Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$11.99

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial

Hardcover
$16.69

Paperback
$10.99

$10.99 with 50 percent savings

List Price: $21.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Friday, March 21 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tomorrow, March 17. Order within 14 hrs 20 mins.

In Stock

$$10.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$6.45

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back. Ships from Amazon. Comes with tracking, 24/7 customer service and free no-hassle returns. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back. Ships from Amazon. Comes with tracking, 24/7 customer service and free no-hassle returns. See less

FREE delivery March 23 - 26 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery Sunday, March 23

$$10.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by Off2Marz and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (637) from $1.19

Perfect Inspiration For Persistence. (The Science Behind It)Troy Horne

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Malcolm Gladwell

Follow

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference Paperback – January 7, 2002

by Malcolm Gladwell (Author)

4.4 9,288 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$10.99","priceAmount":10.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"10","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LurissolkXokn%2BIkqsyQZm945AsxZDOlUAkLmc%2BtKh%2FU5yQhWlYqmii5BBpuaaIZVZQmoVSgNnmXcfmru6tHmQVOErMf0R4KpMcUAQbNOPcbJoWJw3wwsgZP4X1XxJBIqb1qH%2BpQdes%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.45","priceAmount":6.45,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"45","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LurissolkXokn%2BIkqsyQZm945AsxZDOlTMOR2zHWnRcoLopXAoUj6pEmlS3aD6vbcHi3YL7hjcAiOKjlXP%2BE%2BHRT3u65P5coBve6QkRsrq%2Btszf1pK7ZVIm1pdPFoLwi%2F27NK%2BG9kYCUa6srrou0nZt01Q5fhMM%2BusCX6DA6IClQW3F1BHB2DaU5e7Hqx5Tr","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Uncover the captivating science behind viral trends in business, marketing, and human behavior in the breakthrough debut — named one of the best books of the decade by The A.V. Club and The Guardian — by Malcolm Gladwell, the bestselling author of The Bomber Mafia.

The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.

“A wonderful page-turner about a fascinating idea that should affect the way every thinking person looks at the world.” —Michael Lewis

From the brand

More from Malcolm Gladwell

Visit the Store

WARNING: California’s Proposition 65

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A fascinating book that makes you see the world in a different way.”―Fortune

“Gladwell has a knack for rendering complex theories in clear, elegant prose, and he makes a charismatic tour guide.”―San Francisco Chronicle

“A wonderful page-turner about a fascinating idea that should affect the way every thinking person looks at the world.”―Michael Lewis

“Undeniably compelling. . . terrifically rewarding.”―Claire Dederer, Seattle Times

“As a business how-to, The Tipping Point is truly superior, brimming with new theories on the science of manipulation.”―Aaron Gell, Time Out

About the Author

Malcolm Gladwell is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers: The Tipping Point,Blink, Outliers,What the Dog Saw,David and Goliath, Talking to Strangers, and The Bomber Mafia. He is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, an audio content company that produces the podcasts Revisionist History, which reconsiders things both overlooked and misunderstood, and Broken Record, where he, Rick Rubin, and Bruce Headlam interview musicians across a wide range of genres. Gladwell has been included in the Time 100 Most Influential People list and touted as one of Foreign Policy'sTop Global Thinkers.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books (January 7, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316346624
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316346627
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1160L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6 in Advertising (Books)
- #23 in Medical Social Psychology & Interactions
- #45 in Popular Social Psychology & Interactions

Customer Reviews:
4.4 9,288 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Malcolm Gladwell

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. He is the author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw. Prior to joining The New Yorker, he was a reporter at the Washington Post. Gladwell was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. He now lives in New York.

Customer reviews

9,288 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking, providing interesting insights. They praise the clear writing style and easy-to-understand premise. The author's arguments are believable and remind readers of common sense. The style and content hold their interest, providing a fresh perspective on life.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Readability Thought provoking Writing quality Premise Style Tipping point Interest Complexity

681 customers mention "Readability"651 positive30 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it interesting and fun to read, with good points that can be applied. The book provides a great overview and recap at the end. Readers praise the author's solid career working for the New Yorker, and consider the book worth the price of admission.

"...In a very readable and engaging manner, he takes us through the sudden breakthroughs of awareness in individuals that then spread rapidly through..." Read more

"...People can make a difference one action at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book...." Read more

"...Gladwell has a history of a very solid career working for the New Yorker, The Washington Post and many of his books have gained national attention..." Read more

"...like short stories that clearly explained his ideas while keeping the reader intrigued...." Read more

676 customers mention "Thought provoking"635 positive41 negative

Customers find the book provides interesting insights and examples. They appreciate the author's method of teaching using multiple case studies. The book helps readers understand businesses and how they market their products.

