Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice

Author(s): Matthew Syed

Sport | Sports & Recreation

Can we really ALL be the best? Is the idea of innate ability holding us back? Could the ability to fail - and then get over it - be fundamental to success? Matthew Syed, bestselling writer and international table-tennis champion (after many hours of practice) takes us on a revelatory exploration of being the best and the true nature of talent. In so doing he debunks many cherished myths - that we can be born brilliant (and that child prodigies prove it); that we are restricted by our genetic make-up; and that social background matters. He also makes some surprising discoveries, including the impact on performance of intense religious belief, why athletes and others 'choke' and how a Hungarian man turned his daughters into three of the best chess players in history. Entertaining, provoking and positive, Bounce reveals how we can ALL be exceptional.


Product Information

Winner of British Sports Book Awards: Best New Writer 2011. Shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2010.

'A gripping examination of the hidden forces that come together in the making of a champion.' Michael Atherton, former England cricket captain 'A fascinating subject and Syed is a dazzling writer.' Owen Slot, The Times 'I love this book. A must-read if you have ever wondered what sets the super-achievers and the rest of us apart - in any field, not just in sport. I only wish I had read it when I was fifteen.' Gabby Logan, BBC presenter and former international gymnast 'Intellectually stimulating and hugely enjoyable at a stroke! Challenged some of my most cherished beliefs about life and success.' Jonathan Edwards, triple jump world record holder 'Cutting-edge analysis and devastatingly argued.' Mark Thomas, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at University College London 'Compelling and, at times, exhilarating - Bounce explains high achievement in sport, business and beyond.' Michael Sherwood, Chief Executive, Goldman Sachs International

Matthew Syed is an award-winning journalist on the times, writing for both the sports pages and the comment pages. He is a three-time Commonwealth table-tennis champion and competed in two Olympics. He studied PPE at Balliol College Oxford where he was awarded a prize-winning first class degree.

General Fields

  • : 9780007350544
  • : HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • : Harper Element
  • : 0.216
  • : January 2011
  • : 197mm X 130mm
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Matthew Syed
  • : Paperback
  • : 1107
  • : en
  • : 796.01
  • : very good
  • : 272