DAVID SHENK is the national bestselling author of five previous books, including The Forgetting, Data Smog, and most recently, The Immortal Game. He is a correspondent for TheAtlantic.com, and has contributed to National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times, Gourmet, Harper’s, The New Yorker, NPR, and PBS.
"[Shenk] tells engaging stories, lucidly explains complex research
and offers fresh insights in the nature of exceptional
peformance,,,,such efforts have resulted in a deeply interesting
and important book. David Shenk may not be a genius yet, but give
him time."—New York Times Book Review
"Inspired...The Genius in All of Us has quietly blown my
mind."—Salon
“A welcome new book…you’ll find [Shenk] a fluid, easy writer…The
Genius in All of Us is a quick, compelling read.”—The Boston
Globe
"Empowering...myth-busting...highly
readable...entertaining."—Kirkus Reviews
"Intent on burying the concept of inborn genius, Shenk uses the 128
pages of 'The Argument' to drive home how mistaken the notion of
being genetically destined at birth to be a Mozart or a Michael
Jordan is. For genes aren’t the inalterable essences that
environmental effects merely help out; rather, genes and
environment interact to realize a person’s potential in a constant
and complicated process that Shenk attractively exemplifies through
the athletic life of Ted Williams, who began hitting practice at
age six and, equally important, never gave it up; also, considered
to have magically sharp sight, he tested only high normal upon
entering naval aviation—the thing was, he developed himself to, as
Ty Cobb said, 'see more of the ball than any man alive.' En route
to the startling revelation that Lamarckism (variation by
inheritance, not Darwinian natural selection) has truth in it,
after all, Shenk corrects common knowledge about what twin studies
and IQ tests really show; clarifies the arguably most misunderstood
genetics term, heritable; and scientifically revives faith in not
just practice and determination but also parenting and lifestyle as
crucial factors, along with genes, in the realization of talents.
Since this flies in the face of a century of genetic determinism,
Shenk employs the equally engrossing 141 pages of 'The Evidence' to
cite, quote, paraphrase, and comment upon the sources for virtually
every assertion in 'The Argument.'"—Booklist (starred review)
"An inspiring and liberating book. It's a powerful antidote to the
genetic determinism rampant in the Age of the Genome, and an
instructive guide, grounded in science, to living a more enriching
life."
—Steven Johnson, author of The Invention of Air, Ghost Map,
Everything Bad is Good for You, Mind Wide Open, Emergence, and
Interface Culture
"This book, both rigorous and accessible, is a close study of the
idea of genius, an investigation of popular misconceptions about
genetics, and an examination of the American virtue of
self-determination. It is written with assurance, insight,
clarity, and wit."—Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon
(National Book Award Winner, 2001)
"A great book. David Shenk handily dispels the myth that one must
be born a genius. From consistently whacking the ball out of the
park to composing ethereal piano sonatas, Shenk convincingly makes
the case for the potential genius that lies in all of us."—Rudolph
E. Tanzi, Ph.D., Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of
Neurology, Harvard Medical School; Director, Genetics and Aging
Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital
"David Shenk sweeps aside decades of misconceptions about genetics
-- and shows that by overstating the importance of genes, we've
understated the potential of ourselves. This is a persuasive
and inspiring book that will make you think anew about your own
life and our shared future."—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A
Whole New Mind
"In clear, forceful language, backed up by a boatload of science,
David Shenk delivers a message that should be read by every parent,
educator, and policy-maker who cares about the future of our
children. The Genius in All of Us convincingly debunks the "genes
are destiny" argument when it comes to human talent, and will force
you to rethink everything from IQ tests and twins studies to
child-rearing practices. Shenk's book turns Baby Mozart on his
head, and will give pause—a hopeful, empowering pause—to parents
who wish to nurture excellence in their children."—Stephen S. Hall,
author of Wisdom: From Philosophy to Neuroscience
"David Shenk freshens and transforms a familiar subject to reveal
all the interacting forces and factors that make us who we are.
Development is a tricky business and Shenk understands this. By
focusing his considerable writing talents on this terribly
important topic, he has provided parents, policymakers, and
educators with a book that will help them cut through the noise and
make sense of every child's development."—Mark S. Blumberg, Ph.D.,
F. Wendell Miller Professor of
Psychology, University of Iowa; editor-in-chief,
Behavioral Neuroscience; and author, Freaks of Nature: What
Anomalies Tell Us about Development and Evolution
"The importance of David Shenk's book is that he has made
accessible to a wide audience the advances in the understanding of
how each person develops. I congratulate him."—Sir Patrick
Bateson, FRS, Emeritus Professor of Ethology, Cambridge
University; former Biological Secretary of the Royal Society (UK);
and co-author, Design For A Life: How Behaviour Develops
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