Beginners by Tom Vanderbilt

There are not many adults I know who would throw themselves into learning a new skill with a four-year-old and fewer still that would continue putting themselves in the beginning class over and over.
BEGINNERS shares the sheer joy of discovering how to do something new. In Tom Vanderbilt's case, it began with his very young daughter and chess and progressed to surfing, singing, drawing, open water swimming, and more. It is not what you learn so much as that you approach learning the right way much the same as an infant learning to walk. As adults, we have to unlearn things we know and approach learning like a child without caring about social stigmas, fear of failure, or not getting it perfect. The author has such an easy-going writing style and his joy of discovery is infectious. This would be a wonderful family read as many of his beginner classes were with his daughter at his side.
4 stars