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The Sports Gene
- Author
- David Epstein
- Narrator
- David Epstein
- Publisher
- Random House
- Publish Date
- 13 November 2014
- Run Time
- 10 hours 22 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
*** Shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2013 ***
Is Usain Bolt a superhuman one-off?
Are sports stars like Paula Radcliffe and Tiger Woods born or made?
Could we all be Olympians if we trained hard enough?
And is the answer to be found by looking at Alaskan huskies?
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 why top sportsmen 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 an athlete’s will to train, might in fact have important genetic components.
Through on-the ground reports at locations ranging from below the equator to above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of sport.
Critics Review
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A wonderful book. Thoughtful... fascinating.
Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers
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Provides a powerful and convincing analysis of how genes influence all our lives, especially the careers of elite sportsmen
The Times
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A fascinating, thought-provoking look at the leading edge of sports performance, written by a guy who knows the territory. David, besides being a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, was a collegiate runner for Columbia University. More to the point, he’s a terrific researcher and a fine, thoughtful writer
Dan Coyle, author of The Talent Code
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Full credit to David Epstein, a Sports Illustrated journalist with a serious and deep knowledge of genetics and sports science, for his terrific and unblinking new book, The Sports Gene, a timely corrective to the talent-denial industry
New Statesman
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Endlessly fascinating
Daily Mail
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Epstein’s book does not try to simplify the argument, but it does provide a welcome corrective to those who have deliberately underplayed the notion that genetic make-up is irrelevant
The Times
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David Epstein's illuminating synthesis of the latest research into the nature v nurture debate as applied to sport
Independent
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Provoking spirited debate about the merits of the 10,000 hour rule
The Times
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An important book on the relative roles of genes and environment—nature and nurture—in the building of a professional athlete ... bound to put the cat among the pigeons
Wall Street Journal
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Captivating...fascinating...His answer to the questions “Nature or nurture?” is both. If that sounds like a hedge, it isn’t: instead, it’s a testament to the author’s close attention to nuance.
New York Times
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Details
- Author
- David Epstein
- Narrator
- David Epstein
- Duration
- 10 hours 22 minutes
- Release Date
- 13 November 2014
- ISBN
- 9781473522459
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Random House
- Genre
- Popular science, Genetics (non-medical), Athletics, gymnastics and related sports, Ball sports / ball games, Sociology and anthropology, Sports psychology
Synopsis
*** Shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2013 *** Is Usain Bolt a superhuman one-off?Are sports stars like Paula Radcliffe and Tiger Woods born or made?Could we all be Olympians if we trained hard enough? And is the answer to be found by looking at Alaskan huskies?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 why top sportsmen 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 an athlete’s will to train, might in fact have important genetic components.Through on-the ground reports at locations ranging from below the equator to above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of sport.
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