The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance

by Josh Waitzkin

Book Overview

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.

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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743277465
• ISBN13: 9780743277464
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding overview of the learning process for thinkers

As an educator and Myers Briggs NT type, I found this book to be inspirational and insightful as it reinforced many of my own experiences with learning and teaching. Josh weaves the concepts together with his personal story in a very engaging manner. The stories illustrate the application of the learning principles quite well, in my opinion. The concepts are defined enough for my taste, while being flexible/loose enough for application to other fields of endeavor. I wish perhaps that he had spent more time talking about the hard work of showing up every day, but most people probably won't find that of interest since it's the peaks we all like to celebrate. And anyway, he does frequently reference the fact that it took an extreme commitment on his (and his partners') part to achieve his results. Book-learners would probably profit greatly from the application of the principles in this book. I'm not so sure I could say whether other learning modes would benefit directly although I think the principles would still be present in some form or another. On another level, Josh's book made me think a lot about how I reacted to situations in life where I expected more ethical/moral/considerate/professional/courteous behavior from others. And then I thought more about those times I was the, well-jerk... Highly recommended for those who love to experience beyond the superficial.

Interesting, Well Written, and Mistitled

I liked The Art of Learning, was impressed with how well Josh W writes, and learned a few things. He tells a good story and is skilled with pacing and drama. It's hard not to be in awe of the guy's drive and talent, though I was still left with a lingering bad taste of him being a little too taken with himself. Given his huge talent and success from such an early age, who can blame him for some self-absorption, but it still took away a bit from the book. Also note, the book is mistitled: Me and The Art of Competition would have been more appropriate. I didn't mind this, but just know what you're getting. I found the extreme awareness Josh has to an opponent's "tells" [ Marshall Glickman Author Beyond the Breath: Extraordinary Mindfulness Through Whole-Body Vipassana Meditation (Tuttle Publishing)

Warrior of the Mind Turns Martial Artist

Josh Waitzkin transformed himself from a warrior of the mind into a top-level tai chi martial arts practitioner. This is somewhat an unusual, as many/most chess players (with a few exceptions) appear to be pallid who would get sand kicked in their faces at the beach. (Too much library and study time, perhaps.) You may recall that Josh Waitzkin was the main character in the best selling book and popular movie, "Searching for Bobby Fischer." As a chess prodigy, he received intense publicity and attention, which wore thin on him as he progressed into his late teens and early 20s. Even though he was a top level chess player, the pace of his progression did not advance to the point where he was challenging Garry Kasparov or anyone else for the world championship. Being under the microscope became tiring, so he shifted his focus into tai chi. This book is an unusual and difficult one to categorize. It is part autobiography, part chess memoir, part martial arts philosophy. Essentially, Waitzkin offers his own approach to becoming a student and applying certain disciplines and habits toward learning and eventually mastering any skill. Your mileage may vary, but for a 29 year old, Waitzkin's insights seem mature beyond his years. It is almost unfair for a young person to be so accomplished and insightful, and I mean that as a complement. In many ways, "The Art of Learning" reminded me of "Flow" by Mihaly Csiksentmihaly. Focusing on the task and hand in getting better at it rather than obsessing over results and outcomes can be a liberating experience, paving the way toward learning and eventual mastery. Whether you are a chess player or martial arts practitioner, "The Art of Learning" is a very effective study in one approach to building your skills in any realm. The book could have benefited from both an index and bullet-point suggestions for the reader, but these are minor quibbles regarding what is an excellent book.

A narrative too meaningful to miss

I heard Josh interviewed on NPR recently. Before the show was completed I ordered his book; The Art of Learning. Having just finished my first reading, the pages are heavily highlighted and the margins are drenched in notes. This is a narrative too meaningful to miss, rich in the human experience. The application of his life experiences go beyond chess and martial arts. Josh's struggles and his victories may be on a different level than most but you will resonate with the humanity, as I did. I have worked in critical care nursing for many years and the intensity can at times be overwhelming. This leads many to burn-out and leave the profession. The insights Josh provides in this book should be an integral part of nursing education. Concepts such as investment in loss, using adversity, and making sandals, are tools I now employ in the workplace challenges I face. I know these ideas could help others whether you are a nurse committed to healing, a business person closing a deal, or a parent raising a child. Healing is invoking the will to live in others--Josh has done that for me in this work.

Refreshing, Honest and Well balanced

Josh eloquently escorts the reader through the process of becoming a champion. He is very candid in his demystification of how one becomes a master. In a very lively manner Josh describes the hard work, the setbacks, self examination, and the lessons which are the steps to mastery. "Kung Fu" is after all an accumulation of work which one puts in to practice. Josh's accounts are full of dedication and devotion to these discilpines and the love of the art and the creative process with which he soars after building his fundamentals. It's his love and enthusiasm that comes through on each page and makes this book so enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone who is willing to work towards mastery of an art form or sport. Michael Krubiner