Talking to Strangers

by

Malcolm Gladwell

Solomon is the name Gladwell uses to refer to a New York State judge he interviews about the process of deciding which defendants should be released on bail and which should remain in prison. Solomon believes looking a defendant in the eyes is essential to determining their character, but much of the research Gladwell presents throughout the book, such as Sendhil Mullainathan’s study, suggests otherwise.
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Solomon Character Timeline in Talking to Strangers

The timeline below shows where the character Solomon appears in Talking to Strangers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Two: Getting to Know der Führer
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Limitations of Transparency  Theme Icon
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3. Gladwell shifts focus to Solomon, a New York state judge. He describes a scene in which Solomon sits in his... (full context)
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Limitations of Transparency  Theme Icon
Coupling Theory and Context  Theme Icon
One of Solomon’s cases involved an older, Spanish-speaking man accused of assaulting his girlfriend’s six-year-old grandson. If Solomon... (full context)
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Limitations of Transparency  Theme Icon
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...contained in the defendant’s records—such as previous hospitalizations—can provide insight into potential mental instability, however, Solomon argues that one can only ascertain other clues, such as a defendant’s inability to make... (full context)