Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Outliers

By: Malcolm Gladwell
Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.49

Buy for $19.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of The Bomber Mafia, learn what sets high achievers apart - from Bill Gates to the Beatles - in this seminal work from "a singular talent" (New York Times Book Review).

In this stunning audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers" - the best and the brightest, the most famous, and the most successful. He asks the question: What makes high-achievers different?

His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: That is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

Brilliant and entertaining, Outliers is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.

©2008 Malcom Gladwell (P)2008 Hachette Audio
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: The Best Nonfiction Audiobooks to Jump into Right Now


The best nonfiction audiobooks take involved, often intimidating subjects and reinvigorate them with sharp narration so you can stay focused and on track. In this list, we’ll share our picks for some of the best nonfiction audio out there, encompassing a wide array of topics—from the entire history of humanity to astrophysics to the American prison system. Engage with some of the most fascinating, deeply human real-life stories our catalog has to offer.

What listeners say about Outliers

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36,673
  • 4 Stars
    9,423
  • 3 Stars
    2,061
  • 2 Stars
    421
  • 1 Stars
    250
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29,387
  • 4 Stars
    6,559
  • 3 Stars
    1,391
  • 2 Stars
    214
  • 1 Stars
    128
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    28,914
  • 4 Stars
    6,563
  • 3 Stars
    1,565
  • 2 Stars
    342
  • 1 Stars
    206

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Gladwell is a fine writer and this book, in the same style as Blink, explores the real factors that contribute to the success of those we think are so above and beyond us (Bill Gates, the Beatles, etc.). Gladwell makes it clear that their talent, drive, energy, and intelligence WERE key to their success but that these, alone, would not have done it for them. They needed unusual opportunities. In fact, the opportunities given them that were not given others were as important to their achievements as their personal qualities. This book helps reduce the "superstars" down to human level. If you had been given the opportunities these were, you might have achieved what they did or more!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Great Book from Gladwell

Malcolm takes a sledgehammer to customary views of success and lays out example after example to illustrate his case. He presents a considerable amount of research in support of the conclusions he discusses. I'm not sure that one should consider his case "proven", but it's certainly extremely compelling, and like his other books, extremely entertaining. Great stuff, highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely Great Book - Scientist's Must Read

Can not say enough about this book.
Excellently written and Nicely narrated.
Liked it even better that Blink and Tipping Point.
Just as good if not better than Freakanomics.
MUST LISTEN book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outliers The Story of Success

It was an amazing book that help explain some of the greatest success stories of all time. It also explains why somethings happen. Why do planes crash? Why are Asians better at math? All these questions are answered in this book. Everyone should read this book. If you have children you should read it twice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outliers

I enjoyed this book so much I listened to it twice. A must read for anyone with children, for anyone looking towards the future and anyone who loves to figure why things happen the way that they do.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Malcolm Gladwell success story!

"Outliers - the story of success" is worth your while! This is what a popular discussion of science (in the sociology/psychology field) should be like. It is entertaining, as well as challenging conventional wisdom. Well written, and energetically read by the author himself. I especially enjoyed the references to the work of the Dutch researcher Hofstede on culture.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Outliers

Beautiful book. Very interesting and insightful to people of every ethnic background.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

True page-turner

I don't completely agree with the author's conclusion that outliers are solely the product of their environment, but this book was fascinating and a very engaging read. I highly recommend this book as it contains many interesting anecdotes and factoids as well as interesting ways of looking at the world around us.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bravo

So glad to have discovered Gladwell through the New Yorker and recommendations. His work is fascinating, well crafted and beautifully delivered. Well done!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Read This If You Want To Improve Yourself

Super engaging, no boring chapters. Seriously, you won't regret the 7 1/2 hrs this book takes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful