1. Writer’s Notebook Get out your writer’s notebook, write today’s date in the top corner, and title this entry Introduction to Outliers

2. Answer the following questions in your writer’s notebook: 1.What is the American Dream ? ( In other words, what do MOST Americans want in life ?) 2.What does it mean to be a " self-made man " or to “ pull yourself up by your bootstraps ”? (If you have never heard of these phrases, give an educated guess and leave room for the real definition.) 3.Is is possible to become successful completely on your own without any help? Explain and give examples.

3. Interview with Outliers author, Malcolm Gladwell Watch the following interview with Anderson Cooper and Malcolm Gladwell. Things to think about while watching: – What does Gladwell believe makes a person successful? – What is Gladwell’s opinion of a “self-made man”? – How long does it take to practice something to become really good at it? Write down ONE thing you find interesting from the interview that you will share with your group.