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A review by kendranicole28
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
4.0
To be a parent is to worry about your child’s future, and modern parents have been told that we must begin to worry about and plan for our children’s future careers and successes as early as possible. Extremely young children are placed in competitive sports, enrolled in advanced music lessons, and taken to the best tutors in the hopes that they might specialize early and achieve the greatest success in their respective fields. In this book, investigative reporter David Epstein dispels many of the “early specialization” myths, arguing that in a majority of fields it is generalists, not specialists, who are primed to excel.
After examining the world’s most successful athletes, musicians, inventors, businesspeople, and artists, Epstein concluded that specialization is the exception rather than the rule, and that generalists—who tend to be late bloomers and master a variety of skills and interests rather than focusing on one—have the greatest long-term success. Epstein shares a range of stories from successful individuals to make a compelling case for broad skill development and diversification of interests.
Like books written in a similar vein (such as those by Daniel Pnk, Malcolm Gladwell, and Adam Grant), this one is full of counterintuitive case studies and unconventional ideas. Epstein argues against the cult of the head start and for the advantages of outsiders, lateral thinkers, early quitters, and late bloomers. The book is surprising and the stories are engaging, and though I question some of the evidence (as there is much more emphasis placed on individual anecdotes rather than comprehensive data), I found the information encouraging as I seek to raise well-rounded kids who have yet to find their particular lanes. The book is also an excellent resource for business coaches as well as individuals pursuing improved performance in any number of areas. As its title suggests, it’s a broad book with wide appeal.
My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Audiobook
After examining the world’s most successful athletes, musicians, inventors, businesspeople, and artists, Epstein concluded that specialization is the exception rather than the rule, and that generalists—who tend to be late bloomers and master a variety of skills and interests rather than focusing on one—have the greatest long-term success. Epstein shares a range of stories from successful individuals to make a compelling case for broad skill development and diversification of interests.
Like books written in a similar vein (such as those by Daniel Pnk, Malcolm Gladwell, and Adam Grant), this one is full of counterintuitive case studies and unconventional ideas. Epstein argues against the cult of the head start and for the advantages of outsiders, lateral thinkers, early quitters, and late bloomers. The book is surprising and the stories are engaging, and though I question some of the evidence (as there is much more emphasis placed on individual anecdotes rather than comprehensive data), I found the information encouraging as I seek to raise well-rounded kids who have yet to find their particular lanes. The book is also an excellent resource for business coaches as well as individuals pursuing improved performance in any number of areas. As its title suggests, it’s a broad book with wide appeal.
My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Audiobook