Outliers

Through a series of case studies, Outliers attempts to describe ‘success’ as the outcome of

place, time of birth and culture. The author dives deep into the story behind exceptional

performance in cultures, aptitude testing trends and individual achievements around the world

and back in time. The author argues that the upbringing of individuals greatly impacts their

likelihood to succeed, including community culture, parenting techniques, access to specialized

resources, ancestry, and even birth dates.

The book doesn’t spend much time arguing what is right or wrong. Instead it makes the case

that the world would produce many more success stories if more people were given

opportunities like a January birth for hockey or unlimited access to programming at a young age

like Bill Gates. Success is a formula, the outcome of which can be predicted by observing a

person’s communal surroundings, instilled work ethic, the expectations and opportunities given

by his parents (being a Jewish Lawyer in 1970’s), and the time he commits (10,000th hour rule)

to developing a skill that will be valuable upon mastery.

The book thus provides a beautiful outlook towards the various success stories which have been

a source of inspiration for many years. It is commendable how analytically author assesses the

parameters associated with individual and correlates them to present as a phenomenon

common in all success stories.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Jonathan Livingston Seagull forms a touching, inspiring and timelessly enjoyable read. Being a

small story and deceptively simple, it provides an enriching experience along with a message to

follow the dreams and the passion one strives in for this life.

Jonathan is a seagull who is different from the other birds in his flock. They just want to survive

to eat and eat to survive. Jonathan, however, wants to excel, wants to push himself and wants

to be more – to be all that he can be.

His mission is to learn to fly better than any gull has ever flown before. His efforts are not

welcomed by the other birds. In fact, he is mistreated and eventually banished for it.

During his exile, Jonathan experiences a spiritual. Also he realizes, that one day his flock will be

able to understand his passions and wants to forgive them and bring them out of that darkness.

Eventually, Jonathan learns to love and even forgive the other gulls. In summary, he comes to an

understanding that we are given life in order that we may strive to seek perfection in our own

individual way.

The Hungry Tide

The Hungry Tide is set in the tide country of Sunderbans home to the Bengal tiger, huge

crocodiles, sharks, snakes, impenetrable forests, and a few people trying to scratch out a living.

The story is covered through the perspective of a Delhi businessman and an American scientist.

The location of Sunderbans defines the main theme of the story that is to provide everyone an

even footing the struggle to survive in the hostile environment. As it's not just the legacy of Sir

Hamilton, but the hostile environment erases all societal strata.

In the Sundarbans, Kannai’s wealth, servants, and pride have no value. While he feels himself to

be superior to Fokir, on the river he needs Fokir's skills to provide for his survival. Piya, who feels

closest to the animals she studies, needs Kanai's translation skills and Fokir's local knowledge of

the river and wildlife for her to do her research. The book presents lot of ideas, none of them

found to have an easy answer. In Kanai's and Piya's world, they prefer the structure of science or

business where they can view everything as black or white. In the Sundarbans where the tide

changes the environment daily, nothing is certain and everything in life is a shade of gray. It's a

place where tigers kill hundreds of people a year, but since they're a protected species, killing a

tiger that has been preying on a village brings in the government authorities to mete out

punishment. In an environment where life is fragile, the essence of any person is broken down

to its core.

In all, the author lets the tide country break down the barriers of both society and his

characters. It’s a story about ordinary people bound together in an exotic place that can

consume them all. It's the basest of human emotions, love, jealousy, pride, and trust that makes

the difference.

THE TIPPING POINT

Within outliers as Gladwell provides a different outlook towards the individualistic success

stories, this book “THE TIPPING POINT” focusses and brings intuitiveness and insight into the

world of marketing. The book gives a thought-provoking framework for people interested in

starting word-of-mouth epidemics or attacking harmful epidemics.

In the very own Gladwell style, as he analyses the epidemics and generalizes their occurrence to

three rules, it provides a fresh new insight in the worlds of the marketing. With the law of the

few describing how connectors, mavens, and salesmen are the key to the development.

Whether dealing with an outbreak or marketing ploy. From there we entered into “the

stickiness factor” or the ability to get something to stick in one’s mind. The power of context

added an effect of the environment in the world of marketing.

The book in all was very well written and very easy to relate to. This book provides a handy tool

towards the business / marketing field to catapult the individual to a better understanding of

the need for the three rules Gladwell described.

Between The Assassinations

With the stories set in period between the assassinations of Indira and Rajeev Gandhi, the

imaginary town of Kittur reflects beautifully the various colours of the Indian society ranging

from its culture to the politics.

Amidst the topographical clarity that the writing possesses it brings into reality the imaginary

town as well as its inhabitants. From the train “Madras Mail”, Ideal Store, Hotel Decent, Angel

Talkies and newspaper Dawn Herald it easily helps the reader to correlate with the story.

The author explores the life of the residents predominantly the marginalized, the struggling,

mainly youthful innocents as Ziauddin, Soumya to Jayamma.

Initially appearing as the cluster of independent writings about poverty and grief, the skill with

which the tales have been unified, emerge them to reality. In all, the book beautifully provides

an insight into the various issues that are associated with “any Kittur” within India.

THE GOAL

Through, THE GOAL, Goldratt provides an overview of few management skills to be inherited in

any professional’s life with ease in this inspiring novel based management textbook. These ideas

expressed, are simply conceptualized in the form of a novel, which any professional can easily

relate to.

The book mainly revolves around the protagonist, Alex, his superiors and his team along with

his management Guru, Jonah, who changes the whole perspective of Alex’s life with his simple

messages, opens Alex to brand new world of bottlenecks, variability, etc. and their effects in the

working of any manufacturing firm. The story also captures his family in the back-ground to

enlighten the drudgeries of a manufacturing engineer’s life.

The ideas although expressed in the backdrop of the manufacturing industries can easily be

extended towards all major types of organizations including the service providers.

While the primary work that supports the Theory of Constraints is greatly dependent upon

formal queue theory, The Goal provides a solid, non-technical starting point for readers to begin

a discussion about productivity and the nature of improvement in their organizations.