Lo que vio el perro / What the Dog Saw: Y Otras Aventuras

Malcolm Gladwell's new book, presents nineteen brilliantly researched and provocative essays that exhibit the curiosity his readers love, each with a graceful narrative that leads to a thought-provoking analysis. The explorations here delve into subjects as varied as why some people choke while others panic; how changes meant to make a situation safer like childproof lids on medicine don't help because people often compensate with more reckless behavior; and the idea that genius is inextricably tied up with precocity. What the Dog Saw is organized thematically into three categories:

Part One contains stories about what Gladwell calls minor geniuses, people like Ron Popeil, the pitchman who by himself conceived, created, and sold the Showtime rotisserie oven to millions on TV, breaking every rule of the modern economy.

Part Two demonstrates theories, or ways of organizing experience. For example, Million-Dollar Murray explores the problem of homelessness how to solve it, and whether solving it for the most extreme and costly cases makes sense as policy. In this particular piece, Gladwell looks at a controversial program that gives the chronic homeless the keys to their own apartments and access to special services while keeping less extreme cases on the street to manage on their own.

In Part Three, Gladwell examines the predictions we make about people. How do we know whether someone is bad, or smart, or capable of doing something really well? he asks. He writes about how educators evaluate young teachers, how the FBI profiles criminals, how job interviewers form snap judgments. He is candid in his skepticism about these methods but fascinated by the various attempts to measure talent or personality.

Spanish Description:

Por que existen docenas de variedades de mostaza pero solo una de ketchup? Que pueden ensenarnos los jugadores de rugby sobre como contratar a los mejores profesores? Que tiene en comun Saturday Night Live con la filosofia alemana? Se puede culpar a alguien de la explosion del Challenger? Por que identificamos precocidad con genialidad?

Malcolm Gladwell, autor de tres de los ensayos mas estimulantes de la pasada decada, Blink. Inteligencia intuitiva, El punto clave y Outliers. Fueras de serie, reune aqui por primera vez sus mejores articulos del mismo periodo para la mitica revista The New Yorker. Con su originalidad y agudeza caracteristicas, Gladwell nos trae historias desde todas las esquinas del mundo moderno. Investiga en las agridulces vidas de la pionera del mercado para el tinte capilar y del inventor del centro comercial. Penetra en los secretos de Cesar Millan, el encantador de perros, que puede calmar animales salvajes con solo tocarlos. Indaga en la tenaz supervivencia del papel y, en un articulo inspirado por el fatal accidente de avion de John Kennedy Jr., nos explica por que a la hora de fracasar no es exactamente lo mismo paralizarse que dejarse llevar por el panico. Se pregunta ademas si vivimos en una sociedad que sobrevalora a las personas inteligentes y desvela el secreto mejor guardado de las entrevistas de trabajo que se puede saber de un extrano tras una hora de conversacion?