I think that this is my book of the year. Dark Horse unpacks the Standardisation Covenant that most of the world has unquestioningly accepted: the idea that if you follow the standardised route you might attain excellence – if you’re better than everyone else. Then, using research from Harvard’s Dark Horse project, Rose absolutely goes to town on why his university and others like it are destroying the fabric of human fulfillment with quotas, equants, and an antiquated system for categorising people based on their potential for excellence when following the standardised route to achievement. Rose is the author of one of my favourite books from last year – the End of Average – but this book is better. Rose argues that we should let go of our obsession with standardising excellence and offer personalised pathways to fulfillment (and excellence will be the byproduct for ALL rather than just the chosen few who are better than everyone else). The book challenges assumptions, tears down the establishment, and highlights just how flawed our current systems are. I think this book should be compulsory reading for EVERYONE in education, for EVERYONE who is a parent, or for ANYONE who wants more fulfillment in life. Just brilliant.
— JUSTIN