The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler - Non Fiction - Paperback

Details
Condition: New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781784291228
Publisher: Quercus

Overview
The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance is a brand-new paperback by New York Times-bestselling author Steven Kotler. Blending riveting adventure reportage with rigorous neuroscience, Kotler investigates how elite action and adventure sport athletes consistently break the boundaries of what was once thought humanly possible, and reveals the science of flow states that make such feats repeatable. A must-read for athletes, coaches, creatives, and anyone curious about peak performance.

About the Book
In The Rise of Superman, Steven Kotler follows big-wave surfers, extreme skiers, motocross riders, and free-solo climbers to ask a deceptively simple question: how are these athletes doing what they do? The answer, Kotler argues, lies in "flow" — an optimal state of consciousness in which focus sharpens, self-consciousness disappears, and performance goes through the roof. Drawing on interviews with top-tier action sport athletes and cutting-edge neuroscience, Kotler unpacks the biological, psychological, and environmental triggers that produce flow, and explains why extreme sports have become an unlikely laboratory for understanding human potential. The book traces flow research from fringe curiosity to mainstream science, showing how organisations from the military to Silicon Valley are now applying these findings. Written in Kotler's signature immersive, narrative-driven style, the book moves seamlessly between hair-raising first-person accounts of near-impossible athletic feats and clear, accessible explanations of the brain chemistry behind them. Rather than treating flow as a mystical or unteachable gift, Kotler makes the case that it can be understood, triggered, and trained — with implications far beyond sport, into creativity, learning, and everyday performance. It's a book that rewards both casual readers drawn in by the adventure stories and more analytical readers keen to understand the underlying science.

• Real-world case studies of elite action and adventure sport athletes pushing human limits.
• Accessible explanations of the neuroscience and psychology behind flow states.
• Practical insight into flow triggers that can be applied to sport, work, and creative pursuits.
• Traces how flow research moved from extreme sports into mainstream science and business.
• Written by a leading voice in human performance research with strong credibility.

About the Author
Steven Kotler is a New York Times-bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is also a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences at Florida Atlantic University. His work has been translated into over 40 languages, nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, and featured in publications including the New York Times Magazine, Wired, and the Harvard Business Review, making him one of the most trusted voices writing on flow and peak human performance today.

Why You'll Love This Book
Thrilling, science-backed, and endlessly practical, The Rise of Superman turns extreme sport into a masterclass on unlocking your own best performance — perfect for athletes, creatives, and curious minds alike.

Please Note: This listing is for the UK ISBN / UK edition, cover may vary slightly from the image shown.