Non-Fiction

Malcolm Gladwell is known internationally for his extremely well-researched nonfiction books about how people think and act. Talking to Strangers focuses on the way we interact with people we are unfamiliar with. Gladwell dives headfirst into the miscommunications, interactions, and assumptions that we have with strangers, and what causes us to mistrust or misjudge other people in our daily lives. While the book draws upon intricate psychological theories and laws, Gladwell puts everything you need to know in simplistic, easy-to-read language that makes it engaging even for people who know absolutely nothing about psychology (like me!). Various real-life events are used to illustrate these theories, from as far back as diplomatic meetings at the dawn of World War II to modern ethical issues like the Brock Turner case. Overall, the combination of theory, examples, and straightforward writing make this book hard to put down.