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stenaros's review against another edition
3.0
How can you develop a talent more quickly? Is it just in the genes? A music teacher recommended this as a short, fascinating book that has changed how he instructs students to practice. Very interesting to learn about why the Brazilian soccer teams are so good, why the Russians are producing tennis champions like mad and why South Korea has such good women golfers. (I know no sports knowledge, so I'm assuming all those things are true). How you can become a better musician, skateboarder and encourager of children? The answer lies in this book.
shaqal's review against another edition
5.0
True understanding of talent and how to build it
The author has done his research and through his studies of talent hotbeds and recent developments in neuroscience, he presents an amazingly simple yet powerful image of talent. Unforgettable, life changing, must-read.
The author has done his research and through his studies of talent hotbeds and recent developments in neuroscience, he presents an amazingly simple yet powerful image of talent. Unforgettable, life changing, must-read.
ajeet's review against another edition
3.0
As the title suggests the book discusses some factors affecting talent development like deep or deliberate practice(which enables myelination of nueral pathways, the key for any skill development), ignition( circumstances or things that motivate us to practice deeply) and master coaching( feedbacks to improve our practice).
Though ideas presented in the book are fresh(at least at the time it was published), it could have been written as a lengthy article without missing much of details.
Though ideas presented in the book are fresh(at least at the time it was published), it could have been written as a lengthy article without missing much of details.
frances96's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5*
When I started reading this, I was expecting a different book, so I'm giving it just 3.5 stars.
Anyway, The Talent Code was an interesting lecture overall and I think everyone who wants to be successful, every coach, teacher, musician, athlete should read this book. It's an easy read, a mixture of neuroscience and anecdotes about talented people and how practicing can develop and improve one's abilities.
So, if you are on your way to greatness and you want a good inspirational read, The Talent Code is the book for you.
Quotes I liked:
“The sweet spot: that productive, uncomfortable terrain located just beyond our current abilities, where our reach exceeds our grasp. Deep practice is not simply about struggling; it's about seeking a particular struggle, which involves a cycle of distinct actions.”
“Inspiration is for amateurs.”
“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect.”
“Deep practice feels a bit like exploring a dark and unfamiliar room. You start slowly, you bump into furniture, stop, think, and start again. Slowly, and a little painfully, you explore the space over and over, attending to errors, extending your reach into the room a bit farther each time, building a mental map until you can move through it quickly and intuitively.”
And, last but not least:
"Fail again. Fail better."
- Samuel Beckett
When I started reading this, I was expecting a different book, so I'm giving it just 3.5 stars.
Anyway, The Talent Code was an interesting lecture overall and I think everyone who wants to be successful, every coach, teacher, musician, athlete should read this book. It's an easy read, a mixture of neuroscience and anecdotes about talented people and how practicing can develop and improve one's abilities.
So, if you are on your way to greatness and you want a good inspirational read, The Talent Code is the book for you.
Quotes I liked:
“The sweet spot: that productive, uncomfortable terrain located just beyond our current abilities, where our reach exceeds our grasp. Deep practice is not simply about struggling; it's about seeking a particular struggle, which involves a cycle of distinct actions.”
“Inspiration is for amateurs.”
“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect.”
“Deep practice feels a bit like exploring a dark and unfamiliar room. You start slowly, you bump into furniture, stop, think, and start again. Slowly, and a little painfully, you explore the space over and over, attending to errors, extending your reach into the room a bit farther each time, building a mental map until you can move through it quickly and intuitively.”
And, last but not least:
"Fail again. Fail better."
- Samuel Beckett
emilylandry's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating book offering a new look at talent and how we can incubate it. I love the new perspective it gives me on teaching and learning hands-on skills. I found this book to be really inspiring.
mcc's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.75
The message of the book is a good one - there are no 'overnight successes' and talent is a product of a lot of hard work. However, then there were a lot of anecdotes, some interesting, some that I didn't really see how it advanced the story. For example, there was a lot about the KIPS educational program and it made it sound weird and cultish and didn't really explain the link. There also wasn't a lot of actionable advice or takeaway other than 'practice'. Overall it didn't feel book-worthy, seems like it could've been an article instead and would've taken away the same information.
smagill723's review against another edition
2.0
This book was overwritten and underwhelming for my taste. I felt like I kept waiting for something that never came. In the end, it didn't feel like there was enough actionable advice throughout the anecdotes. The breakdown of what I got from this book is: practice your craft/skill daily, seek expert advice in the field, and don't be afraid to fail often and repeatedly. All three things are good to keep in mind whenever you're trying something new, but honestly, I think I could have read three inspirational quotes with the same advice and gotten the same value as reading this book.
lolastevenson's review against another edition
5.0
A must-read for any aspiring musician, athlete, or human being. That rare breed of non-fiction that draws you in with a narrative, keeps you turning the pages, and leaves you just a little wistful by the end.
geltriestoread's review against another edition
4.0
This one was a required reading back in Law School but I thank my fave Prof that He did!