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  • Range

  • How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
  • By: David Epstein
  • Narrated by: Will Damron
  • Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,512 ratings)

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Range

By: David Epstein
Narrated by: Will Damron
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Summary

'A gold mine of surprising insights. Makes you smarter with every page' – James Clear, bestselling author of Atomic Habits

The essential guide to improving your performance, and a powerful argument for how to succeed in any field: develop broad interests and skills while everyone around you is rushing to specialize.

Instant Sunday Times and New York Times Bestseller
Shortlisted for the
Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award
A
Financial Times Essential Read

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. If you only 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 and juggling interests – this is the power of developing range.

Studying the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors and scientists, Epstein demonstrates why, in most fields. generalists, not specialists are primed to excel.

In the years since its initial release, Range has challenged the status quo, reshaped career paths and changed lives. Listen it to view the world differently.

'I loved Range' – Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Outliers and The Tipping Point

'Fascinating . . . if you're a generalist who has ever felt overshadowed by your specialist colleagues, this book is for you' – Bill Gates

©2019 David Epstein (P)2019 Penguin Random House LLC

What listeners say about Range

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  • Overall
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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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    5 out of 5 stars
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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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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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1 person found this helpful

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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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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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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Fantastic - As a serial career changer, this has demolished my guilt and imposter syndrome that tends to accompany such a career

A tonic for those interested in everything not just something.

Thank you David Epstein - Genius and timely

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11 people found this helpful

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A must read for young Parents

In today's world of social pressure leading to overburden kids this book provides ample stories and reasons to lean back on to stay the course of Human sense to the little ones .

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Great book

Everyone should read this book. I believe it can change how we see education, business and self development.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Great stories and some good tips.

Liked the stories found in this book. It gave good insights and thoughts for how to structure life and work. A little of a slow starter but it will get better!

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Persuasive Argument for Generalists

Detailed, and persuasive case for generalists, and how to exploit generalism. The narrator was brilliant.

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