Yes, it is strange. It's a scathing put-down couched in a pleasant tone. The author believes Gladwell is a fraud but doesn't have the guts to come right out and say it.
A mistake to say I don't have guts. If I thought he was a fraud I'd say that. My other activities, I'll just cite the Alan Turing campaign as one, are indications of my willingness to speak my mind.
