Talking to Strangers
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Afterword
Themes
All Themes Default to Truth Limitations of Transparency Coupling Theory and Context Self vs. Stranger
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Malcolm Gladwell Sandra Bland Brian Encinia Ana Belen Montes Tim Levine Harry Markopolos Florentino Aspillaga Montezuma II Hernán Cortés Brian Latell Neville Chamberlain Adolph Hitler Eugene Carroll Reg Brown Scott Carmichael Bernie Madoff Michael McQueary Jerry Sandusky Larry Nassar Amanda Knox Brock Turner James Mitchell Bruce Jessen Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) Sylvia Plath David Weisburd Larry Sherman George Kelling Charles Remsberg Joe Paterno Tim Curley Allan Myers Jennifer Fugate Sergio Jarillo Carlos Crivelli El Alpinista Winston Churchill Nat Simons Solomon Sendhil Mullainathan Emily Doe Brian Bree Dwight Heath Rudy Guede Gary Schultz Jonathan Dranov
Terms
All Terms Coupling Theory Displacement Theory Hermanos al Rescate Mismatched Myopia Theory Preventative Patrol Reid Technique The Second Mile Transparency Truth-Default Theory
Symbols
All Symbols The Holy Fool Sandra Bland’s Cigarette
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Talking to Strangers

by

Malcolm Gladwell
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Neville Chamberlain Character Analysis

Neville Chamberlain was the British Prime Minister in the years leading up to World War II. In 1938, Adolph Hitler hinted at his interest in invading the Sudetenland (an ethnically German region of Czechoslovakia). Fearing that the invasion would culminate in a world war, Chamberlain traveled to Germany to negotiate with Hitler to keep the peace. Hitler ensured Chamberlain that his interest lay only with the Sudetenland, the men signed an agreement, and Chamberlain returned to the U.K. satisfied with the negotiation. However, Hitler ended up breaking the agreement and invading Poland only months later. Gladwell examines how world leaders like Chamberlain who met Hitler in person could misread him so badly while other leaders, such as Winston Churchill, who never met Hitler, saw through his deceit.

Neville Chamberlain Quotes in Talking to Strangers

The Talking to Strangers quotes below are all either spoken by Neville Chamberlain or refer to Neville Chamberlain. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Default to Truth Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

“Yesterday afternoon I had a long talk with Herr Hitler,” he said. “I feel satisfied now that each of us fully understands what is in the mind of the other.”

Related Characters: Neville Chamberlain (speaker), Malcolm Gladwell, Adolph Hitler
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

We think we can easily see into the hearts of others based on the flimsiest of clues. We jump at the chance to judge strangers. We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy.

Related Characters: Malcolm Gladwell (speaker), Neville Chamberlain, Adolph Hitler, Emily Pronin
Page Number: 50
Explanation and Analysis:
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Neville Chamberlain Quotes in Talking to Strangers

The Talking to Strangers quotes below are all either spoken by Neville Chamberlain or refer to Neville Chamberlain. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Default to Truth Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

“Yesterday afternoon I had a long talk with Herr Hitler,” he said. “I feel satisfied now that each of us fully understands what is in the mind of the other.”

Related Characters: Neville Chamberlain (speaker), Malcolm Gladwell, Adolph Hitler
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

We think we can easily see into the hearts of others based on the flimsiest of clues. We jump at the chance to judge strangers. We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy.

Related Characters: Malcolm Gladwell (speaker), Neville Chamberlain, Adolph Hitler, Emily Pronin
Page Number: 50
Explanation and Analysis:
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