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The Greatest

The Quest for Sporting Perfection

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The Greatest

By: Matthew Syed
Narrated by: Simon Slater
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About this listen

What can Roger Federer teach us about the secret of longevity? What do the All Blacks have in common with improvised jazz musicians? What can cognitive neuroscientists tell us about what happens to the brains of sportspeople when they perform? And why did Johan Cruyff believe that beauty was more important than winning?

Matthew Syed, the Sports Journalist of the Year 2016, answers these questions and more in a fascinating, wide-ranging and provocative book about the mental game of sport. How do we become the best that we can be as individuals, teams and organisations? Sport, with its innate sense of drama, its competitive edge, its psychological pressures, its sense of morality and its elusive quest for perfection, provides the answers.

©2017 Matthew Syed (P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton Sports Psychology Sports

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All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed this book, and I am a fan of Matthew Syed’s. Some of the material in this book is found in his other books but never the less good to listen to. I found the narrator good, although if I am honest I must say, I found the pretend accents a bit cringe worthy and annoying. Overall, very good.

A good compilation.

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If you read bounce and/or black box thinking this may not be for you.

This is different in as much that this is based on articles Matthew Syed has written and had published. Insightful and poetic as they are alot of the time there is alot of repition across from the other books and indeed within this one too.

I still enjoyed it none the less as Simon Slater is a good narrator and his very safe accents are amusing.

Worth a read but not a must.

Money for old Rope

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This is an easy listen and while not as detailed as his previous books in terms of in depth analyses etc - it is still a very enjoyable book. A lot of this is based on articles from his work at the Times. If you love sport and Matthew's approach to analysing what makes people successful then you will enjoy this.

Not as impressive as previous books but still very enjoyable

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Don’t agree with everything. But is a good accompaniment. Good stories. Interesting opinions. Easy listening

Well read and entertaining

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I don't follow football or could be considered a sports person, but I wholeheartedly agree sport and competition is important to us all. It's visceral we can't help ourself's and this book explores that aspect of human nature and how we strive for perfection of something arguably so trivial.

Fantastic look and reflection on sporting personalities and events what makes them great

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