The First 20 Hours
by Josh Kaufman
★ Top 25 book of 2013 · #20 on Best Books of 2013
Kaufman presents a step-by-step method for picking up new skills quickly. By breaking skills into parts, practicing smartly, and clearing away obstacles, you can move from complete beginner to noticeably capable in about twenty hours.
Best for: Curious people who want to learn new skills fast without years of study
The First 20 Hours is #20 on BookWard's Best Books of 2013, out of 45 2013 books that cleared our data bar.
What The First 20 Hours is about
Josh Kaufman argues that learning a new skill is far less daunting than most of us assume. His central claim is that 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice can take you from knowing nothing to performing noticeably well. The book lays out a systematic method for rapid skill acquisition built on three habits: breaking a complex skill into smaller parts, making your practice time count, and clearing away the common barriers that keep people from sticking with it. The voice is practical, encouraging, and conversational. It will suit anyone who has put off a new hobby or work skill because it felt too big to start, and who would like a clear plan for getting going.
The First 20 Hours on the Best Books of 2013
The First 20 Hours came out in 2013. Of the 45 books first published in 2013 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #20 on our Best Books of 2013 list.
Why it made the list: 324 readers have shelved it on Open Library. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2013 list
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms George R. R. Martin, #18
- The Day the Crayons Quit Drew Daywalt, #19
- Tales from a Not-so-happy Heartbreaker Rachel Renée Russell, #21
- Beautiful Bastard Christina Lauren, #22
See all Best Books of 2013 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2012 Best Books of 2014.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 298 want to read it, 18 are reading it now and 8 have read it, according to Open Library.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 56 | 55% |
| Reader love | 47 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 58 | 20% |
Questions about The First 20 Hours
When was The First 20 Hours published?
The First 20 Hours by Josh Kaufman was first published in 2013.
Was The First 20 Hours one of the best books of 2013?
The First 20 Hours is #20 on BookWard's Best Books of 2013, out of 45 2013 books that cleared our data bar. 324 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Why is The First 20 Hours on the Best Books of 2013 list?
324 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
More of the best books of 2013
- House of Hades Rick Riordan, #1
- Hard Luck Jeff Kinney, #2
- Crown of Midnight Sarah J. Maas, #3
- The Screaming Staircase Jonathan Stroud, #4
- Unravel Me Tahereh Mafi, #5
- The Goldfinch Donna Tartt, #6
See the full Best Books of 2013, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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