The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

The TL;DR – this should have been an essay.

Listen, if there is anyone who is a proponent of lists, it's me. I make a to-do list every single morning, including weekends. I make packing lists, pro-con lists, and absolutely process checklists. Being that lists are so instrumental in the organization of any aspect of my life, I came into this read 100% a list proponent.

Perhaps for that reason, I didn't feel particularly interested by the argument. Yeah, lists are really helpful! They help people remember little things that are sometimes forgotten. I'm in no way surprised that they are fundamental to safe flights and medical procedures and building construction.

While the anecdotes were interesting to read, I feel like the point was made in the first 25 pages, and then continued on another 150+ too long after that. This is Gawande trying to be Gladwell, and it didn't work.