The premise of this facile piece of pop sociology has built-in appeal: little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached. Gladwell claims that ideas, products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do." This metaphor is revisited as he follows the growth of "word-of-mouth epidemics" triggered with the help of three pivotal types [Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen]. Gladwell's applications of his "tipping point" concept to current phenomena...may arouse controversy. For example, many parents may be alarmed at his advice on drugs: since teenagers' experimentation with drugs, including cocaine, seldom leads to hardcore use, he contends, "We have to stop fighting this kind of experimentation. We have to accept it and even embrace it." While it offers a smorgasbord of intriguing snippets summarizing research on topics such as conversational patterns, judging other people's character, cheating habits in schoolchildren, and the dehumanizing effects of prisons, this volume betrays its roots as a series of articles for the New Yorker, where Gladwell is a staff writer: his trendy material feels bloated and insubstantial in book form. [PW 2/14/2000] (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.