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A review by drapoco
First 20 Hours by Josh Kaufman
3.0
Everyone has something that they want to master or become better at and Josh Kaufman is here to help with his book First 20 Hours. The book sets up a theoretical basis for learning faster and takes the reader on a journey of learning as Josh Kaufman uses Yoga, Programming, and the Ukulele among other things as proof of concept.
Takeaways:
- Skills and abilities grow with persistence
- Leaning into initial discomfort will enable major progress
- Practicing an hour or so before sleeping will enhance your ability to learn.
My main critique of The First 20 Hours is that it comes across as a collection of tutorials and by extension a bit show-offish because there is a disconnection between the application of the theoretical part and the practical part. The tutorial parts don't carry the theory with them and as I reached the ending chapters I realized that I had forgotten what the theory was. It would be nice if Josh Kaufman had ended each chapter with an explicit walkthrough of the utilization of theory, explaining his choices and evaluating his experiences.
The First 20 Hours has a lot to teach the reader, but to be frank, these things are taught in the first two chapters and by reading the last two sections of each chapter. It's 250 pages where you can get the most benefit from reading 50 of them.
I would recommend this book to someone starting at university, beginning a new job, or facing similar situations where a steep learning curve can be expected.
Takeaways:
- Skills and abilities grow with persistence
- Leaning into initial discomfort will enable major progress
- Practicing an hour or so before sleeping will enhance your ability to learn.
My main critique of The First 20 Hours is that it comes across as a collection of tutorials and by extension a bit show-offish because there is a disconnection between the application of the theoretical part and the practical part. The tutorial parts don't carry the theory with them and as I reached the ending chapters I realized that I had forgotten what the theory was. It would be nice if Josh Kaufman had ended each chapter with an explicit walkthrough of the utilization of theory, explaining his choices and evaluating his experiences.
The First 20 Hours has a lot to teach the reader, but to be frank, these things are taught in the first two chapters and by reading the last two sections of each chapter. It's 250 pages where you can get the most benefit from reading 50 of them.
I would recommend this book to someone starting at university, beginning a new job, or facing similar situations where a steep learning curve can be expected.