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Range: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World / The Sports Gene
Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
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About the author
David Epstein
15 books1,918 followersDavid Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene. His next book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, will be published on May 5, 2026. He has master's degrees in environmental science and journalism and has worked as a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and investigative reporter for ProPublica.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 19, 2023
The theme of “Range” is simply that generalists often do better than specialists, even in niche topics like sports, musical performance, or research and development. It resuscitates old ideas that original thinking comes from inspiration, not just perspiration; that too much (deep) education can be a bad thing, while just reading broadly is enormously valuable even when not directed.
Many people I know have read and talked about this book: from colleagues at work to one of my online guitar instructors. Many of them have said something like, “this is a flawed book that could use editing, but it spoke to me and made me feel better about my chaotic, disorganized approach to life and learning”. Or at least, that’s how I feel about it, and I’ve interpreted the feedback of others based on that.
I almost didn’t finish reading the first time through because I thought it bogged down and became repetitive after chapter 7. But I plowed through to Chapter 11, which is about how data-driven organizations full of deep technical expertise and using rigorous processes can fail spectacularly. Suddenly I found myself questioning the entire tech industry and how these ideas can be applied. It was enough that I read the book again and started recommending it widely. The second time through, I noticed even more flaws: the anecdotes often can be interpreted as the opposite of the author’s intent completely. But I also more deeply understood its message about the complexity of the real world and how context is good, even when it increases ambiguity. I also think the book itself may reflect the theme of Chapter 4, that we learn better when we struggle with the material.
If you can’t get through all of it, read to 7, and then read chapter 11 if you work at any large organization. I've now read this book three times and I find a wealth of useful ways of thinking about the arc of life and career.
Many people I know have read and talked about this book: from colleagues at work to one of my online guitar instructors. Many of them have said something like, “this is a flawed book that could use editing, but it spoke to me and made me feel better about my chaotic, disorganized approach to life and learning”. Or at least, that’s how I feel about it, and I’ve interpreted the feedback of others based on that.
I almost didn’t finish reading the first time through because I thought it bogged down and became repetitive after chapter 7. But I plowed through to Chapter 11, which is about how data-driven organizations full of deep technical expertise and using rigorous processes can fail spectacularly. Suddenly I found myself questioning the entire tech industry and how these ideas can be applied. It was enough that I read the book again and started recommending it widely. The second time through, I noticed even more flaws: the anecdotes often can be interpreted as the opposite of the author’s intent completely. But I also more deeply understood its message about the complexity of the real world and how context is good, even when it increases ambiguity. I also think the book itself may reflect the theme of Chapter 4, that we learn better when we struggle with the material.
If you can’t get through all of it, read to 7, and then read chapter 11 if you work at any large organization. I've now read this book three times and I find a wealth of useful ways of thinking about the arc of life and career.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews