On 2010-03-01 Kevin Partridge, San Diego, CA USA wrote: Ok, I´m not really comparing this book to Herman Hesse´s Siddhartha. Siddhartha is a classic in literature and I don´t mean to falsely compare. Although, there is an interesting parallel. Some reviewers think that this book is too narrowly focused on Mr. Waitzin´s experiences. Others believe it to be too amorphous. Either way, if one believes either of the opposing views then Siddhartha (and a lot of other classics) would hold absolutely no value to them.
Some of us already know some of the truths in this book. We´ve applied them throughout our lives. But maybe we didn´t consciously recognize them. As such these truths would be hard to improve upon or pass on to others. It is also valuable to hear them enunciated by another. I plan to buy this book for 4 friends. It is my hope that this book will provide some introspection for them to continue their accomplishments. I don´t doubt these same people would continue to excel but it is useful to have a coach point to areas of focus and other paths to learning.
Yes, this book is ´vague´ in some respects. If you are looking for a book on mental tricks to learning and a step-by-step guide then this book is not right for you. You are looking in the wrong area. If you want more personal advice then you probably need to enlist a coach of the type used by Mr. Waitzkin and other top performers. This book is more along the lines of ´Chess Praxis´ than ´Bobby Fisher Teaches Chess.´
Take this book as an introduction to improving your performance in any endeavor and life in general.
As someone that also values mental and physical pursuits I value the cross pollinated discussion of the two.. And summed up by saying May not be for everyone but neither is Siddhartha. Currently The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance has an overall rating of 8 over 10.
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Free Press claimed Josh Waitzkin knows what it means to be at the top of his game. A public figure since winning his first National Chess Championship at the age of nine, Waitzkin was catapulted into a media whirlwind as a teenager when his father´s book Searching for Bobby Fischer was made into a major motion picture. After dominating the scholastic chess world for ten years, Waitzkin expanded his horizons, taking on the martial art Tai Chi Chuan and ultimately earning the title of World Champion. How was he able to reach the pinnacle of two disciplines that on the surface seem so different? ´I´ve come to realize that what I am best at is not Tai Chi, and it is not chess,´ he says. ´What I am best at is the art of learning.´In his riveting new book, The Art of Learning, Waitzkin tells his remarkable story of personal achievement and shares the principles of learning and performance that have propelled him to the top -- twice.With a narrative that combines heart-stopping martial arts wars and tense chess face-offs with life lessons that speak to all of us, The Art of Learning takes readers through Waitzkin´s unique journey to excellence. He explains in clear detail how a well-thought-out, principled approach to learning is what separates success from failure. Waitzkin believes that achievement, even at the championship level, is a function of a lifestyle that fuels a creative, resilient growth process. Rather than focusing on climactic wins, Waitzkin reveals the inner workings of his everyday method, from systematically triggering intuitive breakthroughs, to honing techniques into states of remarkable potency, to mastering the art of performance psychology.Through his own example, Waitzkin explains how to embrace defeat and make mistakes work for you. Does your opponent make you angry? Waitzkin describes how to channel emotions into creative fuel. As he explains it, obstacles are not obstacles but challenges to overcome, to spur the growth process by turning weaknesses into strengths. He illustrates the exact routines that he has used in all of his competitions, whether mental or physical, so that you too can achieve your peak performance zone in any competitive or professional circumstance.In stories ranging from his early years taking on chess hustlers as a seven year old in New York City´s Washington Square Park, to dealing with the pressures of having a film made about his life, to International Chess Championships in India, Hungary, and Brazil, to gripping battles against powerhouse fighters in Taiwan in the Push Hands World Championships, The Art of Learning encapsulates an extraordinary competitor´s life lessons in a page-turning narrative.
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