What can hair dye tell us about the history of the twentieth century? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard but only one of ketchup? What didn't the inventor of the birth control pill know about women's health? Why may a problem like homelessness be easier to solve than to manage? Who do we hire when we can't tell who's right for the job? What's the difference between choking and panicking? What can pit bulls teach us about crime? And are smart people actually rather overrated? Gladwell introduces us to obsessives, pioneers and other varieties of minor genius, diagnoses some of our greatest and most overlooked problems, and explores the confounding mysteries of our characters, personalities and intelligence.