Book Review Three

I think that the literature I have been recently enjoying as taken a small turn for the worse. I should have stopped with Les Mis. If I wanted to appear cultured that is. I wouldn't say that this was actually a bad book. In fact it was quite entertaining. But I read it under the impression that it was going to be informative--and if not "life changing" at least thought provoking.

But if you like 10 pages of solid information jammed packed into a 250 page book The Tipping Point may be for you.

Perhaps I'm being a bit to cynical because I read it with false expectations, and much of the information in this book was also found in a few of my psychology text books. Literally. The same case studies, the same experiments. Which is not at all a problem, it just causes me to zone out a little bit because it smacks of school. But not to worry, this is still an entertaining and interesting read that has factual information that is intriguing if it fails to be useful.

It is all about what causes epidemics of ideas. Why is Sesame street so popular, how did Hush Puppies go from selling 30,000 units a year to 300,000 units a year, why did the midnight ride of Paul Revere ignite the country-side while the midnight ride of William Dawes was completely ineffectual? (William Dawes was the other guy, Paul went north and William went south at the same time, with the same message, but William was so worthless that the next day most of the towns he visited were completely unaware that he had even been through. This is why nobody remembers his name) Why does the game "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" actually work? And did you know that you are probably linked to anyone in the country in less than 6 steps? Stanly Milgram proved it.

If you've read "Freakanomics" this book is a lot like that. It's witty and whimsical, but it's fails to deliver on the wild claims made by the book-jacket.

"A vital and must-read addition to the ongoing debate about what really causes crime and disorder and how best to deal with it"~ William J Bratton.

If the information in this book is as valuable as people claim it to be then my undergrad in Psychology makes me an expert of fixing all the social and economic problems in the country.

If you have a friend or Co-worker who owns this book go ahead and borrow it. It will take you a weekend to read and it's an interesting page turner. But don't spend your own money. I got it free from my boss, and I am pleased with my acquisition.