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Outliers is Malcolm Gladwell doing what he does best. He takes on a subject, in this case it's "success." He presents a series of views of the subject, where he serves up some interesting research, and a story or two.

Then he links up the different views with a red thread or two made up of his own insights. In this case that red thread is "there's more to success than being smart or talented." He wraps the thread around several success factors: talent; focused hard work; culture, coaching; and support.

Gladwell's main insight is not a new one. Researchers have known for years that talent or intelligence alone are not enough to guarantee success. Common sense supports it. Jokesters were onto it when they came up with the old line: "If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?"

There's really nothing strikingly new here. But the message of the book is still important. It's important because the two major belief systems of our age present much more simplistic pictures.

One belief system holds that talent is what rules the roost. If you're talented, then success can be yours. You have won the Genetic Lottery and all that's left is reaping the rewards.

The other belief system holds that you can do anything you want. With the right mental attitude, there are no limitations.

The great value of this book is that it demonstrates that both those ideas are simplistic nonsense. Success is more multi-faceted than either.

Let me pause here for a moment. If what you seek in a book like this one is a flashing new insight or if you want academic rigor and depth in the research, don't bother to buy the book. It's not for you.

If you're looking for a quick fix or a step-by-step method to achieve success, give this one a pass. It's not for you.

If you're looking for a book that will challenge some of your thinking about what goes into success, this is a worthwhile read. If you're seeking fresh ways to think about how success happens in your life, the lives of your loved ones and friends, and the lives of people you work with, this will be a book that you'll like.

Outliers won't give you a step-by-step plan for achieving success or helping your children or team members achieve it. But it will give you a framework for thinking about different drivers of success. It will give you ideas for doing something about the things that you can control.

Here's my bottom line. Don't buy this book if you want a quick success method, insights no one has had before, or deep academic research and reasoning. Do buy Outliers if you want a well-written book that will help you consider success in new and helpful ways.