Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 153
EAN: 9780743277464
ISBN: 0743277465
Label: Free Press
Manufacturer: Free Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 288
Publication Date: May 20, 2008
Publisher: Free Press
Studio: Free Press

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
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.




Rating: - A nice surprise
Put away any pre-conceived notions if you think you know anything about Josh Waitzkin.

This book is truly from within; gives the reader a refreshing look into the mind of a master of learning. There are tidbits about teachers and styles of teaching that really caught my attention. But more so, there were details about students who have the ability to- but don't- take advantage of the fantastic teachers we have in our lives.

When the author begins speaking about Push Hands, ... Read More

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Rating: - top read
The Art of Learning. The title is presumptuous and not a good fit for the content of the book.
Whatever your endeavor, if you are of a like mind, you will benefit from reading this book. Truth is, even if you don't benefit, it's a very engaging and interesting read. To the right people I always say: "You'll love it!!" I don't recommend it at all to the others. I've given away several copies, including my own and I expect to give away many more.

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Rating: - Terrific guide to hi performance-achievement
The author was the subject of the book/movie Searching for Booby Fisher. Not only is he a National Chess champion, he is also a martial arts champion. He has a very good read on what it takes to get to the ultimate levels of achievement in pretty well everything. I found tremendous insight in this book, and a heightened appreciation for the dedication to detail and performance needed at these levels. I really enjoyed his discussion on "chunking' information and "carved neural pathways" as tools that ... Read More

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Rating: - A Master of "Mastery Learning"
In the subtitle of "The Art of Learning," Josh Waitzkin aptly describes his book as "An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance." It is about his own life's learning processes developed during the mastery of two disciplines. One is intellectual: chess. The other is physical: the martial arts form of Tai Chi Chuan. In the writing of the book, he demonstrates that he is an expert in the process known as "mastery learning" as well as a highly accomplished storyteller and teacher. You'll notice I've emphasized ... Read More

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Rating: - An Excellent Role Model for Success
Josh Waitzkin is absolutely incredible. He has done so much at such a young age. My wife (Jane) and my two children (Cranny and Keet) went to the 25th anniversary conference of SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted)([...]) . Josh spoke at this conference about how he has achieved the success he has achieved in both chess and martial arts. It was clear that his intellectual abilities are exceptional and he is capable of learning to skills quite quickly. The one thing I learned more than anything ... Read More

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