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"Mozart's the canonical example of somebody who didn't have to practice for years."

I'm assuming the parent was referring to information presented in the book Outliers, which provides a counter-argument to this

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You are correct. In fact, I just drove x-country and Outliers was one of the books I listened to on the way. I haven't had the time to cross-check much of the information, as I just took most of what Gladwell wrote as fact (even if this was just an opinion).

Not to beat on Gladwell (more than a bit) but I tend to double-check most of what he says.

I love Gladwell's writing (he writes some of the most entertaining non-fiction around), but it is wise to take some of his more outlandish claims with a grain or two of salt. He takes anecdotes to be almost evidence, especially in Outliers.

Ever since Igongate...

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