BOOK: What The Dog Saw

The author of a couple non-fiction books that I'm sure you have at least seen sitting on end tables and book shelves at various friends' houses, including Tipping Point and Blink, Malcolm Gladwell has released a new book. Different than his previous two, this one is a collection of essays, all of which appeared in The New Yorker at one point or another.

What The Dog Saw is a hodge-podge, theme-wise, but not a mess. Never losing the insight that made his aforementioned books best-sellers, Gladwell investigates odd facets of life, most of have spent only a passing minute pondering. His chapter on why there are not multiple varieties of ketchup, as opposed to mustard brings about some very creative journalism and interviews, while looking into the social problem of homelessness is just plain inspiring. Combining elements of another essay-based best-seller, Freakonomics, Gladwell's analysis of how people make hiring decisions when they don't know who to hire is fascinating.

The short and mostly unrelated pieces in this book make for an easy and fragmented read. This book and the topics within are great for lively conversation and debate as well as simply a new way to consider the world.

Sergio del Limónar