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

Good shit

What made the experience of listening to Bounce the most enjoyable?

some dam good shit in here.
too sleepy to think but real dam god shit!!

What did you like best about this story?

all the case studies

What does James Clamp bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

nothing, but he does save me time.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

if i could i would

Any additional comments?

writing this 1:15 in the morning...

WONDERFUL

This never got dull. I looked forward to every moment I had to listen to it.

bloody amazing

science Trump's all. the reality of becoming a superstar and the myth of innate talent and genetic predisposition shattered

very good read

author touches on a lot of psychological thresholds, a very good read for any athlete, career oriented or human trying to be the best that they can be.

Just like the others, but still good

Would you consider the audio edition of Bounce to be better than the print version?

Have you ever read/listened to Talent is overrated, Outliers, etc? This book is pretty much about the same, with new stories, not so new stories and old stories, but you know what? Instead of listening again those books I preferred to purchase and listen this one and I was not disappointed. I say go ahead and have some fun.

What did you like best about this story?

They are inspirational.

What about James Clamp’s performance did you like?

Good performance, at least it did not give me yawnings.

takes us beyond Outliers

Fabulous narration. Matthew Syed does a deeper dive into what drives talent, beyond where Gladwell took us. Well researched insights are worth plowing through some familiar ground to get there.

Great book about top performance

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book. It explains very interesting aspects of top performances in sports and other areas. It's one of the few books I've read that discusses the phenomenon of "choking under pressure". (Come on researchers, do more research on choking.)

Boost Performance and Avoid Pitfalls

If you want to the best at anything. And want know how? It is shown here and only you can do it, no magic formula. Anyone can do it, you just gotta want it bad enough

Disappointing last three chapters

The author forgot what this book was about in last 3 chapters.
also, no conclusion? I was hoping to hear a sum up at the end, specially since the author started a whole new story in last three chapters.

Interesting discussion

I enjoyed the book and the concepts that were presented. I definitely agree with the basic concept that "practice makes perfect" but I do believe there are individuals that are born with talent. Maybe with some individuals this comes out in more interest in a particular activity or maybe it requires less talent. Either way I think the importance of practice, whether you are born with talent or not, is well emphasized.