Check out this article by Malcolm Gladwell (they guy who wrote blink). It's a good display of his writing style and the kinds of smart analytical thinking he does.
But I also think it's a good example of story-referencing, where he refers to a study or anecdote and effectively weaves it into the overall piece.
A lawyer who specialized in trials once told me "It's not who has the better argument -- It's who tells the better story." Of this, Malcolm Gladwell is the master. I often feel like something may be glossed over, but I can't quite put my finger on it because the writing is so effective.
At least I'm thinking. . .(I think that's what I said after the last one)
5 comments:
His writing bothers me. It's too slick.
Maybe if it was 'fiction' I would be more willing to slide into the narrative BUT because he seems to be leading me along by the nose reading the article makes me want to squirm.
This could be because I started reading with some expectation of his style. But I really was uncomfortabe by the steady stream of unsubstantiated and contextualized anadoctes - where, by the halfway point in the article I still hadn't understood where the stories were going. I stopped halfway.
It flows but it's fluff.
But you can sympathize with his problem, can't you?
Either you get your point across, in this case that broad categories can't solve you problem if you don't choose exact enough categories, OR you present very well supported facts that back you but you paper becomes too dense for the average person.
I can read this and understand it as a something I can think about -- but know not to base my life on it. And as it's published in the New Yorker I assume the audience is the same as well.
p.s. I think it's funny that you have such a low tolerance for non-fiction. It's becoming what I love to read, just as poetry is becoming what you want to read.
Face it, we're growing apart :-(
HEY! I never ever said that I didn't like non-fiction! BOOO
I love non-fiction. But this involves a more indepth conversation than possible on a blog site. (Mainly b/c i have a paper to write.) But dood, I love non-fiction.
OOPS - I meant UNcontextualized anadoctes.
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