The Art of Learning

The Art of Learning
Josh Waitzkin
Free Press
ISBN: 978-0-7432-7746-4
Non Fiction, Memoir
Reviewed by Kate Greenwood

In The Art of Learning, Josh Waitzkin narrates his journey to becoming a world class competitor in chess and Tai Chi. Waitzkin’s book, however, surpasses a traditional memoir in that he not only shares his life story but he also readily shares the techniques and strategies that helped him triumph.
Waitzkin writes with the wisdom and wherewithal of someone twice his age. He translates complicated chessic and martial art moves into prose easily understood by the general public. His secrets to success were developed for his pursuits however he makes them applicable to everyday life, such as succeeding in the corporate world or winning a baseball game. Waitzkin easily motivates the reader to use the art of learning in their own quest to optimal performance. As a competitive runner in high school, I struggled with many of the distractions that Waitzkin experienced, so much so that I made myself sick before every big event. How I wish I’d had a resource such as this book to assist me in my mental training.
One thing that resonates from this book is that the strategies that Waitzkin uses transcend all boundaries as he teaches the reader how to go from being mediocre to elite. Waitzkin summarizes his experience well in the following excerpt: “One thing I have learned as a competitor is that there are clear distinctions between what it takes to be decent, what it takes to be good, what it takes to be great, and what it takes to be among the best. If your goal is to be mediocre, then you have a considerable margin of error”. The Art of Learning should be read by anyone hoping to take their mediocre life and kick it up a notch!