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Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

By: Malcolm Gladwell

Paperback:  296 pages

Publisher: Back Bay Books; Reprint edition (April, 2007)

Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audio

CE hours: 9

Taking the course:

This course includes reading the book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, and then completing the CE test (The actual book is not included in the cost of this CE course). You can log in and take the test at any time. The test-help feature is not available for the Book Courses; however, you can take the test as many times as necessary until you pass. As with all of our courses, you pay after you have completed all the course requirements.

Book Description (From the Publisher):

In his landmark bestseller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. 

Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant-in the blink of an eye-that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work-in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. 

Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing"-filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.

Example Book Reviews

Blink presents scientific research in clear and compelling language. Gladwell's curiosity, enthusiasm, and humor permeate the book, and idealistic intellectuals should delight in his call to use "practical problem solving," grounded in our understanding of how our thinking actually works, to address social ills such as racially biased criminal convictions. As a reminder of the frequent flaws of conscious decisions and an introduction to the potential of the brain's unconscious power, this book is highly recommended." -Armchairinterviews.com

BLINK an 'intriguing exploration' of how, at a glance, we can understand the essence of something. --USAToday

Get the book, read it, understand the process behind it, and start utilizing the processes in your life. Blink and you will find yourself knowing more instantly without spending hours of constantly chasing the shadow for wanting more output or production or insight, or whatever it is you are seeking to have more power over. -Myshelf.com

If you get home from a shopping trip and find that you've made a number of impulse buys, recall Blink and the fact that advertisers are intentionally inundating you with information so as to influence that split second when you make a decision to buy. Although Gladwell's books have been quite influential to marketers, don’t forget that they can be just as informative to you as a buyer. -Thesimpledollar.com

All about the power of "thin slicing" and the power of first impressions and our subconscious' excellent judgment. Great section about a scientist who is uncannily accurate at predicting newlyweds' success ratio for marriages ten, fifteen years later. The Pepsi Challenge section is especially applicable to wedding dress selection. Go for the DVD audiobook version, as Malcolm's soothing and mesmerizing voice brings the text to life. -Wedthis.com

About the Author

Appearing on the Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people, Malcolm Gladwell is a Canadian journalist based in New York. He is a bestselling author of many books, a speaker, and has been on job as a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996. His books, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference (2000), Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (2005), Outliers: The Story of Success (2008), and What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures (2009) have all appeared on The New York Times bestsellers list. His works deal with research in the areas of psychology, social psychology and sociology. On June 30, 2011, Gladwell was appointed to the Order of Canada.

In addition to being recognized and appreciated for his works, Gladwell has also been acknowledged with prestigious honors such as the American Sociological Association’s first Award for Excellence in the Reporting of Social Issues in 2007, an honorary degree from University of Waterloo in 2007 and another honorary degree from the University of Toronto in 2011. Currently, Malcolm Gladwell continues to write for The New Yorker.