Product Description
Madness is the central mystery of the human psyche.Our minds evolved to give us a faithful understanding of reality, to allow us to integrate into our communities, and to help us adapt our behavior to our environment.Yet in serious mental illness, the mind does exactly the opposite of these things.The sufferer builds castles of imaginative delusion, fails to adapt, and becomes a stranger among his own people.Yet mental illness is no marginal phenomenon: it is found in all societies and all historical epochs, and the genes that underlie it are quite common.Furthermore, the traits that identify the madman are found in attenuated form in normal thinking and feeling.The persistence of madness, then, is a terrible puzzle from both an evolutionary and a human point of view.In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare suggested a link between madness and artistic creativity: 'The lunatic, the lover, and the poet', he wrote, 'Are of imagination all compact'. Recent studies have shown that there is indeed a connection.Rates of mental illness are hugely elevated in the families of poets, writers and artists, suggesting that the same genes, the same temperaments, and the same imaginative capacities are at work in insanity and in creative ability.Thus the reason madness continues to exist is that the traits behind it have psychological benefits as well as psychological costs. In Strong Imagination, Daniel Nettle explores the nature of mental illness, the biological mechanisms that underlie it, and its link to creative genius.He goes on to consider the place of both madness and creative imagination in the evolution of our species. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Anthropologically relevant and interesting read!!!
Nettle's book is not for the feint of heart or the reference-challenged.It is huge, tough chunks of academia interspersed with some darned interesting stuff.

Primary in the first half of Nettle's message are his "four propositions" that:
*Psychosis is so common as to be found in approximately 1 in 30 people,
*The most common types of psychosis have a basis in the brain,
*The consequences of psychosis are of a disastrous nature and
*The propensity for psychosis is dependant on personality and just like other facets of human personality are considered, to a large extent, something that is inherited.

With these suppositions in place as a foundation, Daniel Nettle aptly highlights two significant messages regarding creativity and mental illness.

First Nettle goes out of his way to invalidate the practice of glorifying psychological illness as it occurs in artists.It is all too common amongst a variety of persons to indulge the belief that authentic creative geniuses are a by nature a psychically tortured and grief-stricken crowd from the moment of conception and thus one can't swing a cat without hitting one in the various stages of melodramatic deterioration: cutting off ears, filling pockets with rocks and walking into the Thames or painting grotesquely melting clocks and calling it cool.This is an essentially nihilistic and unsafe viewpoint for those who don't face potentially debilitating psychological challenge.It is far too disturbing a charade to encourage when someone's well-being hangs in the balance.

The second aspect of Daniel Nettle's book that I found fascinating is his willingness to embrace both heredity and psycho-social environment as having, if not always an equal share then certainly an equal opportunity in the ways psychic illness manifests.He takes this declaration one giant step further (here's the fascinating part that deserved bolded font) by asserting that the reason mental illness is seen repeating itself (in lengthy and detailed examination of genealogical records) is that there is a specific innate benefit to its succession!Nettle is clear:

if the four propositions hold true - and indeed they have cooperated thus far - then the evolutionary process has not been reluctant to weed out the tendency toward mental illness and, instead, has refused to "[eject] them from the gene pool."(137)

He goes on to cite findings that suggest that not only do "the genes associated with psychosis confer a creativity benefit not just on psychotics but on [others] as well." (151)

The idea that a well-known and reputable researcher would take it upon himself to even consider the natural place of mental illness and creative ability as a part of human evolution is phenomenal.It is far and away the most radical premise I've read regarding mental illness and artistic ability.

Strong Imagination, Madness, and Creativity.
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet
Are of imagination all compact.
-_A Midsummer Night's Dream_, William Shakespeare.

