Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning
Tom Vanderbilt
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning
Tom Vanderbilt
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Vanderbilt doesn’t try to gloss the hard facts about learning and ageing—babies learn best of all—but he offers some cautious reasons for hope, and shows that learning at any age is good for you.
There’s a certain poignancy to reading Beginners at the end of 2020, when merely going to the grocery store qualifies as an 'exposure event,' and the spirit of adventure has been largely eclipsed by the matter of survival.
Following a standard trope, Vanderbilt dedicates a chapter or so to each pursuit, using his personal narrative, rich in obligatory self-deprecation and infectious excitement, to introduce relevant scientific studies.
Accessible and highly informative, the book is a fast-paced exploration of the science of skill acquisition and a delightful account of journalist Vanderbilt's personal adventures among fellow new learners.
... relentlessly cheerful.
...he describes frankly (and humorously) the embarrassment that comes with repeated failures as well as quiet triumphs.
... charming.