Malcolm Gladwell says the afro he's sporting affected people's de-cisions about him, from deeming him cool to considering him suspect. Joe Tabacca • Associated Press

The success of "Blink" also has sparked renewed interest in Gladwell's acclaimed 2000 book, "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference," in which he examines why major societal changes often happen very quickly. More than 1 million copies are now in print.

Edward Nawotka spoke with Gladwell about his books:

Q. In Blink, you describe a run-in you had with the police that inspired you to write the book.

A. When I was in my 30s, I went from having conservative, short hair to growing a wild afro. There were some good consequences to this. Many people treated me like I was cooler and funnier. But I also started to run afoul of police all the time. I got ludicrous speeding tickets and stopped for no good reason.

Then one day, I was walking on 14th Street in New York City, and a van pulled up with three police officers in it. They thought I looked like a rapist they were looking for and grilled me for 20 minutes before letting me go. It was at that moment I realized my hair was enormously relevant to how people decided who I am. I thought that, surely, this is worth some kind of examination. So in that sense, it was an important moment.

Q. Most people would be furious after that experience. Yet you found inspiration in it?

A. We always hear about racial profiling, such as in the Amadou Diallo case. (In 1999, four New York City police officers shot the unarmed African immigrant 19 times as he was reaching for his wallet.) And people think they understand it, but they don't. There are all these things that happen in our lives, and because they're so familiar to us, we don't stop to examine them. I love to tease apart things that we take for granted, to examine the hidden processes that play enormously important roles in everyday life.

Q. You cover so many seemingly unrelated topics, from tennis to reading facial expressions to military strategy. Where do you get your material?

A. I draw from different sources: straightforward reporting, personal experience, research. If the topic is enlightening, it interests me.

Q. Since you rely so much on other people's research, do you consider yourself primarily a journalist or a scientist?

A. I'm first and foremost a storyteller. I'm not a trained scientist. I'm an interested amateur. What I am also is a bridge between the academic world and the rest of us. "Blink" is built on some really brilliant academic research, but sadly most of that research hasn't received the attention it deserves. I consider it my honor to bring it to a wider public.

Q. Do you see "Blink" as a companion to "The Tipping Point"?

A. They are related, but different. "The Tipping Point" is about group behavior, while "Blink" is about how individuals react. I used to say about "The Tipping Point" that it was an intellectual adventure story. It's the same with "Blink." What I'm doing is taking the reader on a ride. On the course of that ride, it's full of sights you wouldn't see every day, things that will surprise you.

Q. Were you surprised by the popularity of "The Tipping Point," which is taught in business schools across the country?

A. I was totally surprised by that book's success. It was beyond my wildest dreams. Initially, I thought I was writing it for a small group of friends and family. That it remains relevant is very gratifying.

Q. What surprised you most about the research you did for "Blink"?

A. The marriage stuff: the idea that it is possible to decode the outcome of a marriage after 15 minutes of observation. That was central to the idea that I was trying to get across. It goes toward proving the point that you can know a lot based on a small experience.

Q. Has what you learned from writing "Blink" helped you in your day-to-day life?