I have read a couple of reviews of David Epstein's new book, The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance, and I've also been following the author's debate with Malcolm Gladwell about the book's disproving of the 10,000-hour rule, which seems a little superfluous. I think they essentially agree that the more cognitively complex the task, the more applicable the rule. 10,000 hours is not going to get me above the rim. No amount of practice could.
Anyway, though the book sounded interesting, the reviews weren't enough to get me to add the book to my list. But after listening to him talk with my boy Russ Roberts on Econtalk, I have changed my mind. Interesting throughout. Who knew that top flight marathoners are almost always short, because smaller bodies diffuse heat better. And that the NFL combine should be timing linebackers in the ten yard dash instead of the forty.
Anyway, though the book sounded interesting, the reviews weren't enough to get me to add the book to my list. But after listening to him talk with my boy Russ Roberts on Econtalk, I have changed my mind. Interesting throughout. Who knew that top flight marathoners are almost always short, because smaller bodies diffuse heat better. And that the NFL combine should be timing linebackers in the ten yard dash instead of the forty.
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