covering business and science for the Washington Post from 1987 until 1996, when he began writing for The New Yorker, where he continues to be a writer.

At The New Yorker in 1996, Gladwell wrote two articles that became the basis for his first book, The Tipping Point (2000), which sought to explain phenomena including the sudden drop in crime in New York City in terms of epidemiology. The book, an instant bestseller, was followed by seven other books by Gladwell, including Revenge of the Tipping Point (2024). While his articles and podcast episodes sometimes revisit previous concepts he has discussed previously, this is the first time he has written a book that is directly connected to a previous book.

Gladwell followed The Tipping Point with Blink (2005), another international bestseller. Gladwell’s other books include Outliers (2008), which studies success; What the Dog Saw (2009); David and Goliath (2013), which is about how underdogs sometimes win out; Talking to Strangers (2019); and The Bomber Mafia (2021).

Gladwell’s writing focuses on interpreting research studies and applying them to sociology. He is known for drawing unlikely parallels between seemingly unrelated events or studies to explain various phenomena. While many of the concepts he discusses and the arguments he makes are motivated and supported by research data, he tries to keep the information accessible for most readers. His tone is often casual and conversational, with asides to the reader, including leading and rhetorical questions. He has stated that his approach to writing involves finding where interesting stories and interesting research overlap. His articles and books have established popular concepts, such as the “10,000-hour rule” from Outliers and the “Law of the Few” from The Tipping Point.

Next section From The Tipping Point to Revenge of the Tipping Point

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