_Strong Imagination:Madness, Creativity, and Human Nature_ by anthropologist Daniel Nettle is a fascinating account of the intertwining relationship between madness (mental illness), creativity, and human nature all linked together through the notion of "strong imagination".As the author points out, "strong imagination" was recognized by William Shakespeare who noted three things about it:that it is an inherent aspect of human nature, that it is highly developed in madness and creativity, and that it may be associated with love or sexual attraction.The author also states later in the book that what he means by madness is really "psychosis", "the state where the sufferer passes beyond the bounds of reality, intelligibility, and rationality as defined by the bulk of society".Psychosis is mostly seen in the more extreme forms of depression, manic depression, and schizophrenia (formerly known as "dementia praecox").The author also brings up a fourth category:the "schizoaffective" (shading between depression and/or mania and schizophrenia), although the usefulness of these categories remains a matter of some debate.Of course the very notion of mental illness and psychosis remains extremely controversial, and the author must spend a great deal of the earlier parts of this book defining exactly what he means, answering possible objections, and ultimately defending his viewpoint that mental illness is a brain disorder and results from either a chemical imbalance in the brain, an "organic" disturbance, or an atrophy in certain parts of the brain.The author also contends that medication that works on neurotransmitters in the brain (in particular antidepressants such as Prozac for minor and major depression, lithium for manic depression, and anti-psychotics for schizophrenia) dampens the effects of mood swings and may be useful for alleviating thought disorder, psychosis, or the so-called positive symptoms of schizophrenia.Furthermore, the author contends that tendencies towards psychosis (or affective disorder) are hereditary.All of this of course remains extremely controversial.

The author begins by showing what he means by "strong imagination" and its interaction with madness, especially in his comparisons of Shakespeare's plays and the bizarre delusions of an apparently schizophrenic man, Mr. Matthews, in Eighteenth century London who believed that a "gang of seven" was plotting against him and devised all sorts of explanations for their nefarious schemes.The author next explains what he means by psychosis.Important distinctions arise at this point, first between the outdated categories of neurosis (minor mental complaint) and psychosis, and secondly between two forms of psychosis (organic and functional).The distinction between organic and functional psychosis highlights two different methods of understanding mental illness (one rooted in dualism between mind and body and the other rooted in biological materialism).The author highlights some of the earlier means of treating mental illness that were rooted in this dualistic understanding, including psychotherapy and mentioning in particular Freud.The alternative approach was to treat mental illness as a form of brain disorder (and this is the dominant approach today), and thus a search for appropriate medications began.Other more radical thinkers such as Thomas Szasz have argued that mental illness does not exist at all, and that the mentally ill merely have different or unpopular beliefs, comparing schizophrenics to conscientious objectors and separatists.While there is some truth in Szasz's arguments, they ultimately rest on a misunderstanding of the concept of disease and the resulting social implications that we should not attempt to treat schizophrenics or the severely depressed are horrendous and cruel.A second distinction arises between "nature and nurture".The nature position having its roots in Galton for example, contended that mental illness was a hereditary disease and biological in nature.The nurture position which was defended by Freud, but also in a particularly extreme form by R. D. Laing, contended that mental illness arose as a result of family difficulties (or was the only rational response to the inherent contradictions of modern capitalist society) and particularly blamed the mother for them.The author will contend that the nature position has largely been vindicated and provides much evidence to show this.The author next turns his attention to manic depression and schizophrenia, attempting to show how these disorders arise and the biological basis for them.The author contends that it is useful to think of manic depression and schizophrenia as two separate entities (though the separation is fuzzy and this remains a controversial point).The author also contends that manic depressive moods (in particular the high moods of hypomania) are particularly inducive to creative work.The author also contends that schizophrenic thinking (the thought disorder of psychosis) is also inducive to creative thinking.The author proposes two distinct personality dimensions (thymotypy and schizotypy) to indicate individuals who are prone to psychosis but who may also be particularly creative.The author shows how many creative geniuses of eminence (particularly in the creative arts, though I suspect also in mathematics and philosophy) had these traits.The author also shows how these traits might have been selected for evolutionarily.Here he discusses not only their role in modern societies, but also their role in "primitive" cultures, emphasizing for example the role of shaman and bard.The author contends that the creative process may have been selected for in a similar manner to the way the peacock's beautiful tail was selected for, as part of sexual selection.The author also considers the possibility that mental illness is increasing in modern civilization.Finally, the author explains the need for creative individuals to "keep sane" and not seek out psychosis, because though thymotypy and schizotypy may be indicative of creative tendencies, outright psychosis largely interferes with creative work.

This book offers a fascinating study of the relationship between madness and creative thinking as part of "strong imagination".The author's theories are certainly interesting and backed up with much evidence to support them.As someone who has experienced both mental illness (manic depression including some psychosis) and highly creative states, I found this book to be particularly insightful.

Bring your brain
I'm a writer with manic depression who is bothered by the way mental illness is romanticized within the writing community. So many people I know believe that writers with manic depression should not take medication because it will "kill" their creativity. I find this attitude really offensive -- not just because it is false -- but also because it puts manic-depressive writers and artists in danger. I have found very fewresources that adequately address this issue, very few books that explain why allowing full blown psychosis to developed is a bad idea, not just for the health of the person in question, but for his or her creativity as well. Daniel Nettle really hit this one it on the head as far as I'm concerned.

