Creativity Books

I used to see Professor Chang doing Tai Chi Chuan very late at night on his front lawn in Manoa Valley (Honolulu), as he lived a few doors from the Friends (Quakers) meeting house. I took a number of his seminars, and still marvel at his thesis that the key to understanding Heidegger is to view his writings as fundamentally Taoist in nature. He was deeply erudite and a rather august personality in class. A fellow student in Professor Chang's graduate seminar on Taoism had the chutzpah to turn in a one-page paper; Professor Chang gathered himself up and stated in his heavily accented English that "even Lao Tzu managed to write 5,000 characters." I received a B, as I recall, perhaps because I went for a psychological rather than an ontological interpretation of Taoism. He always encouraged his students to study the Chinese language as an avenue of understanding Taoism's key concepts, and he would write out old-style characters (not the simplified ones) on the chalkboard with rapid strokes, while I dutifully tried to copy the characters.

This book is not an easy read, but there is much to ponder here on the Taoists' understanding of creativity and silence, emptiness, or the Void. It deepens any understanding of the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu's Inner Chapters.

This book is excellent. I have only had to read the first 4 chapters to date. I have learned so much about creativity and young children.

I thought of myself to be a creative person until I read these first couple of chapters.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in multiple personality disorder, art therapy, puppetry, psychiatry, object relations theory, story telling or mental illness in general. Through Jenny's story Gerity simultaneously gives a fascinating accurate account of patient care in a mental health facility while also educating the reader about the various psychological theories that staff utilize for treatment. This book was a pleasure to read and would be enjoyable for everyone but I think it should be mandatory reading for anyone who works with the mentally ill population.

According to the author, the premise of the book is 'what they teach at business school' is a base from which you have to develop creative insights to deal with specific tasks. The received wisdom gives insight into the nature of the organizational box; the challenge is to go beyond its boundaries. But skills must be developed to take transcend conventional views.

Noting that the study of creativity is one of the most silenced voices in MBA courses, the author begins with an exploration of creativity; this key chapter's subtitle is "the slumbering giant of organizational studies." From there Rickards moves on to a wide spectrum of subjects: marketing and strategy; decision-making; culture and climate; leadership and managerialism; and the management of change. The final two chapters concern postmodernism and economics (ranging from Adam Smith to a new economic paradigm). The book successfully places the study of organization and the traditional business disciplines into a dynamic perspective at the core of which is creativity.

The book itself is creative, filled with absorbing insights, and presents a stimulating, personal journey that delves beneath the surface features of the organizational landscape. Thoughtful and filled with meaningful content, this book is a true find for the adventurous mind. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and the Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

I am interested in reading an overview of the book

I am a clown and visual artist. I found this book has positivly influced my work in both areas. It has opened me up to being more creative and to being more effective with my creativity. This book is written for the variety artist but my wife who is a software engineer and a project manager has been able to use a number of the techniques and ideas found in here to help her do her job better.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in being more creative in any field. If you keep an open mind and read between the lines a little you can find a wealth of useful information.

With qualified workers at a premium today, the author offers a solution. Business and education must integrate. Education should teach higher levels of thinking (e.g., paradoxical, systemic, futuristic) to provide business with innovative thinkers for the 21st century.

The Creativity Handbook is a clear example of superior writing. The beautiful drawings from young students and descriptions associated with each visual are beatifully exemplified in this book. It is a pleasure to read such a true art resource book. Ms. Boriss-Krimsky understands both the parent and teacher audience, while she brillently describes the inner child through their art pieces.

It's probably the best summary and introduction to understanding howwe go about being creative. It is of general interest beyond the public relations field

This is a wonderful, readable, practical book. It begins with an intellectually honest treatment of creativity theory in a concise, user-friendly format. However, the classroom teacher is the targeted audience, and the book does a very comprehensive job of presenting research-based strategies that can be used in the classroom to enhance creativity. A great resource!