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The Sports Gene Audiobook by David Epstein— narrated by Ari Fliakos
Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance
David Epstein takes on the oldest argument in athletics, talent versus training, and refuses to give you the comforting answer either side wants. The Sports Gene is rigorous, surprising, and far more nuanced than the nature-or-nurture debate it wades into.
Why the audiobook wins
Ari Fliakos narrates The Sports Gene with the even, journalistic clarity the book demands, tracking Epstein's argument through genetics labs, Jamaican sprinting villages, and Kenyan highlands without ever losing the reader in technical detail. It's a performance built for following a case, not just hearing a story.
At just over ten and a half hours, it's a solid listen for a stretch of long runs or drives, which feels fitting for a book about athletic performance. Epstein refuses easy answers on the nature-versus-nurture question, and Fliakos's steady pacing lets that nuance actually breathe instead of collapsing into a soundbite.
Epstein reported this book out anecdote by anecdote and study by study, and Fliakos's narration keeps that rigor intact from one chapter to the next. One Audible credit covers the whole investigation into what actually makes elite athletes.
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Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the The Sports Gene audiobook?
- Ari Fliakos narrates the audiobook edition of The Sports Gene.
- How long is the The Sports Gene audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 10 hr 40 min.
- Is the The Sports Gene audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored The Sports Gene 4.6 out of 5. Ari Fliakos narrates The Sports Gene with the even, journalistic clarity the book demands, tracking Epstein's argument through genetics labs, Jamaican sprinting villages, and Kenyan highlands without ever losing the reader in technical detail. It's a performance built for…
- Can I listen to The Sports Gene free with an Audible trial?
- Eligible new Audible members can use a free-trial credit to listen in the Audible app. Eligibility and current offer terms are set by Audible.Listen to The Sports Gene free with an Audible trial
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- Is The Sports Gene on Kindle Unlimited?
- No. The Sports Gene was not included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on August 20, 2026.
- How much does The Sports Gene cost?
- On Amazon: Kindle $9.99, Paperback $11.01, Hardcover $14.52. Prices as of August 22, 2026 at 3:45 AM EDT and may change.
