New book arriving May 5, 2026: Inside the box

“Epstein is one of the best science writers on the planet, and he shows how smart boundaries can unblock insight, unleash creativity, and unlock potential.”

— Adam Grant, bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again

Coming May 5, 2026 | READ MORE

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ABOUT DAVID

David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the bestseller The Sports Gene. He has master's degrees in environmental science and journalism and has worked as an investigative reporter for ProPublica and a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He lives in Washington, DC.

“It’s a joy to spend hours in the company of a writer as gifted as David Epstein.” —Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet

Range

“Urgent and important. . . an essential read for bosses, parents, coaches, and anyone who cares about improving performance.”

—Daniel H. Pink

Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule.

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