https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h By: David Epstein en-us 2021-12-19 00:10:06 UTC 2024-05-19 08:36:07 UTC hello@padlet.com lhvanleer2 https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955804661 The Genre is sports/non-fiction. The point of this book is to answer the question of why athletes seem to develop differently and if that could be caused by a specific part of the genetic code. Epstein uses real world examples and sourcing relevant scientific journals/studies to investigate this question. ]]> 2021-12-19 19:24:04 UTC https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955804661 lhvanleer2 https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955805159 The Sports Gene uses academic language and at times lots of scientific names (like when describing genes). It isn't really a continuous story, allowing the reader to skip around to chapters without being totally lost, although it is better to just read it in order. I didn't because I wanted to read some of the chapters late in the book because they seemed really interesting. David Epstein uses lots of short stories to help prove his claims. The stories make the academic skewed information much easier to process without getting bored, as the reader becomes interested in the stories (all of which are true) and provides a deeper level of understanding of the message that is present in the chapter, before moving on to the next. ]]> 2021-12-19 19:24:42 UTC https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955805159 lhvanleer2 https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955805232 Reading The Sports Gene has initiated some interest in learning more about genes, and provided me insight on how athletic performance isn't as simple as "working harder=getting better results". It has provided me with a new perspective on athletics as well. I am a competitive-minded person and pretty hard on myself when I see that despite my work that I'm not progressing as fast as I think I should. So the knowledge that not all of that is under my control is almost relieving, as I now know that there is genetic makeup determining how drastically people respond to a training stimulus.]]> 2021-12-19 19:24:49 UTC https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955805232 lhvanleer2 https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955805615 In the chapter "The Heartbreak Gene" Epstein starts it by recalling the story of Kevin, a kid he knew when he went to ETHS who ended up dying on the track after giving his all to race. By starting the chapter off with such a moving and tragic story he draws in the reader by making them wonder what could have possibly led to such an outcome for such a healthy athlete. He then dives into the genealogy and scientific parts of the incident and what caused it, all while still giving more information about Kevin and his life and family. He weaves the technical and the personal information together so well that the reader feels like they are reading a story, not necessarily learning about how someone's genes decide their fate. ]]> 2021-12-19 19:25:20 UTC https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955805615 lhvanleer2 https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955827466 A good story is anything that the reader is unable to put down, and is different for everyone. Epstein achieves this in his chapter about Kevin and 'The Heartbreak Gene' by making me curious and wanting the information that he is about to provide. He doesn't just state "this genetic mutation will make electrical signals cross and short circuit your heart if you run too hard," he gives a story about a good kid who, while chasing his goals, ended up giving his life for them while not knowing the risk he was putting himself in. The tragedy of the situation and the fact that it seemingly came out of nowhere made me wonder if there was any way that such a tragedy could have been prevented. Kevin had other interests aside from track and while some athletes might choose to keep running, if he had known about the defective gene putting him at risk when his heart beats too fast, then he might have chosen to not risk his life and instead pursue his other ambitions. By using a short story, Epstein showed why awareness of genetic information matters, connecting back to the main educational theme of the book and keeping the reader interested.]]> 2021-12-19 19:53:48 UTC https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1955827466 lhvanleer2 https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1956072126 "A large body of evidence says that early specialization is not required to make it to the highest level in many sports, but should perhaps be actively avoided." 

This quote provided me with insight, as I've always thought that the earlier you focus down and specialize on one thing the better at that one thing you'll get. It makes sense when you think about it like that, but now I realize I was leaving out an important part - because sports often overlap. Being a better overall athlete can help someone succeed more in their specific sport. ]]> 2021-12-20 01:23:44 UTC https://padlet.com/lhvanleer2/y4mswsrvt5gegc0h/wish/1956072126