"This is an important book in today's world, where global heating (`warming' is an unacceptable euphemism), exhaustion of natural resources, pollution..." Read more

"...in the beginning seem small, the result of these changes can be strong and measurable...." Read more

"...definitely give The Tipping Point a read because it contains extremely valuable information, in the three concepts of trend setting, which can be..." Read more

"...It's more about suggestions and musings about why things happen. These are anecdotal stories which happen to fit his theories...." Read more

306 customers mention "Writing quality"257 positive49 negative

Customers find the writing clear and easy to understand. They appreciate the author's intelligent writing style that makes complex ideas simple to grasp. The book is described as a light read that doesn't become overly complicated or difficult to digest.

"...In a very readable and engaging manner, he takes us through the sudden breakthroughs of awareness in individuals that then spread rapidly through..." Read more

"...order for an idea to be memorable, it must meet these requirements: simplicity, it must be a concrete idea, it must be unexpected, emotional, and..." Read more

"...NARRATOR: The author narrated this book. His manner and voice were good. DATA:..." Read more

"...I feel that the examples were like short stories that clearly explained his ideas while keeping the reader intrigued...." Read more

32 customers mention "Premise"26 positive6 negative

Customers find the book's premise thought-provoking and challenging. They say the assertions are plausible and remind them of common sense. The points it makes are intellectually counterintuitive, yet supported by true stories. The book provides great insights, entertaining stories, and is presented with humor and coherence.

"...book as it delves into individual behaviors, personalities, and different theories...." Read more

"...Gladwell's methods in delineating his theory, I think it's pretty believable nonetheless, and if not, at least its fascinating to read about!..." Read more

"...I enjoyed the numerous statistical backing for his claims, and also that there was a method to his endless list of examples...." Read more

"...Tipping Point is a book worth reading and the points it makes are intellectually counter intuitive and yet, supported by evidence...." Read more

28 customers mention "Style"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's style engaging and well-presented. They appreciate the fresh and accurate perspective on life presented in an accessible way. The concepts are brilliantly illustrated with relevant stories, making the content enjoyable and informative.

"...plastic tabs to denote points of serious interest and a good bit of underlining...." Read more

"...The case studies and examples given are interesting and well-presented...." Read more

"...The illustrations were varied enough to keep us interested...." Read more

"...This book gives a close look at a few different well known companies on their startup to stardom and also gives a good portion of the information..." Read more

27 customers mention "Tipping point"24 positive3 negative

Customers find the book informative and useful for its insights into tipping points. They appreciate the examples and good points that can be applied practically. The author vividly explains how tipping points occur and where they come from. The book is described as an interesting and quick read, and a must-have for anyone with a business or marketing background.

"...All in all, The Tipping Point is a must read because it shows so much light on how things spread, or gain popularity...." Read more

"...Overall I really enjoyed this read. The Tipping Point has many examples and good points that can be applied practically...." Read more

"...The Tipping Point is a quick read, and a must for anyone with a business, marketing, or management background...." Read more

"The idea is to inform us about tipping points. No question that they exist in nature. The freezing point of water, for instance...." Read more

117 customers mention "Interest"73 positive44 negative

Customers have different views on the book. Some find it interesting and funny with amusing anecdotes, while others feel it lacks strong proof and is overly redundant and descriptive at times. The book has interesting ideas but lacks practical value for some readers.

"...products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do" is interesting, educational, and should be used everyday in the business world...." Read more

"...It's not as fascinating or entertaining, but it has interesting ideas. There is not much science...." Read more

"This book is an interesting and easy read...." Read more

"...Interesting and useful. A classic...." Read more

28 customers mention "Complexity"12 positive16 negative

Customers have different views on the book's complexity. Some find it challenging and thought-provoking, navigating complex life situations with its philosophy. Others feel it has too much detail and disjointed examples with creative comparisons.

"...he made a cohesive book out of them, but, rather, threw together a bunch of separate ideas and tried to make up a theme..." Read more

"...and mechanics of social epidemics, if you will -- and made it both accessible and easy-to-understand for laymen like myself...." Read more

"...It feels simplistic yet obvious. Worse, the only idea that seems to have stuck is the absurd 10,000 hours bit, which is not the biggest idea here...." Read more

"...ideas in remarkably clear prose, which is made further accessible by his repeated, timely restatements of his arguments to that point...." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Daniel Benor, MD
This is an important book in today's world
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2009
Verified Purchase

This is an important book in today's world, where global heating (`warming' is an unacceptable euphemism), exhaustion of natural resources, pollution; and the potentials for major wars over dwindling food, water and other necessities of life are threatening the continuation of life as we know it on our planet. No one knows when we might reach a point of no return, a crucial tipping point, in any of these processes - as well as in countless, possibly even unrecognized and unknown other ones.

