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andyyoo127's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Awesome book about how mindsets can affect the outcome like playing to win and taking risks vs playing to not lose and avoiding risk. Taking risk in competitions is usually better because avoiding mistakes leads to more mistakes. And viewing experiences a challenge to push oneself produces better outcomes than feeling threatened by losing. Challenge or threat mindset. Lastly, uncertainty in the competition is what makes it appealing. Even if you lose, the uncertainty is better than a life preplanned
kymme's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't expect to like this book, thinking prior to reading that I didn't much believe in competition. It reminded me why competition can be valuable (the East Germany example being quite convincing), but more important for me was the information about gendered ways of handling competition, the way girls will be spurred on to do better when surrounded by people with higher standards/abilities, while boys are more likely to shut down if the competition is pretty far from where they are. Also girls work better in pairs versus groups, while boys do better in groups. Surely these and other shared findings don't apply to every person, but the findings were compelling enough that I'm thinking about how I could use that information to sort out groups/partner work in my college classes.
mdrfromga's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating, though sometimes long, review of the literature on competition.
My appreciation of competition - in all its forms (sports being a small set) has grown.
Well worth the read.
My appreciation of competition - in all its forms (sports being a small set) has grown.
Well worth the read.
virginiaduan's review against another edition
4.0
Not as gripping as Nurtureshock but still chockful of useful info. Plus, it's always nice when half the book is endnotes so you're done much faster than anticipated. I expect to see more chapters excerpted in the New York Times.
blckngld18's review against another edition
3.0
was hoping for more information that would HELP me win.....but it pretty much told me why I suck hahaah
todstrick's review against another edition
4.0
Some interesting insights. Well written and presented.
18thstjoe's review
5.0
Excellent book, particularly on the value of testosterone. best thing I've read this year so far
ahnmur's review
3.0
I was underwhelmed by the quality of this book while still surprised by the content. The authors made claims in the introduction regarding everything I would come to understand, and in some ways I feel the actual content under-delivered (they would've been better off being a little more humble, and I'd have been left more satisfied...). That being said, I appreciated my shift in understanding. I am definitely more supportive of competition in society in general; given that I likely participated in the "unfair vilification" of competition prior to reading this, I've come pretty far.
I also respected that this was co-authored by both a man and woman. A significant part of the book is devoted to discussing differences in competitive fire between the genders, and such a touchy subject was better handled by two authors than by, say, a lone male author (which would have upset me).
I intend to re-read the sections based on teamwork again, as the findings discussed there were very valuable.
I also respected that this was co-authored by both a man and woman. A significant part of the book is devoted to discussing differences in competitive fire between the genders, and such a touchy subject was better handled by two authors than by, say, a lone male author (which would have upset me).
I intend to re-read the sections based on teamwork again, as the findings discussed there were very valuable.
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