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stuhlsem's review against another edition
5.0
I recommend this book to everyone who works in any sort of education, coaching, or training, or just to people who like to be good at things.
I thought this book was a fascinating take on how people develop talent and/or skill in anything from music to sports to teaching. The author explored the neurological basis for skill development (myelin) as well as the history of talent hotbeds like Renaissance Italy (sculpting) or Brazil (soccer). Talent comes from ignition (what caused someone to decide they wanted to get good something) and then deep practice (deliberate practice - operating on the edge of what you are capable of). Struggle is vital for developing myelin, and even little struggle (like having to fill in letters on lists of words to be memorized) can help develop the myelin that makes your brain work more efficiently.
I thought this book was a fascinating take on how people develop talent and/or skill in anything from music to sports to teaching. The author explored the neurological basis for skill development (myelin) as well as the history of talent hotbeds like Renaissance Italy (sculpting) or Brazil (soccer). Talent comes from ignition (what caused someone to decide they wanted to get good something) and then deep practice (deliberate practice - operating on the edge of what you are capable of). Struggle is vital for developing myelin, and even little struggle (like having to fill in letters on lists of words to be memorized) can help develop the myelin that makes your brain work more efficiently.
dunguyen's review against another edition
2.0
The Talent Code is another one of the inborn talent vs anyone can become talented in anything (with caveats) books that have become so popular lately. And if I hadn't read so many books on this specific topic, I probably would have liked this book more but I just wasn't very impressed.
Coyle examines the three parts to talent and how anyone can become talented. The first one is deep practice, ignition (sparking an interest) and then teaching/coaching.
While deep practice which is actually Anders Ericsson's Deliberate Practice with a different name is backed by plenty of studies, the two others are mostly based on anecdotes. This annoyed me a lot, the one concept that is well researched is essentially just Coyle rebranding someone else's term and research. The two other concepts, I can only attest that they probably have an effect somehow or are somewhat correlated as I've read many other books that were better researched on those two. In The Talent Code, these were just a bunch of anecdotes and some mentions of Carol Dweck's Mindset research.
Then there's the weird cramming in myelin into every explanation. Myelin is a fatty substance that coats the neurons and helps our brain circuits fire more efficiently. And recent studies show correlation between myelin and proficiency, i.e. more myelin in the part of the brain that shows usage for a skill is correlated with higher skill. And using this actual science, it feels like Coyle is trying to connect and somehow legitimize some of the more vague and less researched parts. I did learn something new here with myelin, but I felt it was a bit sought after whenever it was mentioned again in various places.
This was an alright book and if this is the first book on talent, growth mindset, deliberate practice etc. it's pretty decent. But I'd recommend Peak by Anders Ericsson and Mindset by Carol Dweck or Grit by Angela Duckworth instead.
Coyle examines the three parts to talent and how anyone can become talented. The first one is deep practice, ignition (sparking an interest) and then teaching/coaching.
While deep practice which is actually Anders Ericsson's Deliberate Practice with a different name is backed by plenty of studies, the two others are mostly based on anecdotes. This annoyed me a lot, the one concept that is well researched is essentially just Coyle rebranding someone else's term and research. The two other concepts, I can only attest that they probably have an effect somehow or are somewhat correlated as I've read many other books that were better researched on those two. In The Talent Code, these were just a bunch of anecdotes and some mentions of Carol Dweck's Mindset research.
Then there's the weird cramming in myelin into every explanation. Myelin is a fatty substance that coats the neurons and helps our brain circuits fire more efficiently. And recent studies show correlation between myelin and proficiency, i.e. more myelin in the part of the brain that shows usage for a skill is correlated with higher skill. And using this actual science, it feels like Coyle is trying to connect and somehow legitimize some of the more vague and less researched parts. I did learn something new here with myelin, but I felt it was a bit sought after whenever it was mentioned again in various places.
This was an alright book and if this is the first book on talent, growth mindset, deliberate practice etc. it's pretty decent. But I'd recommend Peak by Anders Ericsson and Mindset by Carol Dweck or Grit by Angela Duckworth instead.
gretzky10's review against another edition
4.0
Not Malcolm Gladwell, but an excellent read nonetheless. Perfect for athletes, coaches, and teachers. Get the best out of yourself in your respective field, read this book.
novemberninth's review against another edition
5.0
If I have to describe this book in one word, it's eye-opening. The writing is short, snappy, and hits the point right on the bullseye. I appreciate the choice of words that aren't so complicated that I need a dictionary for them. I would definitely recommend this to everyone who's learning something!
rosann's review against another edition
4.0
Having skills is only a very small part of talent... your motivation and how you practice matters.
icecubicle's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting take on the biological basis of talent. More for people who want to teach others but those looking to build skills, whether it be in music, art, math, or pretty much anything, can get something valuable out of this book.
thehellokittynotebook's review against another edition
5.0
A must read for all parents and teachers!
toniobarton's review against another edition
4.0
I read this slowly because it has so much information in it. I want to already read it again. It changes how I think of Education and my life and goals.