Summary

The second part of Outliers is called "Legacy." The first chapter, Chapter 6, is entitled "Harlan, Kentucky." The small town of Harlan, Kentucky is located on the Cumberland Plateau in a mountainous region of southeastern Kentucky, Gladwell explains. It is settled in 1819 by British immigrants who come from the northern part of the British Isles. The town gains some notoriety in its early days because of a feud between two large families, the Howards and the Turners. Over the course of several generations the families argues and fights with one another, with the disputes occasionally erupting into violence and even murder.

Gladwell explains that Harlan is not unique in this regard. In the late 19th century there are several other similar feuds throughout Kentucky and the region, including the famous feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys. "When one family fights with...