Image by Pop!Tech via FlickrWhat The Dog Saw is the third book that I have read of Gladwell’s and in it he presents nineteen researched and provocative essays, each with a narrative that leads to a thought-provoking analysis. The explorations here delve into subjects as varied as why some people choke while others panic; how changes meant to make a situation safer — like childproof lids on medicine — don't help because people often compensate with more reckless behavior; and the idea that genius is inextricably tied up with precocity.
In each essay, he offers a glimpse into the minds of an array of fascinating characters. What The Dog Saw is organized into three categories:
Part One contains stories about what Gladwell calls "minor geniuses," and what drives them and why they get the results they get.
Part Two demonstrates theories, or ways of organizing experience. For example, "Million-Dollar Murray" explores the problem of homelessness — how to solve it, and whether solving it for the most extreme and costly cases makes sense as policy.
In Part Three, Gladwell examines the predictions we make about people. He writes about how educators evaluate young teachers, how the FBI profiles criminals, how job interviewers form snap judgments. He is candid in his skepticism about these methods but fascinated by the various attempts to measure talent or personality.
These are a sampling of the stories that Gladwell wrote the formed the basis of his previous two books, ‘The Tipping Point” and “Blink’. And again it’s a fascinating read as the author presents a topic, explains how it works and then examines its success or failure in the real world. What The Dog Saw is thought provoking at its best.
Highly recommended.
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