12 Authors Similar to Malcolm Gladwell You Should Read

Join us as we take a look at 12 authors similar to Malcolm Gladwell, writers who blend engaging storytelling with deep insights into psychology, sociology and human behavior.

Whether you’re drawn to Gladwell’s thought-provoking explorations of decision-making, success and social dynamics, or you simply enjoy books that challenge conventional wisdom, these authors offer compelling perspectives that will keep you turning pages.

From groundbreaking research to captivating narratives, these writers share Gladwell’s ability to make complex ideas accessible and fascinating.

12 Authors Similar to Malcolm Gladwell

1. Jonah Berger

Writing Style & Themes: Jonah Berger delves into social dynamics and the psychology behind why ideas spread, presenting his insights through engaging narratives and relatable examples.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Contagious: Why Things Catch On​
• Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces That Shape Behavior​
• The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind​
• Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Berger’s exploration of the subtle forces shaping our decisions offers readers eye-opening perspectives on everyday behaviors.

Jonah Berger’s Website: https://jonahberger.com 

2. Oliver Burkeman

Writing Style & Themes: Oliver Burkeman offers insightful explorations into psychology and self-help, challenging conventional wisdom with a narrative that’s both accessible and thought-provoking.​

Notable Books/Series:

• The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking​
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Burkeman’s candid approach to self-improvement resonates with those seeking depth and realism in personal development.​

Oliver Burkeman’s Website: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/ 

3. Michael Lewis

Writing Style & Themes: Michael Lewis crafts compelling narratives that delve into the intricacies of finance and economics, making complex subjects engaging and understandable.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game​
• The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine​
• Liar’s Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Lewis’s storytelling prowess transforms financial topics into gripping tales that captivate a broad audience.​

Michael Lewis’s Website: https://www.michaellewiswrites.com/ 

4. Daniel H. Pink

Writing Style & Themes: Daniel H. Pink explores human behavior, motivation and the changing world of work, presenting his findings through clear engaging prose.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us​
• When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing​
• To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Pink’s insights into motivation and behavior offer practical applications for both personal and professional growth.​

Daniel H. Pink’s Website: https://www.danpink.com/ 

5. Dan Ariely

Writing Style & Themes: Dan Ariely delves into behavioral economics revealing the hidden forces that shape our decisions through engaging experiments and anecdotes.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions​
  The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home​
• The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone—Especially Ourselves​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Ariely’s exploration of human irrationality provides eye-opening perspectives on why we behave the way we do.​

Dan Ariely’s Website: https://www.danariely.com/ 

6. Maria Konnikova

Writing Style & Themes: Maria Konnikova blends psychology and storytelling, examining human behavior and the mind through captivating narratives.​

Notable Books/Series:

• The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It… Every Time​
• Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes​
• The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win​

Why Readers Will Love Her: Konnikova’s unique fusion of psychological insight and storytelling offers readers both entertainment and enlightenment.​

Maria Konnikova’s Website: https://www.mariakonnikova.com/ 

7. Chip Heath

Writing Style & Themes: Chip Heath, often collaborating with his brother Dan, explores how ideas can be made memorable and impactful, focusing on the psychology behind effective communication.

Notable Books/Series:

• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die​
• Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard​
• Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Chip Heath’s insights into making ideas “sticky” provide practical tools for influencing and inspiring others.​

Chip Heath’s Website: https://heathbrothers.com 

8. Dan Heath

Writing Style & Themes: Dan Heath, in collaboration with his brother Chip, delves into the principles that make ideas and changes successful, emphasizing simplicity and emotional connection.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die​
• Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard​
• Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Dan Heath’s engaging storytelling and research-backed strategies offer readers actionable insights into effecting positive change.​

Dan Heath’s Website: https://heathbrothers.com 

9. A.J. Jacobs

Writing Style & Themes: A.J. Jacobs combines humor with intellectual exploration, embarking on personal challenges to uncover insights about knowledge, religion and health.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World​
• The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible​
• Drop Dead Healthy: One Man’s Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Jacobs’ witty narratives and immersive experiments offer a fresh perspective on self-improvement and cultural understanding.​

A.J. Jacobs’s Website: https://www.ajjacobs.com/ 

10. Steven D. Levitt

Writing Style & Themes: Steven D. Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics, applies economic theory to diverse real-world situations, revealing the hidden side of everyday life.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything​
• SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance​
• Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Levitt’s unconventional approach challenges readers to think differently about economics and human behavior.​

Steven D. Levitt’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/798.Steven_D_Levitt 

11. Steven Pinker

Writing Style & Themes: Steven Pinker combines linguistic expertise with cognitive science, exploring language, mind and human nature with clarity and depth.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language​
• How the Mind Works​
• Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Pinker’s engaging analysis provides a scientific yet accessible look into what makes us human.​

Steven Pinker’s Website: https://stevenpinker.com/ 

12. Yuval Noah Harari

Writing Style & Themes: Yuval Noah Harari offers sweeping narratives of human history, connecting past events to contemporary issues with insightful analysis.​

Notable Books/Series:

• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind​
• Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow​
• 21 Lessons for the 21st Century​

Why Readers Will Love Him: Harari’s thought-provoking perspectives challenge readers to reconsider their understanding of humanity’s past, present and future.​

Yuval Noah Harari’s Website: https://www.ynharari.com/ 

Last Word on the Authors Like Malcolm Gladwell

In exploring authors like Malcolm Gladwell, we’ve uncovered a diverse array of writers who, like Gladwell, excel at making complex ideas both accessible and engaging.

For instance, Jonah Berger’s examination of social influence in Contagious mirrors Gladwell’s knack for uncovering the unseen forces shaping our decisions.

Similarly, A.J. Jacobs’ immersive approach to understanding human behavior as seen in The Year of Living Biblically, offers readers a unique perspective akin to Gladwell’s storytelling style.

These above authors similar to Malcolm Gladwell share a talent for transforming intricate concepts into compelling narratives, making them excellent choices for readers who appreciate Gladwell’s approach to non-fiction storytelling.