This was on my reading list because of the author's take on the 'mastery in 10,000 hours' meme. This itch was satisfyingly scratched, and the rest of the book was just so-so.

Several examples and anecdotes show that 10,000 hours of practice is most effective in situations where the rules are mostly fixed or the outcome predictable. Chance situations usually foil this.

The rest of the book focuses on these chance situations and suggestions for making yourself (or your business) available for them. This section is filled with anecdotes and stories, which confuse the issue somewhat. A leaner book would be the more accessible result.

While it wasn't my reason for seeking this out, this book is more of a business strategy book than anything with hard science. The author's writing, when not drawn down by anecdotes, is decent enough. I may track down his other book ([b:The Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation|255132|The Medici Effect What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation|Frans Johansson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1400955561s/255132.jpg|247259]) for future reading.