Blink (by Malcom Gladwell)

You ever wonder how those skilled players can just pick up a shooter they have never played, and on their first or second try, get really far--even beat the game in some cases when the game is considered easy? Is it a gift, a blessing from the gods, or did Mercury himself lend the player his speedy reflexes? I think it's more than just talent. Experience has a lot to do with it, as it enables the player to unconsciously identify the familiarity of openings in a bullet pattern--all in a split second--based on an accumulation of bullet patterns experienced in the past.

Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, revolves around that idea. While it has nothing to do with shooters, I thought this book was interesting because a lot of times whenever I am forced to do something without having any time to think beforehand, I usually make a decision that is more brilliant than if I had given myself plenty of time to think about it. For shooters, it is the equivalent of getting in the zone, suddenly doing so well, it surprises you, or getting very far with a new shooter on your first try...and then attempting it again and scratching your head when you can't figure out how you got as far as you did before.

I thought this was a fascinating read, and was one of those books that I actually had no trouble plowing through when I first picked it up. It did make me think about things more, though, as ironic as that sounds, but at least it provides an explanation for the unexplainable feats we do from time to time.