David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell is a book about what happens when ordinary people confront giants. By "giants," is meant powerful opponents of all kinds--from armies and mighty warriors to disability, misfortune and oppression.
Each chapter tells the story of a different person who has faced an outsize challenge and been forced to respond. Should I play by the rules or follow my own instincts? Shall I persevere or give up? Should I strike back or forgive?
Through these stores, the author explores two ideas. The first is that much of what we consider valuable in our world arises out of these kinds of lopsided conflicts, because the act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness and beauty. And second, that we consistently get these kinds of conflicts wrong. We misread them. We misinterpret them.
Giants are not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them strength are often the sources of great weaknesses. We need a better guide to facing giants--and there is no better place to start that journey than with the epic confrontation between David and Goliath three thousand years ago.
Malcolm Gladwell: David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants