Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David EpsteinMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book must be read by anyone who is convinced they need to specialize, specialize, specialize, or who wish to have their children start some sport/instrument/hobby while a child in order to excel later (à la battle hymn of the Tiger mother).
The initial example of Tiger Woods vs. Roger Federer made me a believer pretty much right off the bat.
The discussion of Grit was great too. Made me want to read the book again.
He states that often quitting is the best option. "Winners never quit" is a bad statement for many of us. (see the Freakonomics example of people flipping a coin to see if people should make a change in life. Those who ended up making it ended up happier across the board, no matter the change).
The afterword was very useful as a parent as well. Detailing some erroneous beliefs and some possible methods (e.g. if you teach a child to read earlier in life, they won't be better "readers" later on in life, so the initial advantage is lost within a few years).
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