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The cover of The Genius in All of Us

The Genius in All of Us

David Shenk, 2010

See why talent is a process rather than a gift, and learn what genes, environment and years of deliberate practice actually contribute to anyone's ability.

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10 parts, about 22 minutes to read.

Why read it

  • Argues that talent is a process built by genes interacting with environment, not a fixed inheritance
  • Gives parents practical guideposts: believe ability can be built, support without smothering, and cultivate persistence
  • Draws on brain scans, twin studies and elite athletics to take apart claims about innate gifts

Who it is for

  • Parents wondering how to nurture a child's abilities
  • Teachers who distrust labels like gifted and average
  • Adults convinced they lack natural talent

What the summary covers

  1. Ted Williams, The Kid2 min
  2. Genes 2.02 min
  3. Intelligence Is a Process2 min
  4. The End of “Giftedness”3 min
  5. What Twin Studies Show2 min
  6. Ethnicity, Genes, Culture, and Success3 min
  7. Cultivating Greatness2 min
  8. What Parents Can Do3 min
  9. A Culture of Excellence1 min
  10. Lifestyle Can Alter Heredity2 min

Recommended by

  • Steven JohnsonAuthor of Emergence and Everything Bad Is Good for You
    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.
  • Daniel H. PinkAuthor of Drive and A Whole New Mind
    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.
  • Rudolph E. TanziProfessor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School
    A great book. David Shenk handily dispels the myth that one must be born a genius.
  • Andrew SolomonAuthor of The Noonday Demon
    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.

About the author

  • David ShenkWriter, lecturer and songwriter
    • Graduated from Brown University in 1988
    • Joined The Atlantic as a correspondent in mid 2009
    • His book The Forgetting won first prize at the British Medical Association's Popular Medical Book Awards in 2001
    • His term data smog was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2004

Read it alongside

  • Puts it into practicePeak

    David Shenk, following Anders Ericsson, holds that top performers are separated by practice that pushes past the current level; Ericsson and Robert Pool describe how to practice that way, with clear goals, monitored progress and feedback.

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