Creativity Books

The book is outstanding and i picked up this audio version used, for my car as it doesnt have a CD player. Old car. The audio book is great and the core essentials are all there. Very well done and great for those who end up collecting unread books due to time pressures. Not sure worth it new but got mine for a few dollars on cassette.

I had some trepidation about reading what seemed like another dry book for business analysts (my job,) but found this book to be much, much more.
The author recounts stories from IDEO, to give examples for the ideas presented. I found myself wanting a job at IDEO after reading only a quarter of the book.
The lessons that can be learned from this book extend beyond business analysis. A CEO, manager, teacher, priest, parent or any type of leader will be able to gain insight and make positive changes in their organizations using the ideas presented. If you're in any type of leadership role, READ THIS BOOK! If you're not, buy it for your boss - You'll benefit from it too!

I read this book awile back during a vacation and couldn't put it down. I only read no-fiction books and this one was the best I'd ever read. I've never felt compelled to review a book before, but his one was worth it. It was very well written, informative as well as inspirational. It made me want to go work at Ideo. Well worth your time.

Thanks Tom! We're just starting a new technology business and we're wanting and needing to create the sort of culture that you have at Ideo. Our industry is dynamic, so if we're not dynamic then we will not succeed. For us that means innovate - deliver true value to our customers - learn - innovate - deliver more value to our customers, in a continuous cycle. You have given us some practical ideas about how we can ingrain innovation into our culture as we grow. Thanks.

James Jasper's "The Art of Moral Protest" is one of the most important recent contributions to the scholarly literature on social movements and political and moral protest. The book's title signifies two important ideas. First, Jasper wants to restore the moral dimension to political protest, which of late has been reduced by many scholars to the calculated pursuit of material interests. Second, the book stresses the "artful" nature of protest, the fact, that is, that protest doesn't simply arise in some mechanical fashion from "structural" preconditions, but involves choices and improvisation by thinking (and feeling) individuals. Indeed, Jasper wants to reintegrate feelings and emotions, which scholars have studiously avoided in recent years, back into our understanding of moral protest. And he emphasizes how specific individuals with specific biographies (who, again, have been largely purged from the scholarly literature) matter for protest. The book weaves a powerful critique of dominant ways of thinking about protest through a series of fascinating studies of several movements and movement participants. In sum, this is an extremely important and pathbreaking book. It should be read by anyone with an interest in politics, social movements, or protest.

I use this book every year in my social movement class at the University of Texas at Austin. It provides an excellent overview of the social movement literature through the mid-1990s. More importantly, it provides a pathbreaking theoretical approach to social protest with rich empirical evidence.

My students are also very high on the book. It is a must read for all students of social movements.

James Jasper offers one of the best books available on social movements. In "The Art of Moral Protest" it is mostly the cultural and emotional sides of social movements which is explored leaving aside the more traditional structural accounts of social movement theory. Jasper emphasize principally 4 dimensions of protest: culture, resources, strategies and biographies and divide movements into two categories: citizenship movements and post-citizenship movements. Interestingly however, the structure of the book do not follow these main dimensions and categories but propose a kind of linear logic of movements' evolution from the emotion (moral shock) which send people into action to the creation of a movement culture which help sustain participation to the relation between movements and the broader culture in which they evolve and try to change. An interesting last part deal with the author's own "normative view" of social movements exploring the pleasures associated with movement participation, the danger sometimes embodied in social movement (particularly those who harbour totalizing ideologies) but also the necessity of protest for our societies. The book is full of stories and historical details which help make sense of the arguments developed in the book and keep this theoretical book as interesting as a novel.

If I had to teach a course on social movements, I would probably chose two books for my students to read. The first one would be "Power in Movement" from Tarrow and the second one would be "The Art of Moral Protest". Many excellent books have been written on social movements but very few complement each other as well as these two books. They present the two current main branches of social movement studies.

If I had to find a few problems with the book it would be related to the reference system adopted. By placing all references and notes at the end of the book, the more interested reader easily get lost. It might sound silly at first, but since the book is quite thick it becomes quite annoying with time... especially when you are thrilled by the reading but still want to get that extra detail hidden at the end of the book.

I loved this book. Anyone who likes the cultural side of politics will appreciate this book, Jasper's magnum opus. If you're writing a dissertation on social movements, you can't not read it.

I found Author to Law to be highly informative and full of take-away.This book is a must-read for any author, from the novice to accomplished. I initially wanted more information about copyright laws but discovered there were concessions to negotiate along with royalty rates I hadn't even considered.I wish I had read this before I signed my contract. Now I feel I have tools to work with. And this book is in my toolbelt.

