The Sports Gene

What makes an athlete a superstar? We tend to assume they are either genetic freaks or normal people who by sheer force of will and obsessive training overcame their innate biology. But the truth is far messier than a simple dichotomy between nature and nurture. David Epstein shows why it is highly unlikely that so-called genetic freaks are singularly endowed with superior athletic prowess and just as unlikely that individuals with few or none of the requisite athletic genes will be great, no matter how hard they work. Combining groundbreaking genetics research with an engaging narrative approach, Epstein reveals that the nature means little without the nurture and vice versa.