Spark

by Claudia Kalb

Yo-Yo Ma’s ear for music emerged not long after he learned to walk. By the age of seven, he was performing for President Kennedy; by fifteen he debuted at Carnegie Hall. Maya Angelou, by contrast, didn't write her iconic memoir, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings, until she was 40. What propels some individuals to reach extraordinary creative heights in the earliest years of life while others discover their passions decades later? Are prodigies imbued with innate talent? How often are midlife inspirations triggered by propitious events, like Julia Child's first French meal at the age of 36? Do late bloomers reveal their talents because their skills require life experience and contemplation? Through engaging storytelling and intriguing historical and cutting-edge scientific research, best-selling author and acclaimed journalist Claudia Kalb explores these questions to uncover what makes a prodigy and what drives a late bloomer. In this series of linked biographies, Kalb follows the journeys of thirteen remarkable individuals--from Shirley Temple to Alexander Fleming to Eleanor Roosevelt to Bill Gates--to discover the secrets behind their talents. Each possessed a unique arc of inspiration. Each--through science, art, music, theater, and politics--reached extraordinary success at different stages of life. And each offers us a chance to explore the genesis--and experience--of genius.

103 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2023

About the author

Claudia Kalb is a New York Times bestselling author and independent journalist. Her new book, SPARK: How Genius Ignites, From Child Prodigies to Late Bloomers, explores moments of inspiration in 13 great achievers, from Isaac Newton and Yo-Yo Ma to Maya Angelou and Eleanor Roosevelt. (National Geographic Books: April 27, 2021). Through a mix of biography and brain science/psychology, Claudia asks several overarching questions: What are the origins of genius? How do luck, failure, personality, and serendipity play into the arc of discovery? And why do some people reach extraordinary creative heights early in life while others achieve greatness decades later? 

Claudia especially enjoys writing about brain science, culture, psychology, and human behavior. She has written a series of cover stories for National Geographic magazine about genius. Her first book, Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder: Inside the Minds of History’s Great Personalities (National Geographic Books: 2016), delves into the challenges and triumphs of 12 icons, including Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin and Marilyn Monroe.