The Sports Gene cover art

The Sports Gene

Talent, Practice and the Truth About Success

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The Sports Gene

By: David Epstein
Narrated by: David Epstein
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About this listen

In this ground-breaking and entertaining exploration of athletic success, award-winning writer David Epstein gets to the heart of the great nature vs. nurture debate, and explodes myths about how and why humans excel.

Along the way, Epstein exposes the flaws in the so-called 10,000-hour rule that states that rigorous practice from a young age is the only route to success. He shows why some skills that we imagine are innate are not – like the bullet-fast reactions of a baseball player – and why other characteristics that we assume are entirely voluntary, like the motivation to practice, might in fact have important genetic components. Throughout, The Sports Gene forces us to rethink the very nature of success.

©2013 David Epstein (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC. Published in the UK by Random House Audiobooks Biological Sciences Evolution & Genetics Genetics Personal Development Personal Success Science Sports Psychology Sports Writing Sports Success

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There were some very interesting points illuminated by this book, I highly recommend it to anyone whois interested in Sport and human mindset.

Very Interesting

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Would you listen to The Sports Gene again? Why?

Yes, it's worth a repeated listen. The message is that the elites ARE different. Genes DO matter - greatly. Hard work will get you far, but it may never get you to the summit. While this may not be what the bleeding heart liberals want to hear, this is a book that deals in science, and those are the cold hard facts. The Chrissy Wellingtons and Usain Bolts of the world are born with God-given talent that, under the right environment, produces something that is simply not achieveable by hard work alone.

What other book might you compare The Sports Gene to, and why?

It's a direct opposite to Gladwell's book "Outliers" and the idea that 10,000hrs is all you need.

What does David Epstein bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

In a word: Research. Epstein has brilliantly backed up all statements with science and analysis.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. Very easy to follow.

Brilliant - Follows the Science

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Very well written and an incredible insight into so many different myths and theories in sport.

Fascinating

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I loved it, fascinating insight in to the world of elite sporting performance. Thank you.

Great listen

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I like many will know a rising sports star.Do they really have what it takes?

must like facts and figures....

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Great information however I stopped listening as I can't stand the narrators TERRIBLE accents.

Please stop doing accents!!

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Explains all of the various contributing factors when it comes to performance. Dispels the 10,000 hours myth without dismissing the importance of training hours etc. Really enjoyed it. About to listen again.

Excellent

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From a coaches perspective, I really enjoyed this, learnt some new things to research that'll ultimately be fit my athletes
Would highly recommend

Brilliant

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A Great, easily digestible focus on the nature v nature debate, dispelling reductive thinking and assumptions commonly held by sorts media commentators. The narrator is, for most of the text, clear and easy on the ear. However, when quoting scientists, he puts some ridiculous and horrendous faux- Einstein accent. The sort of accent a child might put on in a frivolous children’s tv show when pretending to be a scientist

Brilliant books, weird narration at times

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really enjoyed listening to this book on sports success via your genetic background so interesting

such a fascinating book

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