The Real Work

In his latest book, The Real Work, Adam Gopnik undertakes a George Plimpton-esque journey to master skills as diverse as boxing and drawing, bread baking and driving, dancing and overcoming a mental health illness. Gopnik, along the way, shares three themes of mastery and seven mysteries of mastery. Gopnik has called this book a “self-help book that doesn’t help” because it does not prescribe steps or tasks. Instead, readers are inspired by his comic essays and by the masters he introduces. Linny and Nancy discuss new skills they want to learn or continue to sharpen.