Reviews for Grit
by Angela Duckworth
Library Journal
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What is grit? According to Duckworth (psychology, Univ. of Pennsylvania), a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, grit is a combination of passion and perseverance. Like Carol S. Dweck in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Duckworth studied why some people succeed and how then to foster that quality in ourselves. She draws conclusions from a range of groups, including West Point cadets and National Spelling Bee contenders, and famous figures such as Charles Darwin, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, and educator and activist Geoffrey Canada. Duckworth's theory is that successful people must have grit, as measured in her "Grit Scale." Successful gritty people share common traits: an interest, capacity to practice, purpose, and hope. She stresses the importance of fostering a passion (which cannot be forced) and then deliberately practicing to grow it: you can grow your own grit. Parents therefore should praise children for their effort, not natural talent, and make sure the children find and stay with interests. Verdict An excellent choice for parents and teachers but also should appeal to anyone seeking an accessible and inspirational guide on the path to success.-Elizabeth Safford, Boxford Town Lib., MA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Gumption: it's not just for readers of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, as this debut book, blending anecdote and science, statistic and yarn, capably illustrates. If you're so smart, why aren't you rich? It could be, to trust MacArthur fellow Duckworth, that you're just not working hard enoughwhich is to say, you just don't have enough grit. That old-fashioned term, appropriated by a newfangled scholar, is meant to combine the notions of passion, persistence, and hard work in more or less equal measure. That passion, Duckworth argues, "begins with intrinsically enjoying what you do." Self-confidence figures into the equation, the assuredness that you have the ability to do what you do with at least some measure of success; but then, the ability to cope with failure, dust yourself off, and try again comes into play as well. Duckworth makes great effort to downplay any idea of innate talent in favor of improvement and mastery that come from digging in and doing it. "If we overemphasize talent," she urges, "we underemphasize everything else." In the nature vs. nurture controversy, the author sides with nurture, and there's more than a little of the tiger mom in the prescriptions she dispenses for education. But on that note, she writes, teachers who are demanding may "produce measurable year-to-year gains in the academic skills of their students." But throw a little love, supportiveness, and respect into the mix, and you build better people. For Duckworth, there should be no trophies for just showing up. When she writes of hard work in building the "gritty person," she means hard work, as evidenced by her close study of West Pointers during their first and worst year, when 20 percent of the students drop out in a cohort carefully selected for their ability to stay on task until the task is done. Not your grandpa's self-help book, but Duckworth's text is oddly encouraging, exhorting us to do better by trying harder, and a pleasure to read. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Psychology professor Duckworth's previous work with the competitive global management firm, McKinsey & Company, and a prestigious MacArthur fellowship attest to her own grittiness as she presents a solid foundation for an engaging investigation into grit that is, how the combination of determination and desire affects chances of reaching a chosen goal. With research on activities ranging from sports to spelling bees and contestants from children to adults, Duckworth presents data, charts, and notes connected to real people who showed exceptional achievement in various areas as she assesses proof of a person's grit factor in predicting success. Discussions about the daily commitment required to sustain high degrees of excellence and the consistency of key insights across disciplines further illustrate the author's conclusions. Unlike innate talent, grit is a quality that can be increased by individuals and also encouraged to grow in others. With strong appeal for readers of Daniel H. Pink, Malcolm Gladwell, and Susan Cain, this is a must-have.--Hayman, Stacey Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal
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Duckworth (psychology, Univ. of Pennsylvania; Key to Success) grew up hearing, "You know, you're no genius!" from her own father; she didn't even qualify for the gifted and talented program in third grade. In 2013, the MacArthur Foundation overturned her father's judgment, awarding her one of the fellowships commonly known as "genius grants" for proving that passion and perseverance-the stuff of grit-is more important than innate talent, more effective than so-called genius. Duckworth's latest combines decades of research with personal narrative, everyday and famous examples, accessible research in layperson's language, and solid narrative skill to enlighten, teach, inspire, and champion the efficacy of grit to improve just about every facet of listeners' lives. Get to know why "effort counts twice," deliberate practice and achieving more flow are essential, finding purpose is more than just a job, and more. That Duckworth herself narrates underscores her commitment, her insight, her grit. VERDICT An ideal acquisition for all libraries working to engage patrons.-Terry Hong, Smithsonian -BookDragon, Washington, DC © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
What makes high achievers successful, MacArthur Fellow Duckworth writes, is grit-a "combination of passion and perseverance"-coupled to their raw talent. Talent is important, she acknowledges, but talent multiplied by grit is what builds skill, and skill multiplied by grit equals achievement. Duckworth believes that talent or genius is innate, but "grit grows." In three sections, she defines grit, then shows how it can develop "from the outside in" and "from the inside out." She mixes descriptions of her own experience with notable success stories, such as that of quarterback Steve Young, and discoveries in psychology, creating a highly readable guide to achievement. "This book has been my way of taking you out for a coffee and telling you what I know," Duckworth concludes. She includes a self-assessment quiz, advice from Warren Buffet on identifying personal goals, and a chapter devoted to the ideal parenting style-a combination of supportive and demanding-for those who want to encourage the development of grit in their children. This is an informative and inspiring contribution to the literature of success. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.