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A review by derekvantilborg
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
4.0
Range was an easy-to-read, but interesting book. The thesis in this book is based on a lot of anecdotal stories. Still, the author makes for a very convincing idea. The main point of the book becomes clear quite early on and I was afraid that author would just drag this on chapter after chapter. Against my expectations, the book kept me engaged throughout.
The core idea in the book, that you benefit from having a wide range of skills and experiences before you specialise in life resonated a lot with me. I see myself as a generalist. I often jokingly say that I am mediocre in many things. It's actually not a joke. This results in me feeling stupid once in a while when talking to true experts in my own field of work. This book made me realise that my well-roundness is probably something to celebrate and will pay out in the long run.
This book also helps you embrace the willingness to suck at something new. Or to give up and try something else for that matter. Being 'behind' in life and not having everything figured out all of the time is often a good thing. I think that his book not applies to hard skills (which is the primary perspective of the book), but also to social skills and personal relationships. A heterogeneous life makes for homogeneous wisdom.
The core idea in the book, that you benefit from having a wide range of skills and experiences before you specialise in life resonated a lot with me. I see myself as a generalist. I often jokingly say that I am mediocre in many things. It's actually not a joke. This results in me feeling stupid once in a while when talking to true experts in my own field of work. This book made me realise that my well-roundness is probably something to celebrate and will pay out in the long run.
This book also helps you embrace the willingness to suck at something new. Or to give up and try something else for that matter. Being 'behind' in life and not having everything figured out all of the time is often a good thing. I think that his book not applies to hard skills (which is the primary perspective of the book), but also to social skills and personal relationships. A heterogeneous life makes for homogeneous wisdom.