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Range

How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

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Range

By: David Epstein
Narrated by: Will Damron
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About this listen

'A gold mine of surprising insights. Makes you smarter with every page' – James Clear, bestselling author of Atomic Habits

The essential guide to improving your performance, and a powerful argument for how to succeed in any field: develop broad interests and skills while everyone around you is rushing to specialize.

Instant Sunday Times and New York Times Bestseller
Shortlisted for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award
A Financial Times Essential Read


From the ‘10,000 hours' rule to the power of tiger parenting, we have been taught that success in any field requires early specialization and many hours of deliberate practice. If you only dabble or delay, you'll never catch up with those who got a head start.

This is completely wrong.

In this landmark book, David Epstein shows you that the way to succeed is by sampling widely, gaining a breadth of experiences, taking detours, experimenting relentlessly and juggling interests – this is the power of developing range.

Studying the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors and scientists, Epstein demonstrates why, in most fields. generalists, not specialists are primed to excel.

In the years since its initial release, Range has challenged the status quo, reshaped career paths and changed lives. Listen it to view the world differently.

'I loved Range' – Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Outliers and The Tipping Point

'Fascinating . . . if you're a generalist who has ever felt overshadowed by your specialist colleagues, this book is for you' – Bill Gates

Creativity & Genius Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Inspiring Computer Science

Critic Reviews

I think his ideas even help explain some of Microsoft’s success, because we hired people who had real breadth within their field and across domains. If you’re a generalist who has ever felt overshadowed by your specialist colleagues, this book is for you (Bill Gates)
A goldmine of surprising insights. Makes you smarter with every page (James Clear, New York Times bestselling author of Atomic Habits)
A captivating read that will leave you questioning the next steps in your career — and the way you raise your children (Adam Grant, author of Originals and Think Again)
David Epstein manages to make me thoroughly enjoy the experience of being told that everything I thought about something was wrong. I loved Range (Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers)
An urgent and important book, an essential read for bosses, parents, coaches, and anyone who cares about improving performance (Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell is Human)
It’s a joy to spend hours in the company of a writer as gifted as David Epstein. And the joy is all the greater when that writer shares so much crucial and revelatory information about performance, success, and education (Susan Cain, author of Quiet)
Extraordinary
The storytelling is so dramatic, the wielding of data so deft and the lessons so strikingly framed … [it’s] a pleasure to read . . . Range offers such a wealth of thought-provoking material
Fabulous . . . If you are interested in champions' journeys, this is for you (Judy Murray on Twitter)
Masterful. Perfect holiday reading (Dr Adam Rutherford, scientist, writer and broadcaster)
Anyone contemplating a change of career late in life will find Range immensely reassuring. If you calculate that you don't have 10,000 hours left in which you can reasonably practice, you can use your range to connect ideas and use your varied experience (Daniel Finkelstein, The Times)
Brilliant, timely, and utterly impossible to put down. If you care about improving skill, innovation, and performance, you need to read this book (Daniel Coyle, author of The Talent Code)
Range elevates Epstein to one of the very best science writers at work today. The scope of the book—and the implications—are breathtaking (Sebastian Junger, filmmaker and author of The Perfect Storm)
One of the most thought-provoking and enlightening books I’ve read (Maria Konnikova, poker player and author of The Confidence Game)
I want to give Range to . . . everyone who wants humans to thrive in an age of robots. Range is full of surprises and hope, a 21st century survival guide (Amanda Ripley, author of The Smartest Kids in the World. )
All stars
Most relevant
Great book. i would have liked to see more business examples and less science examples.

loved it

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really enjoyed this, narrator is great. information well put together and wide ranging! highly recommend for people with varied interests or who have kids

great book especially if your a ranger

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Great read, early chapters were a bit difficult to read sometimes as not all the examples seem relevant or necessary to the point of the book. However if you are patient enough the book would reward you generously

to the patient it rewards you handsomely

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Will change the way you think. A fantastic book that provides enormous insight into the way we think and live.

Must read!!

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the author digs into the subject from multiple angles. well researched and cohesive narrative. something I felt to be true by instinct but couldn't find support in popular narrative. glad I listened to this book

Brilliant book

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