This is an important book in today's world, where global heating (`warming' is an unacceptable euphemism), exhaustion of natural resources,pollution; and the potentials for major wars over dwindling food, water and other necessities of life are threatening the continuation of life as we know it on our planet. No one knows when we might reach a point of no return, a crucial tipping point, in any of these processes - as well as in countless, possibly even unrecognized and unknown other ones.

Malcolm Gladwell discusses various elements that contribute to the development of, transition through, and adaptations to the effects of varieties of tipping points. In a very readable and engaging manner, he takes us through the sudden breakthroughs of awareness in individuals that then spread rapidly through segments of society, sometimes just locally and sometimes globally.

Consider major shifts of consciousness

· In clothing - such as Hush Puppies, the brushed suede shoes that jumped from sales of 30,000 pairs per year in 1994 to 430,000 pairs in 1995: What led this sudden fad to catch on?

· In health - such as the outbreak of syphilis in Baltimore, where cases jumped by 500 percent between 1995-1996: What social changes occurred to cause this many new venereal infections?

· In education - such as "when the number of professionals [in the local community] dropped below 5 percent, the problems explode. For black schoolchildren, for example, as the percentage of high-status workers falls just 2.2 percentage points - from 5.6 percent to 3.4 percent - drop-out rates [from schools] more than double. At the same Tipping Point, the rates of child-bearing for teenaged girls... nearly double." (p. 13) What shifts occur in the communal consciousness at that point in time in the social flows of existence?

· In crime - such as the rapid decrease in criminal activity in New York City in the 1990s.

Gladwell hypothesizes that there are three rules which help to understand such tipping points:
1. The Law of the Few: It only takes a small number of people to spark a shift;
2: The Stickiness Factor: Words or concepts that have an impact; and
3: The Power of Context: People are more likely to respond in distinct manners within particular contexts.

Considering the importance of shifting consciousness towards more healing ways of relating to each other and to our planet, these laws suggest that it may be possible to develop the healing memes (conceptual viruses) that could tip global consciousness towards survival rather than suicide of humanity and genocide of most other living organisms on our planet.

Gladwell continues with further suggestions for how the rules can be deliberately activated in creating desired tipping points. Potential contributors to these processes are mavens, who are unusually knowledgeable people with gifts for lateral thinking; connectors, who are people with extensive lists of people who are relevant to given areas of social consciousness and activity; and salespeople, who are gifted at getting the new concepts across to all and sundry.

Gladwell presents another fascinating fact contributing to harmonious communications. People can comfortably and harmoniously communicate with 150 other people in a working or living environment. Within that number, it is possible to know everyone personally. This facilitates mutual understanding and cooperation. Beyond that number, people become anonymous; it is more difficult to understand and trust their intentions and actions; and it is easy for mistrust and disharmony to creep in and wreak havoc.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone considering working towards making positive changes in our world.

