Non-Ficton
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking


What goes on inside of the brain when a police officer has to make a split second decision on whether or not to shoot, or a military commander deciding to retreat or trudge on, or even what we think of someone when we meet them for the first time? Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell answers just that.

Personally I struggled to pick this book up and read it as well as continue reading it after I finished the first chapter, but the book did get better towards the back half of the book. The book introduces the topics of 'thin-slicing' and 'the locked door' to the readers of the novel. These topics are the basis for the whole novel and the decision making process in our brains

Gladwell uses great examples to explain 'thin-slicing' and 'the locked door' that range from speed dating to firemen to military commanders. My favorite example is of the United States' military game called Millennium Challenge. In this the United States hired former Marine General Paul Van Riper to play the part of a rouge Middle Eastern general. In all sense he was supposed to lose because the United States had so much more sophisticated equipment as well as more information. But, in the end instincts triumphed over information as General Van Riper won the contest.
Overall I would give Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking a 7 out of 10 because although it was not as exciting as other books I have read it did make some very interesting points about the how our mind works. I did enjoy reading this book, but it is not a book that would read twice.