introduction; Chapters 1-2 Summary and Analysis

Introduction:

Author David Brooks begins by telling what he believes will be the happiest story the reader has ever read. It is a story about two seemingly ordinary people that have done extraordinary things. These people were never singled out as geniuses or spectacularly special in any way. Instead, their gifts seemed to be innate and less obvious than the gifts of some overachievers or star athletes. This couple possessed noncognitive skills - skills that are not obvious. The term is a catchall phrase for things that are not easily measured. Brooks states that this book is different from the zillions of others that have been published over the years. It focuses on the role of the inner mind and the birthplace of street smarts. Brooks asserts that the majority of thinking - thinking that leads to...