I was particularly drawn into the parts of the book that dealt with the "nature vs. nuture" argument, and the history behind each way of thinking. This information is complex but assessable. I read the book in just a few sittings.

Don't get me wrong -- this is no dumbed down self-help book. This is a heady and academic work, full of carefully thought out arguments.Bring your brain and a lot of sticky arrows to mark your favorite passages.My book is now full of them.

grasping at non-existent justifications...
I respect the author's intentions to provide a form of consolation for troubled individuals like myself. However, the attempt falls short in the too-real context of inevitable aging and death. Assuming that personal efficacy in ordinary matters is self-evidently a cure simply loses sight of the fact that concentrating on mundane matters must be conducted without any form of external justification.

I recommend readers interested in this subject turn to different techniques of being resigned to the purposelessness and meaninglessness that scientific investigations continually reveal. In particular, I recommend the scientifically grounded "cosmic spirituality" as described by Milton Munitz in books such as The Question of Reality; Cosmic Understanding and Does Life Have A Meaning?. Owen Flanagan also provides comfort in his discussions, including The Problem of the Soul.

Having to face reality is always a difficult task. And Daniel Nettle courageously takes up this task with all good intention to alert troubled individuals to NOT indulge in nihilistic self-destruction for the sake of "art" or other means to attention and notoriety. This is sound advice. As is Nettle's advice to pursue robust health. These are all necessary but ultimately insufficient steps on the way to a comfortable avoidance of insanity. For a self-sufficient presence, one still must face one's personal orientation to the totality of reality.

The over-arching issue remains the absence of external justification of one's actions and one's presence. And for this there is no simple fix. Making oneself at home in the universe remains an extremely elusive destination... ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

How Women Survive via Creative, Not Always Pleasant, Means
Live Through This is a revolutionary, powerful, and potentially life-saving book. It's not just that editor Sabrina Chapadjiev has collected the work of some of the most creative female artists and writers, but that they in turn bravely take us behind the scenes to moments often before they became the bold-faced names they are today and share their darkest times and coping mechanisms.

The fact is, it's often hard to reconcile the women writing these pieces with what I know of them. Exhibitionism for the Shy and Live Nude Girl author Carol Queen was really once going to kill herself? And yet of course it all makes perfect sense. These women give readers an outlet not just to hear their stories, but to claim our own coping mechanisms without judgment. It's not that they are encouraging cutting or eating disorders, to name two examples, but that they've been there, done/heard that, and have moved on. Nicole Blackman writes of the power she unwittingly tapped into, becoming the keeper of her fans' secrets, and not knowing how to deal with such pain in their lives.

Elizabeth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle write of turning cancer, a deadly disease, into art, in one of the most powerful pieces in the book. Within these pages, everything is okay, if that's what you need to do to survive, as Kate Bornstein so eloquently points out: "Cutting, starving yourself, drugging, drinking... these are all rituals some of us develop in order to deal with pain. Each of these solutions to pain is in itself painful, so each solution/ritual contains a very personal lesson on how to handle the experience of pain." Her journey took her through Scientology and into art, among other things, and the stark examples of her artwork say so much about the pain she was living through.


I don't think it's a coincidence that as I read this book while I was going through a very dark time, dealing with depression and anxiety. I read part of it during a medical crisis as I sat in the waiting room. Because that's another thing: even though this is a book about getting past those self-destructive, self-defeating, awful mental (and physical) struggles, these authors don't hold out any panaceas or claim to be completely "over" these issues. They have certainly learned and matured, but this is not just an "and I lived to tell the tale" book. It's much more than that, because one gets the sense that though they may have stopped drinking, getting high, and outright harming themselves, the challenges continue. Inga M. Muscio's essay is the kind that grabs your heart and holds tight until the end as she rights about the death of her brother. She concludes, "Most always, healing is not a destination or an objective. Healing is a daily thought process, a series of infinite questions and choices, a kill that is not taught, much less revered, in our culture."

