Creativity Books

Read Howard Gardner of Mihaly Chikszentmihaly on creativity and you find references to this book. You will also find their earliest thoughts here. It is the earliest, widest, and deepest set of essays on creativity that I have found.

Now I know God is the ultimate creative Writer of time and eternity - but I've just found the next BEST book on earth that I've ever read about creativity. It is an incisive, informative, excellent resource for writers of biography, fiction-story, non-fiction-facts, journaling and grocery lists! Please do not ask me to loan my copy to you, for I will never let it go!

I have owned this audio program since the late 80's.

I had bought it together with six other audio programs from Sybervision Systems, a very innovative company specialising in breakthrough peak performance technologies.

[Their unique technology entails the power of role modeling. What they have done in this program as well as in others are: They have identified powerful models; They then isolated the key fundamentals, & explained the fundamentals through a user-friendly system for easy self-paced learning & practical performance, when & where needed.]

In those days, they were among the very best available in the marketplace.

Even up to today, I dare to day that audio programs from Sybervision Systems are still unparalled in their genre. As a matter of fact, this particular program was the first audio training program ever endorsed by Fortune Magazine in 1989.

In total, this program consists of eight high-fidelity audio cassettes & a work book encased in a hard plastic clamshell.

Essentially, it is based on the creative work & intellectual materials of Dr William Miller, who wrote the book, 'The Creative Edge: Fostering Innovation Where You Work.' The book is among the first few very good creativity books which I owned, & they also include 'Creativity in Business' by Michael Ray. The latter is the creator of the famed 'Creativity in Business' program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Dr Miller has taught at the program, too.

It is quite safe to say, content-wise, that this is an audio adaptation of the earlier book.

Incidentally, I had met Dr Miller briefly during the early nineties in Singapore, while he was returning to the United States from India. He had earlier delivered a lecture at a conference on spiritual values in Bombay, India.

Featured in this program are many interviews with successful business people, including Apollo XIV astronaunt Edgar Mitchell, founder of the Institute for Noetic Sciences (IONS), & Dr Willis Harman, President of IONS at one time. These interviews will not only explain & reinforce the secrets of being creative, they will inspire you to become a creative person.

Just like the book, this progam has five major themes:

- you are creative;
- the creative process is like a journey (what a marvellous way to understand the creative process!);
- there are four distinct pathways to innovation: VISIONING, EXPLORING, EXPERIMENTING, MODIFYING (understanding these four distinct pathways, particularly in terms of team innovation, is already well worth your investment in the entire program);
- you can be a catalyst for more inspired yet practical ideas;
- your creative team is an extension of you;

I noted that Dr Miller is able to span many disciplines & to integrate numerous frameworks, ranging from humanistic psychology to large system dynamics into his program. What is most special about this program is his ability to combine stories, fables & practical tips for liberating the creative spirit in all of us. In fact, he shares the eight master keys to discover, unlock & fulfil your creative potential:

- See the big picture;
- Take initiative;
- Be open to new ways of doing things;
- Look for input from others;
- Generate many options;
- Make decisions based on your values;
- Take action & be persistent;
- Share the credit & reward yourself & others;

In ending this review, let me paraphrase Dr Miller's parting comments at the end of his program:

"Ultimately, the value of this program is not what it says, but what people like you do with the thoughts & information it contains. What you will do is your gift to us. Thank you."

If you are an auditory learner, get hold of this audio program. If you are a visual learner, get hold of the book, 'The Creative Edge'. As for me, I have acquired both for my personal library.

"What is thinking?" That is the question with which author Vera John-Steiner opens this definitely thought-provoking book. It is a tall order to fill, but she does so both with insight and eloquence by studying experienced, productive thinkers. I have read this book twice because it is so full of gems I could not seem to collect them all in one visit. One of the biggest strengths of the book is that it provides the depth needed by academic researchers as well as the accessibility of language and explanation most non-academic readers prefer. She examines how thinking develops, the emotional and intellectual intensity of creative work, the tools creative thinkers use, and the similarities and differences among "languages of the mind" such as words, images, music and models. She bases her ideas on the reflective sources of thinkers themselves ­ more than 100 interviews, plus letters, journals, works in progress, biographies and autobiographies ­ sources which have been neglected by behavior scientists in the past but have proved invaluable for illuminating the succinct, telegrammatic thought processes or "inner shorthands into artistically and intellectually convincing achievements." By using in-depth analyses of these self-reports and "working papers" of great minds in the arts and sciences, John-Steiner shows that creativity (1) requires sustained effort (it is not an instantaneous "aha" as it is sometimes portrayed) and (2) is not a product of "lone genius" but of social scaffolding, interaction and apprenticeship. Creativity, like this book, is a journey of wonder, exploration, evaluation and novel ideas that is well worth taking.

If you read only one book this year, and you would like a book that puts you in touch with the Spirit within you---this reviewer recommends O and I. It is the story of the author's discovery of Orifi, an intelligence from another dimension whose wisdom, insight and humor led Alfred Schwab to another and better place.

