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Range
- How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
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Range
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Summary
The instant Sunday Times Top Ten and New York Times bestseller
Shortlisted for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award
A Financial Times Essential Reads
A powerful argument for how to succeed in any field: develop broad interests and skills while everyone around you is rushing to specialize.
From the ‘10,000 hours rule’ to the power of Tiger parenting, we have been taught that success in any field requires early specialization and many hours of deliberate practice. And, worse, that if you dabble or delay, you'll never catch up with those who got a head start.
This is completely wrong.
In this landmark book, David Epstein shows you that the way to succeed is by sampling widely, gaining a breadth of experiences, taking detours, experimenting relentlessly, juggling many interests – in other words, by developing range.
Studying the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors and scientists, Epstein demonstrates why in most fields – especially those that are complex and unpredictable – generalists, not specialists are primed to excel. No matter what you do, where you are in life, whether you are a teacher, student, scientist, business analyst, parent, job hunter, retiree, you will see the world differently after you've read Range. You'll understand better how we solve problems, how we learn and how we succeed. You'll see why failing a test is the best way to learn and why frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers.
As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, Range shows how people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive and why spreading your knowledge across multiple domains is the key to your success, and how to achieve it.
Critic reviews
"David Epstein manages to make me thoroughly enjoy the experience of being told that everything I thought about something was wrong. I loved Range." (Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of Outliers)
"It’s a joy to spend hours in the company of a writer as gifted as David Epstein." (Susan Cain, best-selling author of Quiet)
"Urgent and important...an essential read for bosses, parents, coaches, and anyone who cares about improving performance." (Daniel H. Pink)
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What listeners say about Range
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tyler
- 16-08-19
Thought provoking
Great deal of detail and anecdotes to back up hypothesis. Personally came away with a changed view on specialisation.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marc
- 28-09-19
The Wide World of Why to Wander
Epstein delivers a resonant and robust case for exploring the world as a Jack of All Trades rather than (it at least before) becoming a master of one.
This book will challenge you and release you from rigid overspecialised assumptions.
Tremendously fascinating.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-11-19
AGE IS OVERRATED
I love it!
Though, I started slowly but picked up later in the middle.
ani have learnt with empirical evidences and sreong anecdotes that there is never an age you can not attain Mastery and you do not have to give over 10'000 hours to attain Masteey especially when you are at a stage of disenchantment.
"Winners never quit and Quitters never quit" is not always a fact.
A second read for sure!!!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A.N.
- 08-06-20
Brilliant - Essential for Study or Career Guidance
This book changed some of my lifelong attitudes to education and career. Every teenager (and parent) should read it, but it has value for all ages.
It dispels the myth of conventional views that education and careers need to specialise to obtain the best results. Quite the opposite, in fact. Each chapter exposes the deep flaws of specialisation, and presents a compelling case that generalisation is of far more value - to the world and to individuals.
In fact, generalisation is shown to be the key behind the majority of innovations and success stories throughout history - despite popular myth believing otherwise. The argument is demonstrated by convincing informative data as well as engaging anecdotal evidence to keep the reader interested.
I marked it down one star because the first 3 or 4 chapters really dragged, and almost caused me to quit through boredom. They were repetitive and contained more detail than was necessary to make their point. The narrator is excellent in diction but his voice is not the warmest or most engaging.
I'm so glad I stuck with it, becwuse the rest was brilliant. Please don't be put off by the first few chapters because this book is brilliant, fascinating, and essential for the wider world to take note of.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- L Hill
- 29-05-23
Breadth lays the foundations for depth
I’ve always felt that a broad range of experience was essential for a deep understanding and ability. From da Vinci to Federer, polymaths to GOATs, this book has reinforced that belief and gone way beyond in pursuing a wife and eclectic array of interests.
As a paramedic, and therefore generalist, I can’t tell you how strongly this book resonated with me.
Thank you David Epstein, a smashing and highly stimulating read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Cameron Bensimon
- 04-02-21
Life changing
This book is a must read! It has been a key in my life, understanding my path and carving one out for the future. Having a wide experience is actually positive unlike what lots of people believe.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ixana Dirac
- 24-08-20
Spectacular Book
The title makes it sound like it's a simple self help book. It's more a book on psychology, history... Seriously, get this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Joan
- 29-08-19
Great book and advice at the same time!
So many corporate senior managers should read or listen to this book. Its very straightforward, takes a few hours only, many relevant examples and overall jammed with common sence.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ms. Kyan S. Lindo
- 01-05-20
The Journey to Achievement
This is a provocative well researched read that makes you assess the advice given from a young age and how it may have impacted your development over time. This book makes you consider what the road to achievement looks like; how it starts, continues and ends. Using a wide variety of examples the author makes a strong case for evaluating why specialism is so broadly accepted over range. What you thought was the normal road to success will likely be influenced by what you learn in this book regardless of what you thought prior to reading it.
The author did a good job and I think it is worth hearing what he has to say.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-09-20
Incredible insight
Fascinating take on what defines success, going against the grain and accepted wisdom to uncover brilliant stories of range, and why breadth is such a vital ingredient in success (however you define it). Highly recommended
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