Culture & Society4 min read Last updated: November 18, 2025

Here are 8 authors like Malcolm Gladwell for informative and engaging reading

In recent decades, popular nonfiction books have found a massive audience. It is a unique genre that blends impressive storytelling with big ideas. Few authors have done this as effectively as Malcolm Gladwell, and this article is your chance to get to know them.

Here are 8 authors like Malcolm Gladwell for informative and engaging reading

Malcolm Gladwell’s work redefined how we read about human behavior, social trends, and decision-making. His books, like The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, have become cultural pillars used in classrooms, businesses, and book clubs. If you’re a fan of the intellectual storytelling of Malcolm Gladwell’s books, here are eight other authors whose work you should definitely check out.

Daniel H. Pink

He is not just an average author, but a former speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore. Daniel H. Pink writes about business, behavior, and motivation with clarity and flair. His books, including Drive and When, use research from psychology and economics to explain what motivates us, how we make decisions, and when we perform best.

Just like Gladwell, Pink uses academic studies but makes them accessible through real-life examples. He believes that control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement. So, open up his books and become business-savvy.

When
10 min read

When

by Daniel H. Pink
Summary 9 chapters
Read on AdvanceMe

Angela Duckworth

Known for her groundbreaking work on grit and perseverance, Angela Lee Duckworth gained international attention through her TED Talk and book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. As a psychologist and former teacher, Duckworth emphasizes the importance of sustained effort over raw talent. This is a theme that would resonate strongly with fans of Outliers, as it challenges the common beliefs about talent and ambition. If you’re interested in what separates high achievers from the rest, Angela Duckworth will 100% give you a research-backed perspective.

Grit
10 min read

Grit

by Angela Duckworth
Summary 6 chapters
Read on AdvanceMe

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a unique writer and mathematician. He is the author of the famous Fooled by Randomness and The Black Swan. He offers a provocative take on uncertainty, risk, and human error. A former trader turned scholar, Taleb challenges how we think about luck, probability, and success. His writing is more confrontational than Gladwell’s, but similarly explores hidden forces shaping our world. As he writes, “The inability to predict outliers implies the inability to predict the course of history.”

The Black Swan
8 min read

The Black Swan

by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Summary 6 chapters
Read on AdvanceMe

Adam Grant

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist at Wharton and a bestselling author. He writes about how people think, work, and lead. He will be fascinating for those working in leadership positions, or those who are only starting as managers. His books, such as Give and Take and Think Again, combine social science with engaging narratives.

Grant encourages readers to challenge their assumptions, just like Gladwell does. He is a great believer in teamwork and claims there are opportunities to learn about each other's capabilities and develop productive routines. According to Grant, a team is like getting with people on a bus, so make sure you have good companions to “spend some time driving together.”

Give and Take

Give and Take

by Adam M. Grant
2013
Books

Dan Ariely

In books like Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely explores the quirks and biases that lead us to make illogical decisions. Ariely knows it for sure, as he spent years studying human psychology, ultimately becoming a prominent behavioral economist. Ariely’s writing is amazing and very easy, rich with humor and personal anecdotes, much like Gladwell’s. His work makes abstract research both relatable and entertaining. At the same time, Ariely manages to perfectly highlight why human behavior often defies common sense. You’ll get all the answers to human behavior questions you have!

Predictably Irrational
10 min read

Predictably Irrational

by Dan Ariely
Summary 9 chapters
Read on AdvanceMe

Charles Duhigg

Former New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg is best known for The Power of Habit, a book that uncovers the science of habit formation and change. Habits are usually key instruments and building blocks for all the changes in our lives.

Duhigg’s clear prose and strong narrative arcs make his work especially appealing to fans of Malcolm Gladwell’s books. He combines neuroscience, behavioral research, and compelling case studies to explain how small changes can produce big outcomes, echoing themes found in The Tipping Point.

The Power of Habit
15 min read

The Power of Habit

by Charles Duhigg
Summary 10 chapters
Read on AdvanceMe

Daniel Kahneman

Author Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and economist, is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in behavioral science. His book Thinking, Fast and Slow is a cornerstone of modern psychology and remains one of the most essential works in the field, explaining the dual systems that shape our thinking.

You might find it a bit more challenging, as it is more academic in tone, yet Kahneman’s work is deeply insightful. His writing complements Gladwell’s accessible style by offering a more foundational perspective on cognitive biases and perception.

Thinking, Fast and Slow
15 min read

Thinking, Fast and Slow

by Daniel Kahneman
Summary 12 chapters
Read on AdvanceMe

If you love Malcolm Gladwell’s books for their blend of storytelling, science, and insight, these eight authors offer equally unique reading experiences. They explore the very essence of fields like behavioral economics and organizational psychology. Start with one, or binge them all. Whether you’re picking up Thinking, Fast and Slow for a deep dive into cognition or reading through Think Again for a fresh take on learning and unlearning, there’s something in this list to expand your mind. In a world overflowing with information, these authors help us make sense of it—and ourselves.

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