TITLE: Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know
AUTHOR: Malcolm Gladwell
PUBLISHER: Hachette AudioPUB. YEAR: 2019
SETTING: n/a
FORMAT: audio
RATING: - 3.5/5
Malcolm Gladwell's latest book takes a look at how people tend to interact and react to people that they don't know. Why can't we identify when a stranger is lying to us?
In most cases people tend to default to the truth, assuming transparency and, that people tend to tell the truth in most circumstances. It cautions readers to be more wary when meeting strangers since most people are not very good at evaluating the intentions and honesty of new people we meet.
The chapters help readers to better understand different aspects of a stranger problem and what we suspect may be the problem, really might not be the issue at all. It uses some highly publicized cases in the media such as, the Jerry Sandusky, Penn State University scandal, the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme, the Sandra Bland of Texas case that ended with her being jailed and committing suicide, the Larry Nassar, Michigan State doctor who sexually assaulted many gymnastics team women as well as several other prominent cases.
Although I don't feel like I learned anything new, it did make me think about that next interaction with a stranger and whether they are being truthful or sharing things about themselves that they feel might lead to a more favorable first impression.
TITLE: The Secrets We Kept
AUTHOR: Lara Prescott
PUBLISHER: Random House AudioPUB. YEAR: 2019
SETTING: Russia and US
FORMAT: audio
RATING: - 3.5/5
This debut novel was a pick for Reese's bookclub and, although I don't read a lot of historical fiction, I though it sounded rather good. The story takes place during the Cold War and is set in both the East and the West. It follows two secretaries from the CIA typing pool in Washington DC who have bigger dreams than working for a secretarial pool. The mission is to smuggle the controversial Dr. Zhivago manuscript by Boris Pasternak out of the Soviet Russia so that the masterpiece can be published for the world to enjoy.
The audio, with multiple narrators was good as it combines both espionage and romance. I found Pasternak and Olga, his long term mistress and inspiration for Lara, stories to be very well done. Although the story held my interest for a while, overall, it just wasn't as exciting as I had hoped it would be.
I've read several of Reese's picks and, of those I've read, The Secrets We Kept was probably my favorite. I felt about like you did - it was good but not great.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we get those books that are just okay.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading several Malcolm Gladwell books and will look for this one.
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ReplyDeleteSo, not great books. Bummer. I have only read one Gladwell book (Outliers), which was really interesting, but this one didn't seem like it would be as interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteI've been curious about the Malcolm Gladwell book. Now, maybe I'll get around to getting a copy. :)
ReplyDeleteOh too bad. I hope to get to the Lara Prescott book.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm Gladwell's books make for such entertaining reads! I got an audio of this one but am yet to listen to it. I haven't followed Reese's book picks but I just looked them up and like some of them. Haven't heard of this one yet.
ReplyDeleteWe read Secrets for my book club in November and when a book is good the discussion usually elevates the book in my mind so I liked it a bit better than you did. (I think that means I'm in the right bookclub :)) Jason read Talking To Strangers and was struck by the police aspects. We had some good conversations about that, but I haven't read the book yet.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think first impressions of people who are strangers to me are mostly unreliable. I wonder what people think of me when they first meet me?
ReplyDeleteSomewhere I read another novel about that smuggling of Dr Zhivago but for the life of me I cannot right now remember what it was.
I have a print copy of the Gladwell book on my shelves, but it really doesn't appeal to me. (It was a gift.) I'm not sure about the Secrets book, either. Too many other books calling to me so I will probably give both of these a pass.
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