Book Review: Gloriously ordered chaos-"What the Dog Saw" by Malcolm Gladwell

Presidents and other historical figures usually have their own biographers while people who study the sociology of ketchup or create kitchen gadgets usually do not.  Malcolm Gladwell is the biographer for the rest of us. "What the Dog Saw" is a collection of life-stories from people who are very interesting but seldom get more than a glance.  On the first bounce this appears to be a random collection of his New Yorker articles that he wants a bit more mileage out of. But is it random?  

Each of the 22 articles are divided into three broad categories.  The vary from obsessives "of minor genius" to "theories, predictions and diagnoses" and then on to "Personality, character and intelligence."  At the end is a reading group guide for book clubs or others with the courage to look beyond this as a cute collection.

Ketchup, Enron and military intelligence all pull together to make a point.  Ketchup and aggressive dogs get the same intense treatment as breast cancer and homelessness.  This point is to challenge the reader to see and not just look, live and not just exist.  "What the Dog Saw" is a summation, in a way, of the theses found in his other three books, especially "Blink". Rather than tell you this however, Gladwell shows you though people that live this way.  This is about the everyday genius in us all.

Malcolm is able to take the life of reclusive financier and make it raw and interesting.  He is able to tackle the complexities of diagnosing breast cancer and create understanding that goes beyond mammograms. The reader can see better by reading of those who see more intentionally.  "Million Dollar Murray" made me angry  by suggesting that we should limit benevolences to the homeless. Then he made his case and showed out of the box thoughts that could solve parts of the problem rather than merely managing it.

Gladwell is on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw_cmlvzwlI , with a Q&A from CSPAN.  It is nearly an hour long and worthwhile.  Consider watching Book TV if you are not a viewer.  It is a fantastic forum for non-fiction writers and readers.

I am better for reading this book. It is infectious, interesting, and challenging at the same time.  My only regret is that it took me so long to get around to reading it.  Malcolm makes my world bigger than mere "Horseradish" (see chapter 1).