Ungifted

Intelligence Redefined

De: Scott Barry Kaufman

Narrado por: Walter Dixon

Child prodigies. Gifted and Talented Programs. Perfect 2400s on the SAT. Sometimes it feels like the world is conspiring to make the rest of us feel inadequate. Those children tapped as possessing special abilities will go on to achieve great things, while the rest of us have little chance of realizing our dreams. Right?

In Ungifted, cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman - who was relegated to special education as a child - sets out to show that the way we interpret traditional metrics of intelligence is misguided. Kaufman explores the latest research in genetics and neuroscience, as well as evolutionary, developmental, social, positive, and cognitive psychology, to challenge the conventional wisdom about the childhood predictors of adult success. He reveals that there are many paths to greatness, and argues for a more holistic approach to achievement that takes into account each young person’s personal goals, individual psychology, and developmental trajectory. In so doing, he increases our appreciation for the intelligence and diverse strengths of prodigies, savants, and late bloomers, as well as those with dyslexia, autism, schizophrenia, and ADHD.

Combining original research, anecdotes, and a singular compassion, Ungifted proves that anyone - even those without readily observable gifts at any single moment in time - can become great.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2013 Scott Barry Kaufman (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Fascinating… A smart, lucid, and down-to-earth exposition of the underlying neuroscience and the contentious history of theories of intelligence…. Blending incisive analysis with a warm sympathy for intellectual insecurities - and potential - Kaufman demonstrates that even the most ordinary mind is a strange and wondrous gift." (Publishers Weekly)

More like a textbook than I would’ve preferred

Of the 10+ hours invested in listening to this book, I was only captivated / interested / engaged in about 90-120 minutes of material.

Perhaps that’s my bad, maybe not; but I did not enjoy this book as much as I would’ve thought based on the title and description.

Great content for the intellectually curious

..but the audio could be read by a robot..it would be nice of the author had time to read the book.

Story interwoven with research

This is not a "lite" read, nor is it self-help. Rather, it's a truly hearty text of the development of theories of human intelligence. The enticing thread throughout the book is the memoir of the author, which could easily stand alone as a classic bootstrap tale. As a person who myself struggled mightily with the working memory challenges of undiagnosed ADHD despite my "intelligence", I can both relate, and at the least, sympathize, with much of the author's journey. A remarkable book, a heartening story, and a triumph in the field of cognitive psychology.

One of the top five nonfiction books I’ve ever read

I can’t stop telling people about this book and buying it for people. It explains so much of my experience from not being allowed into the gifted program because I participated in a sport for over twenty hours a week as a child, having average ACT and SAT scores yet excelling in college, medical school and my career.

Chapter 3, 10 minutes in

Like a lot of other reviews, I found this book to be very academic. But why Im bothering to write a review is to complain about the audio. The narrator reads like he is at 1.5 speed, very fast and monotone. It was hard to comprehend the content with his reading but at Chapter 3, 10 minutes in, there is an audio glitch where two streams of narration overlap with each other. It really makes me wonder how much time they spent putting this book together.