Rare Breed summary

In 2007, authors Sunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger were at an all-time low. They had just pitched their company, Motto, at the Count Me In start-up competition. But, instead of crushing it, they froze and forgot their lines. It was a disaster. 

They could have just given up. It was the logical thing to do. But, the two entrepreneurs weren't feeling logical. They were feeling bold. So, they stayed up all night drinking and writing. And the next day, they swallowed their pride, got back up on stage, and delivered a ferocious pitch.

How many hours of practice does it take to become a master? 10,000? At least, this is the number made famous by Malcolm Gladwell. However, according to the researcher Gladwell originally cites, the actual number is much, much higher.

Try 25,000. This is how many hours of dedicated practice a world-class classical musician typically invests in their craft. That’s about three hours of grueling practice a day, every day, for 20 years straight. 

It’s June, 2018. Brasserie Les Halles, a small restaurant in Lower Manhattan, is surrounded by flowers, bottles of wine, and heartfelt letters. For days, people have left these mementos to commemorate Anthony Bourdain, the recently-deceased chef and journalist.

Why did one man’s death cause such an outpouring of emotion? Because he gave so much of himself to his work. For decades, Bourdain followed his hot-blooded passion for food and travel. His love of adventurous eating was so powerful that it inspired hit shows, best-selling books, and countless fans who embarked on their own culinary adventures.

Four generations. That’s how long Steve Pateman’s family company had been making traditional men’s shoes in Northamptonshire, England. However, in the late 1990s, cheap imports flooded the market, and Pateman couldn't compete with the low costs. After all, who would pay twice as much for the same, basic loafer?

Then, Pateman had a thought: Who says he has to keep making sensible shoes? He ditched the old designs and started producing flashy and glamorous boots in various sizes. The kinky footwear was a hit with performers, drag queens, and the transgender community. 

One moment, the Statue of Liberty stands tall above the Hudson Bay. Then, the lights go out. And when they turn on again, something amazing has happened. Lady Liberty is gone! Magician David Copperfield has made the famous landmark vanish. The audience gasps and cheers.

Of course, not really. This 1983 publicity stunt was simply a masterful bit of technical magic. When the lights went dark, the audience's seating rotated away from the statue, changing their view. But, thanks to Copperfield’s dramatic flair, they briefly accepted that the impossible was possible.

May, 1969. The US Senate is locked in a tense budgeting debate. A few senators are encouraging harsh cost-saving measures across the board, including cuts to PBS, the country’s public television station. Only one man can save the service. Surprisingly it’s not a crafty accountant. It’s Mr. Rogers.

When the gentle host of the beloved children’s show Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood came to testify before the Senate, he didn’t speak of money or the economy. Instead, he spoke from the heart. He explained how public TV had the power to bring joy to viewers, young and old.