You've finally received a book contract. Yeah! Congratulations and what excitement. Yet when you study the contract it is 15 or 16 pages full of legalese that you can't understand. What do you do? Sign it?

Here's a great tool to increase your understanding of the issues related to the legalese of contracts. It's not black and white but often in between and the words on the page make a huge difference. It's the author's responsibility to understand these words.

I love what these authors wrote in the final paragraph of their section on how to use the book: "Remember that no book can be a substitute for the advice of a good lawyer. But this book and others like it can--and should--help you better recognize the need to get good legal advice and help you better understand the advice you get. It can help make you a better consumer of legal services and a savvier provider of writing services. But it can't--and shouldn't be expected to--replace solid professional advice."

Here's a carefully written and researched book which explains complex terms in plain, easy-to-understand language. Get this book--and read it. If you do, you will be much wiser about legal matters in the world of publishing.

This book should've been called Entertainment & Media Law A to Z. It is both informative and extremely thorough in its description of the legal and business affairs of the publishing industry. It also provides basic information on recording industry practices as well as copyright & trademark law. This book does a terrific job of informing authors of many valuable resources that exist to assist them. As an attorney, I was impressed with the case law cited by the author. However, this book is written in plain English, and written in a way that people of all backgrounds could easily understand. I would say, to aspiring authors or literary agents alike, this book is a must have.

The latest installment in the "A-Z Legal Series" from Capital Books, Author Law A-Z: A Desktop Guide To Writers' Rights And Responsibilities packs the collective wisdom of author-lawyers Sallie Randolph, Stacy Davis, Anthony Elia and Karen Dustman into plain terms for lay readers - and writers! Author Law A-Z is organized like an encyclopedia, with A-Z entries of common legal and writing industry terms or issues that every author should know, from "abridgement" and "acceptable manuscript" to "young adult books" and Zapruder film", which denotes a landmark legal case about film rights concerning the home video film that accidentally documented the assassination of JFK. In addition to the entries, numerous tips, tricks, techniques, and warnings for the aspiring author in a legally complex world, from a sample demand letter (as written to a vanity print-on-demand publisher masquerading as a traditional publisher) to a sample complaint for copyright infringement, advice for what to say when one's editor calls, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for spot research or simple cover-to-cover reading in order to grasp valuable basic lessons of the writing and publishing business.

Trying to critique your own writing is extremely difficult. Often, we as writers are far too close to work to really see all those little errors missed that if corrected could turn a rejection slip into a contract. Most writers quickly learn that finding a friend or writing group who is willing to read and comment on their work is invaluable.

Becoming Your Own Critique Partner is aimed at those writers who for whatever reason can't find someone else to critique their novel. I personally believe that this book will be equally valuable to all writers. Filling in potholes and finding extraneous distractions in your storyline will be beneficial whether you have a critique partner or not. The end result can be the difference between a publishable book and an unfulfilled wish.

I definitely recommend Becoming Your Own Critique Partner to anyone hoping to publish their novel. This book cover all the bases: character building, dialogue that adds to the storyline, creating meaningful scenes, choosing the correct mood, and avoiding repetition, clichés, and other misnomers. Plus, each section includes checklist and a variety of exercises to help build writing skills while critiquing your own work.

If you follow the directions and advice in this book, your writing should improve. It will help you in learning how to rid your manuscript of all those little errors that editors hate, as it walks you through the process of critiquing your own manuscript. There's a lot of information in here that has helped me with my own writing. If you don't have access to a critique group or want to do the job yourself, get this book and read it.
I would recommend that every writer have it in their reference library.

This new book on self-editing written by two very prolific authors is one you'll definitely want to add to your bookshelf.

What are the major problems you should be on the lookout for when editing your own work? The answer isn't always easy, as authors tend to become so involved in their plot and characters they turn blind to the obvious. Sometimes the problems are easy to spot and fix, sometimes not. Whatever the case, Walters and Toombs guide you through the process of completely editing your fiction manuscript.

With specific examples taken from their own works, the authors demonstrate how to handle telling instead of showing, stilted and flat dialogue, weak and unrealistic characters, unnecessary scenes, overuse of adjectives and adverbs, lack of atmosphere, point of view shifts, bloated prose, clichés, among others. They also share the secret to strong characters and the six necessary elements to a master plot. Each chapter concentrates on a specific subject, with helpful exercises at the end of it.

