Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
Ratings62
Average rating3.8
I really expected a lot more out of this book... it was interesting, but not compelling. Almost like a Malcolm Gladwell book, but without being as clever or even entertaining. There were some interesting anecdotes, to be sure, but it was not on the same level as “Give and Take” (which I highly recommend).
Interesting points from Dr. Grant. In particular, the sections on raising “original” children were notable and I expect to reference these in the future if I ever have a child of my own!
The book includes actionable advice and directly referenced research to support claims. Or course, Edwin Land of Polaroid makes an appearance (a favorite in pop psych / management / leadership books). More original references (pun intended) also included.
I didn't finish reading this book. Not sure who the audience for it is and what message or value it is trying to deliver to this audience. Either way I didn't feel like it had anything original to offer me.
I felt like I'd already read all the stories and scientists and bits of advice in their respective books, so it felt like a compilation of a lot of the best research around... decision making? At the end of the day, I'm a bit lost on how the theme of originality pulls through all the seemingly unrelated stories. It felt more like a book about ‘unconventional wisdom based on the latest research.' But only unconventional if you don't read a massive quantity of books in this category.
All that being said, I took notes and could have taken more, so I definitely learned quite a few practical strategies. While I enjoyed reading this, I was constantly tempted to start a different unread book from the 15 waiting on my bookshelf.
It took me about 5% of the book to warm up, but it was a fascinating journey all the way to the end.
Even though this partially gave off a slight how-to-get-rich-by-picking-the-right-idea vibe, it was full of interesting examples and studies. How hard it is to pick your idea, persuade others to join your cause, to go against the grain. There's not much original content in the book itself, but a lot of interesting titbits that are worth repeating.
