Bounce

Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success

By: Matthew Syed

Narrated by: James Clamp

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Why have all the sprinters who have run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds been black?

What's one thing Mozart, Venus Williams, and Michelangelo have in common?

Is it good to praise a child's intelligence?

Why are baseball players so superstitious?

Few things in life are more satisfying than beating a rival. We love to win and hate to lose, whether it's on the playing field or at the ballot box, in the office or in the classroom. In this bold new look at human behavior, award-winning journalist and Olympian Matthew Syed explores the truth about our competitive nature: why we win, why we don't, and how we really play the game of life.

Bounce reveals how competition - the most vivid, primal, and dramatic of human pursuits - provides vital insight into many of the most controversial issues of our time, from biology and economics, to psychology and culture, to genetics and race, to sports and politics.

Backed by cutting-edge scientific research and case studies, Syed shatters long-held myths about meritocracy, talent, performance, and the mind. He explains why some people thrive under pressure and others choke, and weighs the value of innate ability against that of practice, hard work, and will. From sex to math, from the motivation of children to the culture of big business, Bounce shows how competition provides a master key with which to unlock the mysteries of the world.

p> PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2010 Matthew Syed (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

One of my favorite books

I have been collecting Self Development books for years but I got to say this one is one of the best. It gives you a clear goal, if you want to be best in your field you need to invest 10 years or 10000 hours to hone your skills, it is not about the talent. Syed provides lot of data to support this argument and it got me to set up a new goals instantly :)

A solid listen

The perspective of the author is great as he experienced everything he writes about. The research behind his journey and others is interesting.

Very easy to follow

Didn't have to rewind a lot to understand material. Was so in to the book that I thought the ending short changed me.

Excellent Book

Quite an interesting read though very similar pattern and message as Malcolm Gladwells, Outliers.
However, it has its own touch and a variance of deeper examples that creates its own authenticity.

Highly recommended.

to much examples

Es una muy buena guia sobre la práctica con propósito. sin embargo puede convertirse en un poco en muchi de lo mismo

There is hope, if you still have time

The book was very motivational and makes you want to put in some time into those hobbies you thought you were not good at. This could be a really good book for the adolescent going through a hard time in their sport or chosen activity. The bppl challenges the idea of natural born talent and gives you the many examples of why talent is not born with rather it is acquire through hard work and most importantly PRACTICE. I recommend as this was a quick read. I enjoyed the third person narratives and story line, it felt like I was watching an episode of history channel with vivid imagery and interviews. Love the execution really does transport you.

Good summary of better books on human performance

Peak, Range, The Sports Gene, Art of the Impossible, and Mindset all do a better job of explaining the ideas of this book namely how to achieve greatness. However, Syed does a decent job of summarizing albeit with some missing information on Flow and genetics.

Drumming

As a drummer, this book was very informative in highlighting way to increase performance in sports or music. It is all very interchangeable. Good listen.

Great research and insightful

Really enjoyed this bounce book
Where Matthew goes deep to debunk most theories on performance and argues that most success is factors are wrongly attributed and we all have a chance given the right environment

Awesome read!

Cuts to the heart of our most cherished prejudices, in a well documented way. Bravo!