Taking on success

By happenstance, I've just finished two books with intriguing takes on success. The first, "The White Tiger'' by Aravind Adiga, is the tale of the rising fortunes of a murderous young man in India determined to move up in the world at just about any cost. He is cynical, insightful, and engaging.

"Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell is as fast a read as "Tiger." Gladwell tends to gloss over variations within cultures -- think of the wide gulf between pathologically shy and brashly assertive Americans -- but he still raises many good points, offering a fresh take on the success of the Beatles, Bill Gates, and professional hockey players.

They're both hovering near the top of the bestseller lists, right where they deserve to be.