Written in a clear, friendly, straight-forward style, Becoming Your Own Critique Partner is a reference book that both beginners and professionals will profit from.

Checking out the Internet as well as various other sources I notice there is a great deal of excellent advice on writing techniques. Unfortunately, many aspiring writers as well as experienced ones either neglect the advice or are unaware of its existence.
There are also local critique groups and countless workshops, seminars, and other avenues where writers can learn how to improve their writing skills, however often it is not convenient for one reason or another to participate in these tutorials.
Authors Jane Toombs and Janet Lane Walters have combined their 63 years of writing experience and knowledge to come up with a practical solution to help us become our own critique partner with their 236 page manual, Becoming Your Own Critique Partner, particularly when participation in a critique group is either impossible or impractical.

The primary focus of the book is, as the authors mention in their introduction, "to find the flaws in your manuscript and correct them." The most obvious flaws that are examined and explored are telling too much and not showing, weak and flat dialogue, the black moment when the focus character (villain or hero) in the story believes all is lost, scenes and their relevance, where to use adjectives and adverbs, finding ways to use the appropriate senses, pacing, effectively using points of view, plugging holes in your plot, cutting the fat from the bone, avoiding clichés, what not to do with the details, places where mood in the story affects your characters, finding your theme and using it to solidify your plot, spotting awkward time and place shifts, characters and their motivation, ways to keep the heart in your writing, questions writers should ask themselves about minor but pertinent errors, and the proper use of words that are not annoying.

The chapters of the book are knitted together into a cohesive whole in the form of a workshop-style. Each concludes with a checklist and useful exercises that help the reader reinforce the principles that are expounded upon. There are numerous examples taken from the authors' own published works illustrating the wrong and right ways of writing as well as the various stumbling points to keep you from being led astray.

Although Becoming Your Own Critique Partner is not meant to be the last word on the technique of good writing, it is nevertheless an excellent and indispensable tool for writers seeking to improve their skills. No doubt this book will prove to be a valuable addition to any writer's personal collection.

Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

For many feminists, exploration of why women resort to the use of violence in relationships has been a taboo subject, a betrayal of women victimized by abusive partners. Ms. Jack sheds an insightful light where others fear to tread. She allows previously silenced voices to be heard. As a social worker who works with women who have used assaultive behavior, I've heard stories and tears similar to those of the women in BEHIND THE MASK. We focus on accountability for abusive behavior and build new problem solving skills to counteract the temptation to use violence. In order to be part of the solution, we must first recognize the dynamics that steer these women in a disasterous direction. In this book, Dana Crowley Jack helps us move toward peace and healthy connection.

Dana Jack's BEHIND THE MASK remains extremely valuable for me personally and professionally. I am in my second reading and have already loaned it out twice. Women's voices tell their experience, thoughts and feelings surrounding aggression, anger, repression, creativity, power and lack of power. I recognized myself and was deeply touched as I heard my own conflicts and victories descibed. Professionally, I work with addicted women in a county jail. My own increased understanding and self-acceptance created an improved environment where the women I work with feel safe discussing their conflicts with being a "nice" "good" women while also being powerful, creative and, sometimes, violent. I cannot overstate the subtle power of this form of research. Ms. Jack gives women a voice and with great sensitivity brings the reader's attention to common themes. Western culture gives women extremely destructive messages about their power. We are punished for powerful expressions of self, whether expressed destructively, in self-defense or in acts of creation. BEHIND THE MASK brings IMPORTANT, NEW, HEALING insight to our lives as women.

Finally, someone brave enough to unleash the bounds of women's anger and aggression. If you are a woman, you must read this book as it will uncover why you often internalize your anger and will offer you glimpses of others who do the same as well as others who operate outside of that norm. You will recognize yourself in the pages and realize you are not alone. You will also find hope in how to channel this natural and valid emotion into positive outlets, something we all need to learn but usually are not taught. This book validates women's experiences and sheds light and hope for women's growth. Dana Crowley Jack is a goddess.

I love this book. Jack's sensitivity is incredible; she explores feelings that I've never seen written on the page and it has helped me to better understand myself. I see myself in every page and bravo for her courage to write it.

Great illustrations along with very good directions. The only problem that I can see is that I must
go out and purchase several items (mostly at the hardware store) to properly complete some projects.
Without a doubt, I will purchase other books by "Josie".

Having been a longtime admirer of Josie's work and creativity, the book Bent, Bound and Stitched is a perfect compilation of instructions and ideas to take your skills to the next level. The uses of wire and sewing are inventive without being intimidating; the book is gorgeous and a source of real inspiration! It totally makes you want to "try this at home".

