Leah Elson at Harvard Book Store (6/29).Artem Mozgovoy at Harvard Book Store (6/28).Garrett Neiman at Harvard Book Store (6/27).Haley Jakobson at Harvard Book Store (6/26).Nash Jenkins at Harvard Book Store (6/22).Sarah Viren at Harvard Book Store (6/21).Mattie Kahn at Harvard Book Store (6/20).Leah and Richard Rothstein at the Brattle Theatre (6/15).Ali Hazelwood at the Brattle Theatre (6/14).Ocean Vuong at First Parish Church (6/12).Stephanie Crease at Harvard Book Store (6/5).Elliot Ackerman at Harvard Book Store (6/2).Jonathan Papernick at Harvard Book Store (6/1).Allyson McCabe at Harvard Book Store (5/31).Susan Rubin Suleiman at Harvard Book Store (5/30).George Lakey at Harvard Book Store (5/24).Rachel Louise Snyder at Harvard Book Store (5/23).Serhii Plokhy at Harvard Book Store (5/22).Kay Redfield Jamison at the Cambridge Public Library (5/22).It is also a positive book to read during the pandemic as it is motivating in the classical sense. It will work also because it is so accessible in its easy style of chatting to the reader. This is a curious book as it criss-crosses genres such as self-help, parenting, psychology, education, lifeskill classes/workshops, corporate trainers etc. This book talks about how one is challenged to think beyond one’s own comfort zone especially once the children are born. But what is astonishing is the number of things he tries his hand at - chess, jewellery design, swimming, choral music, surfing etc. Tom Vanderbilt does not come across as a snoot or with a large ego.

To begin the book with a chess match where he loses to his own daughter is a great start.

One does learn even if it is to come to terms with one’s own limitations, not be an over reacher and yet continuously be alive to the myriad learning prospects life throws up- accept them and be challenged. It is very challenging at the best of times to hurl oneself into an “intensely immersive learning environment” but to do it over and over again as the author has done is commendable. It is nice to see a memoir-cum-selfhelp book share with all humility one’s own shortcomings and the learnings gleaned from challenging oneself. Beginners by best-selling author, Tom Vanderbilt is a self-help book.

Tom vanderbilt books