Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Last night, our teen book club very loudly discussed Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: the Power of Thinking without Thinking.

How do we think without thinking, seem to make choices in an instant--in the blink of an eye--that actually aren't as simple as they seem? Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others? Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, the author reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.

The group agreed that this month's book was a bit of a challenge - nonfiction not being of high interest. However, despite the fact that about half of the teens didn't finish the book, we still had a lively conversation!

The topics we focused on were the chapters about the drawbacks to thin-slicing/split-second decisions (illustrated by a police shooting), the need for context in thin-slicing (experts being better at analyzing tiny bits of information), and emotion (whether or not we bought the facial-expressions-creating-emotional-responses. We do.).

We also tried the Pepsi vs. Coke taste-test challenge, with several of our teens guessing correctly! None of them are interested in becoming expert taste-testers, though, as the training sounds crazy intense.

Already read Blink? Why not try one of these book clubber-endorsed recommendations?

Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. The best-selling author of Blink identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family, and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the secrets of software billionaires, why certain cultures are associated with better academic performance, and why the Beatles earned their fame.

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcom Gladwell. Uncovers the hidden rules that shape the balance between the weak and the mighty and the powerful and the dispossessed.

All-American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kelly. When sixteen-year-old Rashad is mistakenly accused of stealing, classmate Quinn witnesses his brutal beating at the hands of a police officer who happens to be the older brother of his best friend. Told through Rashad and Quinn's alternating viewpoints.

How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon. When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson is shot to death, his community is thrown into an uproar because Tariq was black and the shooter, Jack Franklin, is white, and in the aftermath everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events agree.








Bonus TED Talk recommendation!

Why Eyewitnesses Get It Wrong. Scott Fraser studies how humans remember crimes — and bear witness to them. In this powerful talk, which focuses on a deadly shooting at sunset, he suggests that even close-up eyewitnesses to a crime can create "memories" they could not have seen. Why? Because the brain abhors a vacuum.

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson

It's been awhile, but Kearsten really wanted to share our book club experience last night wherein we discussed the first volume in the trade comics superhero series Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson.

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City -- until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear?

Our discussion rambled all over the place, from superhero costuming (as in, "what a relief it is that Kamala isn't wearing a tiny leotard with combat boobs and boots!") to strict parenting. However, the most interesting part of the meeting came as we approached the topic of racism.  We talked about the unkindness Kamala faces in her story, and the way Kamala fans used her image to defuse racist ads in San Francisco, which then led to ways in which book club members have seen and faced racism in their own lives. 

We also had a bit of time left to talk about the creators' reasons for creating Kamala, and to discuss her importance in the comics world.

Already read Ms. Marvel: No Normal?  Why not try one of these teen-recommended titles?

Ms. Marvel: Generation Why (Vol. 2) by G. Willow Wilson. Who is the Inventor, and what does he want with the all-new Ms. Marvel and all her friends? Maybe Wolverine can help! Kamala may be fan-girling out when her favourite (okay maybe Top Five) super hero shows up, but that won't stop her from protecting her hometown. Then, Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time - by meeting the royal dog, Lockjaw! Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.








I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday October 9, 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King. Overburdened by his parents' bickering and a bully's attacks, fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman begins dreaming of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War, but during a visit to Arizona, his aunt and uncle and their beautiful neighbor, Ginny, help him find a new perspective.








Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Carol Danvers is back. After changing her superhero name, Captain Marvel tries to live up to the legacy of her fallen predecessor, while facing a time-traveling adventure that's intricately linked with the woman who inspired her military career.









What Stands in a Storm by Kim Cross. Weaving together heart-wrenching stories with immersive reporting and dramatic storytelling, a gripping account of a weather event in April 2011 that saw a record 358 tornadoes rip through 21 states in three days shows how things that tear our world apart also reveal what holds us together.








Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story (Vol. 1) by Nobuhiro Watsuki. In the 11th year of Meiji, in the middle of Tokyo, the tale begins. Himura Kenshin, a humble "rurouni," or wandering swordsman, comes to the aid of Kamiya Kaoru, a young woman struggling to defend her father's school of swordsmanship against attacks by the infamous Hitokiri Battosai. But neither Kenshin nor Battosai are quite what they seem...