Read more

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Donna Fitzpatrick
Tipping Point
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2012
Verified Purchase
Malcolm Gladwell, the author of The Tipping Point, takes the reader through a myriad of colorful stories to help the reader understand how communication, whether verbal or non-verbal are key contributors to effecting a change. Gladwell compares the way "changes occur" to an epidemic or virus that is spread throughout an area. He discusses how these changes start with only a few people at the helm of the change. These few people have the ability and qualities to make these changes happen. While the changes in the beginning seem small, the result of these changes can be strong and measurable. One example Gladwell uses is how around the mid 1990's the crime rate in New York City had decreased dramatically. While many had their own supposition as to why this occurred, Gladwell looks at the obvious and the not so obvious for answers. Gladwell reviews how many experts had expressed individual theories as to why the crime level had declined. These theories ranged from drug traffickers reduced in the area to an actual mass exodus of criminals out of the New York City area. Gladwell looks at these changes from an entirely different perspective. He reviews how small changes and groups of people can have an overwhelming effect on changing something.
Gladwell mentions that these small groups can be categorized into three areas: connectors, mavens and salesmen. To provide the reader some insight into these three groups Gladwell effectively uses both stories and definitions to assist the reader in recognizing the different groups. The first group referred to as the Connectors is someone who appears to know everyone. Reading Gladwell's description, this author had several friends who immediately came to mind. One might even joke that this person could be mayor of the area as they seem to have a connection to everyone. Gladwell even makes reference to the game of six degrees of separation where people try to name a movie and actors that links back to Kevin Bacon in less than six links. Gladwell makes reference to the famous ride of Paul Revere and how Paul was a connector. While his ride did not cover vast territory, he did connect with those he was telling and had the ability to pass the pertinent information along to the rest of the townspeople.
The second group of people would be called Mavens. Mavens are those people who seem to know anything and everything. These are people that you know who consume knowledge at an expediential rate of speed. The maven's motivation is to be helpful to those around them. Maven's gather knowledge and then want to share it. An example of this is the story Gladwell mentions about Mark Alpert. Mark was someone who had a never ending thirst for knowledge. He actually contacted Consumer Reports on two separate instances to notify them of misguided information related to two different vehicles. In true Maven form, Mark had acquired enough knowledge about these vehicles to identify what was not accurate with the report and wanted to know sure Consumer Reports set the story straight.
The last group of people would be the salesmen. Salesmen are categorized as such based on what most people believe salesmen do which is talking prospective customers into buying something. The salesmen are considered to be very persuasive with what they are trying to get one to understand or buy. When being described as persuasive it is more of an objective observation as it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes someone persuasive. When one is being persuasive many assume that this is done relying solely on verbal communication, when in reality, it truly has just as much to do with the non-verbal cues that someone is receiving. These three categories in conjunction with the concept of stickiness which is having the ability to take concepts and turn them into actions are what Gladwell identifies as key contributors to why change happens in society, both large and small.
Reading this book reminded me of a movie once viewed called "Pay It Forward". The premise of the movie is that a young boy wants to change the world and make it a better place. He embraces a school project and uses this platform to see if one person can ultimately make a change in the world, for the better. During the movie, the boy is supported by both his mother and his school teacher. These two people along with the assistance of a reporter begin to pass the word of what the mission this boy has placed on himself and anyone he comes in contact with. The boy decides that if he can do someone nice for someone and instead of that person feeling indebted to him, he asked them to pass that kindness forward in order to push the momentum of this good deed further into the community. I identify with all of the main characters in this movie even more after reading The Tipping Point. The premise of this movie proves Gladwell's point that change does not have to be accepted by the masses but one person at a time. Gladwell mentions that eighty percent of most work done in organizations is completed by only twenty percent of the population. People can make a difference one action at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. While digesting what Gladwell was trying to say in the book, I was continually reminded of the previously mentioned movie. I feel that with the combination of knowledge that Gladwell gives to his readers and the willingness of the readers to make a change, the world could be a better place.

Read more

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Seann Haver
A different way to think about things!
Reviewed in Canada on October 18, 2024
Verified Purchase

Very interesting logic. What works and what doesn’t. Tipping point makes sense of fads and trends more easily. The idea of connectors, salesmen and mavens really make sense. Love this book!

Read more
Report
Brecon
A groundbreaking exploration of social phenomena
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
The Tipping Point is a captivating book by Malcolm Gladwell that explores the concept of "tipping points" in society. These are the moments when seemingly insignificant changes can lead to dramatic and widespread shifts in behavior, trends, and ideas.

Key themes and concepts:

The Law of the Few: The idea that a small number of influential people can have a disproportionate impact on social change.
The Stickiness Factor: The importance of making ideas or products memorable and engaging.
The Power of Context: How the environment and circumstances can influence behavior and outcomes.
Examples explored in the book:

The sudden popularity of Hush Puppies shoes in the 1990s
The decline in crime rates in New York City during the 1990s
The spread of the AIDS epidemic
Why this book is important:

Understanding social change: The Tipping Point provides valuable insights into how social trends and behaviors emerge and spread.
Practical applications: The concepts presented in the book can be applied to various fields, including marketing, business, and social activism.
Engaging storytelling: Gladwell's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex ideas easy to understand.
If you're interested in learning more about social dynamics, trends, and the power of small changes, The Tipping Point is a must-read.

Read more
Report
Husain
Quick and great read
Reviewed in India on August 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
Malcolm knows how to articulate complex psychology topics and case studies. Great information on the rule of 150 and FAE

Read more
Report
Dominic Chase
Misinformation in the discription
Reviewed in Poland on January 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
The book is 12.7 cms wide for anyone who values such information. The book itself is one of my favorite books.

Read more
Report
Nila
Sehr gutes Buch
Reviewed in Germany on December 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
Würde es empfehlen

Read more
Report
Translate review to English

See more reviews

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference Paperback – January 7, 2002

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

More items to explore

From the brand

More from Malcolm Gladwell

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

Videos for this product

Videos for this product

Videos for this product

Videos for this product

About the author

Malcolm Gladwell

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

Tip Into Your Own Greatness

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an important book in today's world

4.0 out of 5 stars Tipping Point

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars A different way to think about things!

5.0 out of 5 stars A groundbreaking exploration of social phenomena

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick and great read

4.0 out of 5 stars Misinformation in the discription

5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr gutes Buch

This is an important book in today's world

Tipping Point

A different way to think about things!

A groundbreaking exploration of social phenomena

Quick and great read

Misinformation in the discription

Sehr gutes Buch