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A review by adayla
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
4.0
Combo of print and audiobook.
This is a fascinating topic. I am convinced.
Thorough writing, a great premise, and great unfolding of the topic. Some chapters were very intriguing and others were a bit of a slog to get through. I suppose that means there is something in this for everyone. His language can be very technical and that often made it hard to listen/read. It took me awhile to finish this. (I highly recommend the audio. The Afterword is great too.)
He really expanded his ideas into many different domains. There are things in this I would have never read about separately or went out of my way to research. I appreciate that. Forced me to expand out of my well-trod reading path a bit.
I will say, if this book hadn't come highly recommended by trustworthy sources of mine, I don't know if I would have continued reading. Right away, it starts into sports and descriptions of golf and then it moves into chess and it was all so technical and wordy.. BUT I'm so glad I stuck with it. The ideas in it are definitely 5 stars. The slightly lower rating is really all just about the writing and how it felt like I was reading a long science journal article or something. (I know. I can be a snot.)
I was absolutely intrigued by the music section. I have always been so self-conscious of the fact that I can't read music notes and the reactions that come when I have to say this when practicing with a pianist before a solo. And while I can tinker with several instruments, I wouldn't say that I am jaw dropping amazing at any of them. This section was worth the whole read to me personally.
I am surprised that neurodiversity wasn't a topic in this but I suppose that would expand the book into places it's not meant for. But I would be curious to hear those things mixed into a separate, related discussion.
Recommend for sure.
This is a fascinating topic. I am convinced.
Thorough writing, a great premise, and great unfolding of the topic. Some chapters were very intriguing and others were a bit of a slog to get through. I suppose that means there is something in this for everyone. His language can be very technical and that often made it hard to listen/read. It took me awhile to finish this. (I highly recommend the audio. The Afterword is great too.)
He really expanded his ideas into many different domains. There are things in this I would have never read about separately or went out of my way to research. I appreciate that. Forced me to expand out of my well-trod reading path a bit.
I will say, if this book hadn't come highly recommended by trustworthy sources of mine, I don't know if I would have continued reading. Right away, it starts into sports and descriptions of golf and then it moves into chess and it was all so technical and wordy.. BUT I'm so glad I stuck with it. The ideas in it are definitely 5 stars. The slightly lower rating is really all just about the writing and how it felt like I was reading a long science journal article or something. (I know. I can be a snot.)
I was absolutely intrigued by the music section. I have always been so self-conscious of the fact that I can't read music notes and the reactions that come when I have to say this when practicing with a pianist before a solo. And while I can tinker with several instruments, I wouldn't say that I am jaw dropping amazing at any of them. This section was worth the whole read to me personally.
I am surprised that neurodiversity wasn't a topic in this but I suppose that would expand the book into places it's not meant for. But I would be curious to hear those things mixed into a separate, related discussion.
Recommend for sure.