David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene, which has been translated into more than 20 languages. (To his surprise, the book was purchased not only by his sister but also by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.)
David was previously a science and investigative reporter at ProPublica, and before that, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he co-authored the groundbreaking story that revealed Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids.
His writing has been recognized by numerous organizations, including:
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
- The Society of Professional Journalists
- The National Center on Disability and Journalism
His work has been featured in the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology, and his article “Following the Trail of Broken Hearts” — on sudden cardiac death in athletes — was named one of the top 100 stories of the last 100 years by Columbia Journalism School alumni.
David has delivered talks on performance science and the uses (and misuses) of data on five continents. His TED Talk has been viewed over 8.5 million times, and was shared by Bill Gates.
Three of his stories have been optioned for film, including:
- A Sports Illustrated story on the only living Olympian who survived a concentration camp
- An Atlantic/ProPublica investigation into the DEA’s pursuit of Chapo Guzmán’s rivals
- A This American Life episode (written and narrated by David) about a woman with two rare diseases who shares a mutant gene with an Olympic medalist
David holds master’s degrees in both environmental science and journalism. He is reasonably certain he’s the only person to have co-authored a paper in the journal Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research while working as a writer at Sports Illustrated. Like many of the characters in Range, he has benefited from a winding career path.
His scientific experiences include:
- Conducting ecology research in the Arctic
- Studying geology and astronomy in the Sonoran Desert
- Working on the D-deck of a seismic research vessel shortly after it had been attacked by pirates
David enjoys volunteering with the Pat Tillman Foundation and Classroom Champions. A lifelong runner, he was a record holder at Columbia University and a two-time NCAA All-East selection in the 800 meters.
Learn more at davidepstein.com