David Epstein

David Epstein discusses his book, "Range", with Daniel Pink at Politics and Prose.

In The Sports Gene, Epstein explored what goes into the making of top athletes. His new book builds on that research, revealing the factors that enable people to excel not only in sports but in the arts, business, and science. Many of Epstein’s findings counter prevailing assumptions—achievement does not depend on early specialization, for instance. Rather, generalists are often the most creative, flexible, and innovative thinkers; when they find their calling late, they bring to it a wealth of useful experience, as well as the ability to make connections others don’t see. This is especially true in the digital age, when computers are mastering skills once reserved for humans. In such an atmosphere, specialists silo themselves but those who think broadly can thrive. Epstein will be in conversation with Daniel H. Pink, author most recently of When.

David Epstein is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene. He has master's degrees in environmental science and journalism and has worked as an investigative reporter for ProPublica and a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He lives in Washington, D.C.

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Produced by Tom Warren