The Sports Gene

David Epstein, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated at the time, uses investigative reporting to test how much genetics and how much training explain athletic success. He weighs anecdotes on both sides of the nature versus nurture debate against statistical studies, and he questions the 10,000-hour rule that early, rigorous practice is the only route to excellence. Some traits that seem innate, like a baseball hitter's quick reactions, turn out not to be, while the drive to practice may be partly genetic. Epstein also examines why Jamaicans excel in the 100 meters and Kalenjin runners in the marathon, traveling to Jamaica with geneticist Yannis Pitsiladis. It became a New York Times science best seller.

Peter Attia called it a fantastic book, and Readable founder Gabriel Coarna said it convinced him never to tell a child that wanting something badly and working hard is enough to reach a dream, at least in sports.