National Press Club member publishes book on competition

National Press Club member Ashley Merryman expects her new book, Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing to be published by Twelve/Hachette on Feb. 19. It is co-authored with Po Bronson.

In Top Dog, the authors tackle competition –- a subject faced every day in the office, in school, on the playing field, at home -— and use science to reveal how to tip the odds of success.

Through a multidisciplinary lens integrating wisdom from political science, genetics, neuroscience, military psychology, sports, gender studies, economics, education and beyond, the authors reveal hidden factors that fuel our determination, passion and drive to compete, and explore how to harness the forces of competition to succeed.

With stories set in the worlds of politics, Wall Street, NASCAR, the CIA, NASA, the Olympics and more, the authors look at the differences between a winning and losing performance, why people are able to rise to the challenge one day, but wilt from it the next.

An adaptation of Top Dog was recently a feature in the Feb. 10 issue of New York Times Magazine .

This is Merryman's second book with Bronson. Their first, NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, was on the New York Times bestseller list for six months, on 35 "Year's Best" lists and has been translated in 16 languages.

In addition to Top Dog's February publication in the United States and Canada, an UK edition will be released on the same date.