O and I tells of the personal relationship between Orifi and the author---and the growth that both enjoy from their discussions. For instance, Schwab asks, "Are we only here within this reality to learn how to escape from it?" Orifi responds, "...the physical experience is adding tremendously to your personal growth and understanding. The process of becoming physical, then understanding the physical level, then learning to detach from it, then learning eventually to separate from the physical reality, is an awesome one...it can only be conceived of in stages as it unfolds."

A good book tells a good story while a great book gets you to think. O and I gets you to think-- and understand that we are not alone. We are all connected to the universe, and God or Spirit or I AM or whatever you call it, resides within each of us. The author shares his realization of that truth, and the journey and learning experiences along the way, in this great book.

Orifi and Schwab speak to each other as brothers, both on an equal footing, and both learning about each other, and both teaching each other. O and I is certainly well written (the words and logic seem to slide down like Jello), focussed, humorous and intelligent. In this reviewer's opinion, Alfred Schwab has given us a book about love and respect---the ingredients necessary for growth. Don't miss O and I, it can change your life!

This small book contains twelve chapters from some of the most respected and talented experts on innovation and renewal. Their chapters are an inspiration to those of us seeking new ways to think and see.

Look at the contributors. They are known for their leadership in science, technology, management, leadership, publishing, and more. Together they provide a tapestry. See the sample chapters at the Drucker Foundation Web site. Buy a copy for your boss and your one for your daughter.

The esteemed authors are:
John Seely Brown; James Champy; Stephen Jay Gould; Gary Hamel and Peter Skarzynski; Frances Hesselbein; Randy Komisar; Dorothy Leonard and Walter Swap; Costas Markides; Nigel Nicholson; Harriet Rubin; Patricia B. Seybold; and Noel Tichy.

A moving critical study on those silences that confronted women artists in the West, focusing on professional, non-professional, and traditional women artists' struggles to find voices and to cope with markets for their work. Jensen discusses several artists whose careers were shadowed or distorted by husbands, some of whom were themselves artists or collectors. She also treats extensively the history of a Native American basket maker's struggles with market forces, traditional cultural artmaking and art-using practices, discrimination, and family forces. Covering late pioneer days through the rise of Hollywood and spanning painting, photography, literature, dance, and crafts, the book surprised me with its concise and compelling portrayals of many societies and art worlds. Jensen communicates immediate and personal interpretations of the "lifeways" of silenced and near silenced women artists, as well as some who succeeded--at their great cost--in finding a voice.

"Without creation there is nothing new...God is the creator. We as human are creative, listening to the silence and allowing spirit to flow through us." ~ pg. 7, Interview with Steven Zuckerman

Open Your Heart with Art is a selection from a new book series about mastering life through what you know and love. Through accessing your inner wisdom you can lead a more inspired life. In this book you reconnect with your creative side and rediscover all you love about art.

This book begins with an interview with Romero Britto, Richard Humphreys, Dan Decker, Tom Dressen and Steven Zuckerman, then it moves on to a number of projects and ideas. The main chapters cover ideas about Tools and Techniques, Spending Time Creating, and explains How to Build a Creative Life.

I think this book will be especially appreciated by anyone who loves artistic expression or who wants to enhance life through new and exciting avenues of experience. Through reading this book you can learn how to reconnect with your inner artist through the exploration of painting, drawing, sculpting or working on a scrapbook or journal. Some of the ideas like the section on beading is a brief introduction to the craft as are the areas of quilt making and crochet. These are areas you can research further if you find them to be intriguing. I thought the ideas about edible art sounded rather fun and the project with caramel corn will be enjoyed by the entire family.

The book concludes with more interviews with Jimmy McDaniel, Leona Toppel and Ashie Hirji. The interviews at the beginning and end of the book present the viewpoints of artists, actors, teachers and musicians. The entire book brings a deeper understanding to art and what it means to us as human beings seeking to find a spiritual expression through art.

"Much like the poet who weaves a story of memories forged into literary sculpture, crafted from letters and spaces, each item gathered holds such a connection for the artists, through rarely is that story told. For the most part, people connect with and comment on a completed piece." ~ pg. 121

~The Rebecca Review

Writer, psychologist, academician, and Founder/CEO of eWay Direct (an e-marketing technology company), Neil M. Rosen brings a very special expertise to his advice in "Open Your Heart With Writing: Mastering Life Through Love Of Words". Inspired and inspiring, "Open Your Heart With Writing" was written for the specific purpose of helping people in all walks of life realize what they can achieve in terms of self-help and self-realization through the simple process of writing down their thoughts, their ideas, their observations, their reflections, their stories, poems, and essays. "Open Your Heart With Writing" is not intended as a guide to improving writing skills, nor is it intended as an instruction manual on getting published. Rather it shows how to take fleeting thoughts and cultivate them into richly embellished tales of mystery, drama, history, poetic expression, and even a kind of spiritual nourishment for the soul. Whether writing in a journal or diary format, or simply jotting things down in a convenient notebook, "Open Your Heart With Writing" will enable anyone to have confidence in writing for the simple, helpful, intrinsic joy of it.

I found this book very moving. The author, who is a painter, creates a garden and in the process discovers that gardening is really about life itself. From "tilling the soil" to "reaping the harvest" I was captivated by her thoughts and simple prose. I gave copies to several friends who also greatly enjoyed it. It read like a moment of calm beauty in a very frantic world.