Hi Everyone!
I'm very late to the party here, and freely admit to the fact that I have only skimmed through the book (xmas present) and this discussion. But I had such a strong negative reaction to the book that I put it in the "To be returned' pile after perhaps 15 minutes of browsing.
My quick take on the book was that it was more important to be in the right place at the right time for success, rather than natural ability, talent, or IQ. In particular, he sites birthdates for hockey players as the greatest prediction of success. Hockey player born in the beginning of January, according to the author, hold a greater chance of being successful in hockey, than a hockey player born later in the year. Here is a quote:
Most parents, one suspects, think that whatever disadvantage a younger child faces in kindergarten eventually goes away. But it doesn't. It's just like in hockey. The small initial advantage that the child born in the early part of the year has over the child born at the end of the year persists. It locks children into patterns of achievement and underachievement, encouragement and discouragement, that stretch on and on for years. p. 28
This would be equivalent to advocating academic redshirting, in my book. He thinks that all kids are equal, and that a few months advantage in age will make all of the difference. Similarly, all kids are born with the same talent for hockey. Sheer size, in his opinion, makes all of the difference. I took him to task on this and looked up the Hockey Hall of Fame web site. Starting with 2008 and working backwards, I recorded the birthdates of the players who were inducted into the Hall of Fame. I went back 40 years (and at least 80 players), and other than Wayne Gretzky and one other person, there were no other January birthdays. Plenty of Octobers, Septembers, Junes, etc. I think his argument just doesn't hold. Maybe it holds for an average team with average player, say in high school, where size and practice have a small effect. But it completely excludes the idea that someone could be born with a natural talent that pushes them above the curve.
Bleck! I freely admit to forming an opinion based solely on the beginning of the book. By page 28, I was so frustrated that I hurled the book across the room. I was also probably influenced by the fact that the good friend who gave it to me usually sends me these odd books, such as dream symbols and interpretation (my last birthday present). Though we are very close friends, our reading material tends to differ dramatically!! Chris, please do let me know if the book improves in the later pages. I will happily go back and revisit it if you, or anyone else, found it interesting.
