The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genes, Talent and Intelligence is Wrong: The New Science of Genes, Talent and Human Potential |  | Author: David Shenk
Publisher: Icon Books Ltd
List Price: £14.99
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Rating:  3 reviews
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.3
ISBN: 1848311370
EAN: 9781848311374
Publication Date: April 1, 2010
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Product Description
Offers a look at the science of genetics and the frontiers of human potential. Integrating research from a wide swath of disciplines, this title portrays a fresh view of human potential.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A self-help book with loads of references? What's going on? August 2, 2010
Cheese Steak Jimmy
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The Genius in All of Us traverses a similar path to Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else and Outliers: The Story of Success, but has enough differences to warrant a look. Unlike Gladwell's splendid Outliers, which is more of a journalistic investigation and less aimed at personal development, The Genius in All of Us focusses on the specific type of 'hard practice' that high acheivers perform. Unlike Talent is Overrated, Shenk's focus is less on corporate excellence and more on personal excellence.
Shenk's focus seems more personal (almost -if one can forgive the cliche- existential), and this permeates throughout his work. At one point, he even discusses the struggles he has as a writer, and he clearly puts himself through some punishment in the writing and editing process, re-drafting until he is absolutely happy. As a consequence of his own perfectionism, this book is short, with only half of it being taken up by the actual text- the last half is his notes and references. It is good to see a book in this genre with a flora of referencing; I did however, feel a little cheated when I realised this book was over halfway through (especially after buying the hardback).
Had I been aware of this before hand, I would still have bought the book, and having realised Shenk's network of referencing at the back, I would have worked through his notes concurrently, as they do provide an extra level of analysis. He is also -as far as I am aware- the only author in this genre to tackle the issue of genetics and how they relate to level of performance (he goes as far as to critique the 'monozygotic twin' studies so beloved of Pinker in The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature (Penguin Press Science)). In addition, he also deals nicely with some of the many critiques leveled at Gladwell's thesis about how many hours is required to make someone 'elite'.
Finally, he focusses heavily on the successes of Michael Jordan, but Jordan's success is only part of the story- I would have liked some consideration of Jordan's brief (but disastrous) flirtation with professional Baseball. Why did Jordan's drive not translate into results? Was he too old? I'm quite sure that Shenk's thesis would not be harmed by Jordan's failure, but strengthened, after all, part of the thesis of this book is the embracing of failure.
In the end, this is a well referenced, even-toned book that adds to a growing number of well researched self-help books.
 And, the good news is that no-one is doomed to mediocrity! May 29, 2010
Dr Neil MacNeill (Ellenbrook, Western Australia, Australia)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Shenk: The genius in all of us.
The great thing about Shenk's book is that it casts out the belief in the immutability of intelligence. I grew up with the concept of "g" (general intelligence) and saw its profound effect on education. It suited stratified societies to continue the myth of "g" but it couldn't explain away drive and motivation. Yong Zhao (2009) also warned of the educational problem of high scores, low ability.
In an equation that acknowledges that intelligence is a function of environment (G X E), the triggers for intelligence growth were identified as:
1. Speaking to children early and often;
2. Reading early and often;
3. Nurturance and encouragement;
4. Setting high expectations;
5. Embracing failure;
6. Encouraging a `growth mindset'. (pp. 39-40)
In the story of Suzuki developing a world famous violin pedagogy, his starting point was a faith that every student has enormous potential, and then with parental support that potential is developed.
Shenk says that at birth the parents of the child have two alternatives:
a. The prodigy that is pushed by narcissistic parents, and then fall back into mediocrity in adulthood; or
b. The emotionally balanced child who will gather skills and develop greatness as an adult. Walter Mischel's marshmallow experiment of delayed gratification is still as relevant today as it was thirty years ago.
Epigenetics is an area of genetic study that is developing, and it claims that the effects of events and trauma can be transferred across generations. John Cloud wrote in Time magazine- Why Your DNA Isn't Your Destiny (January 6, 2010).
Shenk's contribution to genetics, education and life is his belief in the plasticity of human potential. All educators need to rejoice at this conclusion, and the book should be compulsory reading for all teachers and aspirant teachers.
Hope for all of us May 3, 2010
Dr. Eli Joseph Jaldow (London, UK)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I liked this book with its positive message of seeing genes not as fatalistic determinants of us as human beings, but as possibilities shaped by the environment (it's not nature vs nurture, it's nature interacting with nurture). Essentially the message is; if you work hard stay focused and believe, you'll get there. I liked the very detailed references provided supporting the well researched claims made by the author.
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