Beginners: The Curious Power of Lifelong Learning

For many of us, learning new skills is for childhood. Upon becoming an adult, we shy away from trying new things, instead preferring to stay in our comfort zone. Beginners turns this assumption on its head: why are children the only ones allowed to experience the inherent fun of facing daily challenges? Could we benefit from embracing new skills, even if we're initially hopeless? What does learning do for the brain?

Bestselling author Tom Vanderbilt sets out to find the answers, tasking himself with acquiring several new skills under the tutelage of professionals, including singing, juggling, chess, surfing and much more. Witty, intelligent and often surprisingly profound, Beginners is an uplifting exploration of how we can learn to learn anew.