The instructions are very clear and easy to follow, with great photos that demonstrate exactly what is described in the text. What a pleasure to have a book that encourages you to make the projects and teaches new techniques you can apply to your own ideas. It's eye candy with beautiful visuals, and fun to read with Josie's insights and writing style.

A new favorite how-to for your art and craft collection!

If you're looking for something new to add to your collages and artwork then you'll want to check out this book. The author shows you how to take a piece of wire, add a few bends and twists to create wonderful motifs and embellishments that you can use on everything from collages and cards to journal pages and just about anything else you can think of. Clear step-by-step instructions and photographs insure that even if you've never worked with wire before you'll have no trouble creating the projects in this book.

I was a big fan of the author's first book, "Collage Lost and Found", and I had the second on preorder from the minute I heard about it.

Sequels can be tricky. I kind of expected this one to fall a little flatter than the first, since the first was so good.

But I was wrong. Gleefully *wrong*.

Where the first book was more about collage (go figure), this book has you use those skills you've already learned to go further -- making objects with wire and metal and collagebits, learning new techniques and building on what you know thusfar. The projects are more than just pretty little geegaws, too -- they're useful and gorgeous with lots of ideas for taking what you learn and running with it to create your own works of art.

It took me almost three hours just to flip through the book, because I kept having to stop and try things she'd presented (wire letters! scribble-filled wire hearts with attached book text!). And really, any book that can not only inspire, but motivate me to get up out of the chair and *make something* is well-worth the price. I can tell this will be one book that I *use* instead of just *own*.

Have your ever wondered about consciousness? I have...This book clearly explains this concept. It can be compared to 5 star meal; one is fully satisfied, but wants to replicate the experience. What a pity the author is no longer with us. He has summed up the perenial wisdom in view of today's scientific insight.

-You didn't believe me, did you? Okay, let's say this more accurately; Itzhak Bentov makes the understanding of the The Process of self-realization easy! Just in case you haven't realized that Nirvana defeats our Evolution, that your thoughts Can influence our environment, that the ONLY way is from Will to Love, I highly recommend this book. It's one revelatory ride, and a fun one at that! The tickets are right over there; Enjoy.

Itzhak Bentov's second book after "Stalking the Wild Pendulum", (that was completed/published by his wife after his untimely death). Itzhak bentov was a genius in the area of physics and metaphysics, and reveals to mankind (those with the intelligence, and open/elightened minds) the proverbial secrets of the universe.

Other recommended books are- "KYBALION" by Three Initiates ; "Initiation of the World" by Vera Stanley Alder ; "The Secret Life of Nature" by Peter Tompkins ; "Meditation" by Sri Chinmoy ; "Heaven's Mirror" by Graham Hancock ; "ZELATOR" by Mark Hedsel.

This book is the best (and most fun) introduction to the modern idea of Enlightenment combined with quantum physics that I have ever come across. And I have been swimming in these "Enlightenment" waters for over 35 years now.

"A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness" is light, fun, profound, and mathematical. The author relates the ultimate meaning of the Universe with both the Hebrew and Sanskrit alphabets. I especially like the chapter about the Devas because it so closely parallels my own experience.

The subtitle of this tome is also revealing: "A Cosmic Book on the Mechanics of Creation." Wonderful!

A great resource for blocked screenwriters! I recommend it to all my seminar students!

This book is amazing in that it offers a great balance between practical techniques, whilst satisfying my curiousity for the underlying functioning of the mind. Well structured - you can read any of the chapters on their own and still get real value.

Great ideas are not easy to cultivate. They need rich soil, attention, and encouragement to take root and grow. Jim Adam's classic, CONCEPTUAL BLOCKBUSTING, was a handbook to weeding your garden, to clearing your mind of rubbish that stifles creative thought. THE CARE & FEEDING OF IDEAS is its long-awaited sequel, a guide to creating a greenhouse environment in which ideas can thrive.

"If you're serious about encouraging creativity, you need to understand the entire creative process-from concept to reality"-Adams. You need to understand thinking-the mystery and mechanics of creative thought. You need to understand doing-the actions you can take to increase your creativity. Only by becoming aware of how you conceptualize, and of those techniques which lead to better problem solving, can you begin to bring forth you very best ideas.

Adams leads a tour through the unconscious mind, the brain and nervous system, and the storehouse of memory, and points out how they work (and conspire against us) when we tackle problems. He shows that bad problem-solving habits can be broken, that money and time are your muse's best friends, that creativity involves risk but the risk is worth it, and that the stereo you bought with your last bonus was not a luxury, but a necessary reward. He illustrates his arguments with ingenious games and exercises that will surprise you with what they reveal about your patterns of thought. Whether you're a midnight novelist or management consultant, a Sunday painter or city planner, this book can forever change the way you approach creative challenges.--- From the inside flap of the dust jacket.

Explains the creative process, looking at such areas as brain chemistry, memory, the senses, and personality and shows readers how to create the proper environment to nurture creativity.

I used the Chat Pack with my advisory students for 2 years so far (6th graders, 7th graders and now 8th graders). One of the purposes of advisory is to help students bond as a group. Research shows this bonding to a group helps students experience more success, less at-risk behaviors. By now, my students ask to have another question to answer. It is a great opportunity for students to share what relates to them and others to get to know them better. I do this during the 8 daily minutes we have, if we have time after details of the day. They never tire of doing this. It is also lovely for me to get to know the angels in my advisory.

Pick any card and use it as a stating point for everything from a smart one-liner comeback to an all-night in-depth conversation that will let you learn about your family and friends from new and different perspectives. For example:

* "If you could have any object or place to yourself for one day, what would you choose?"

* "You've been given the chance to travel into the future to see how the world will change over the next 50 years. What in particular are you most interested in?

* "If you could enter a race horse in the Kentucky Derby, what would you name him?"

I promise you that once you get the party started, nobody will want to go home!

I purchased this little box of cards at a Christmas sale. My 11 y.o. son started reading the questions after Christmas dinner. A whole new world opened up to our family. Once you start on these cards you will realize how little you knew about your famiy, friends and others in your life. This was one of the most meaningful purchases of my life.

My sister received this as a gift from a co-worker and she brought it to one of our family's Christmas gatherings. I don't know if it is marketed as a game, but we treated it as one, with everybody taking turns drawing the cards and allowing everyone to answers. It was a blast!! We had a really wide age range and everybody got into it and enjoyed it. There were questions like: What is your all time favorite scene in a movie? If you could have 50 pounds of something (not money) what would it be? If you could be the apprentice to someone, living or dead, who would it be?
I got to learn a lot about my relatives, even my own siblings, and it got everyone to join in on conversation together. I would totally recommend for your next gathering, small or large, to keep the conversations fun and exciting:)

I received Coloring Your Prayers as a gift from a friend this past summer. It is a joyful, playful, inspirational romp of empowerment and fun. I find it a unique contribution and magical exploration for our "colorful selves." I have bought a number of copies for friends and family. My grandchildren (ages 11 and 14) are equally enthusiastic about Carolyn's book and we have enjoyed many hours coloring together. It's great family fun in the car too. It's a keeper! Thank you, Carolyn!!

I read the Editorial review on Carolyn Manzis' wonderful book "Coloring Your Prayers" and will be eternally grateful it was before I read the Editorial Review. Did he (or she) truly read this book? if so, he (or she) just did not get it. Did he (or she) think the only exercise was to "color within the lines". Does this person know what "real spirituallity requires". The sad implication that Adults do not have dreams, visualize or pray and that the book was a "prop for people who've never grown up at all" is a sad insensitive commentary on life as I see it. I am 72, and continue to dream realizing spirituality is a journey that never ends. Thank you Carolyn Manzi for the aid of your wonderful, creative path for expanding our horizons.

I went to a book signing that was held in Pacific Grove, CA. It was so much fun because we actually got to participate, not just sit and listen to someone try to sell their book. I went home feeling VERY inspired and have gone on to finish a project that I had set aside for a long time. It was a very unique and personally impowering experience for me. I left there knowing in my heart that I do have the power to make my dreams my reality!Carolyn Manzi's book stirs you to the core of your soul, and inspires you to boundless limits. I highly recommend this book!

When I saw the cover of this delightful and colorful book I knew that I was in for something magical. The words and drawings speak directly from the author's heart and open the door to the reader's intuitive world. "Coloring Your Prayers" is an imaginative journey to the world of believing in your most authentic and precious dreams and manifesting them through visualization, prayer and belief. I dusted off my crayons and began this journey and didn't want it to be over. I re-connected with an aspect of myself that had been buried, like a diamond waiting to be rediscovered. I can already see the tangible, positive effects of Ms. Manzi's work in my life. My creativity is soaring to new heights and I find that I view the world with new eyes and more love in my heart. Thank you, Carolyn Manzi, for blessing us with this gift of insight and light.