I don't mean to end on a depressing note, because I do believe this book is well worth reading for anyone, whatever gender, who has ever felt not all there, who has wanted art to save them but isn't sure it will do the trick, who has felt, even if they were surrounded by people who care, all alone. These authors get that and go there, to those places so many would rather avoid or pretend do not exist. By acknowledging that they do, sharing their stories, and, most of all, perhaps, not pretending to have all the answers, they prove themselves not "experts," but real, flawed, passionate, yet still brilliant, bold and creative people who have learned not everything, but something they can pass on to others.

Helpful Advice from 'Live Through This'
There are so many different ways to be creative, just like there are so many different ways to self-destruct.The different examples of strong women artists dealing with both factors, gives me hope, because it makes me see that I am not alone, that there are other creative women out there struggling, but surviving.I picked up this book last week because I was having a terrible day and didn't feel like I wanted to live through much of anything.I read one story, and then another, and then another, of women who, at times, may not have felt like continuing on, but pushed through this feeling - or rather used this feeling - to keep creating and keep surviving.I am determined to become one of these women.And I am determined to live through this.This book is excellent.

on creativity and self-destruction, or the commodification thereof
The back cover describes this book as a "visceral look at the bizarre entanglement of destructive and creative forces." Pick out a few of those words, and it's not such a bad description of the book itself: visceral (literally, at points), bizarre, entangled, destructive. Creative, I'm not so sure about.

The overall quality of the writing (or the editing -- I caught several typos) is not particularly high. But whatever, I could have forgiven that if the quality of the insights had been a little better. I liked the premise -- that the power self-destructive behaviors indicate can be better directed towards creative pursuits -- because I thought it seemed promisingly positive and like maybe the contributors would be conscious of the dangers of romanticizing violence towards the self. I do not think they actually were.

Also, the "self-destruction" the book is supposed to be about sometimes seemed a little...tenuous. Many (not all) of the pieces seemed to be about the pull towards self-destruction rather than self-destruction itself. I don't mean to discount anybody's experience, but looking down from an upstairs bedroom thinking about what it would be like to jump is a very different animal from actually doing it. Writing a poem about an anorectic girl -- and deciding to provide de facto counseling via email to young women whom the poem particularly strikes -- is not the same as having an eating disorder. I hesitate to mention this but I think it fits into the same romanticizing/fetishizing of young female self-destruction that I really hoped this book would manage to sidestep.

I didn't HATE this book, and some of the pieces were certainly better than others. But overall it ain't gonna tell you much. Find your insights elsewhere.

at long last
when our female role models self destruct, we witness the media belittle them with glorified humiliation (read: britney spears) or morbid reverence (read: sarah kane).

when we question why our loved ones are anorexic, bulimic, cutting, and otherwise hurting themselves, the conversation is silenced with shrugs or competitive storytelling.

"live through this" shifts that conversation by presenting the experience of an impressive lineup of womyn, who through their stories demonstrate a pattern of finding personal power through self-destructive experiences, then channeling that power into more positive and productive activities.

beyond the stories themselves, the book challenges us to have a different kind of conversation about self-destructive tendencies.beyondmedication, shame, and silence there is energy and power that has the potential to build creative, supportive community.

an amazing read!

you are not alone
This book doesn't offer answers, it is not a step-by step process for how to heal.Rather it is a collection of experiences... stories about how others have coped, fought and triumphed, using their own strengths and creativity.Just knowing that depression and destruction can be dealt with in ways that are not exclusive to a bottle of pills or weekly visits to a doctor is useful.For anyone who has been on the floor with no idea how to get up, I would recommend this book as proof of life. ... Read more

Product Description
For the millions of readers who have experienced the rich rewards of following any or all of Julia Cameron's three twelve-week programs for creative recovery, here is a gorgeous cloth-bound edition that includes The Artist's Way, Walking in This World, and Finding Water. In her introduction, Cameron reflects on the artist's journey and provides deep insights into how readers may set about cultivating a more creative and spiritually rewarding existence by using the principles contained in these books.

Encompassing Cameron's most vital work from over the course of the last two decades, The Complete Artist's Way is an essential volume for Cameron's legions of fans.

This collector's edition features:

- a ribbon bookmark
- a cloth spine
- a printed case with debossing and foil
- elegant rough-front pages
... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Worth the price
I didn't realize this was three books in one when I ordered, but I'm glad it was. I've finished the first 12 week workshop and look forward to doing the second soon. Short chapters make it is easy to read and the text is peppered with inspirational quotes that reinforce Cameron's emphasis on creativity's spiritual roots. Going through the first 12 week process helped me find strength I didn't know I had. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing!
Got this book and am absolutely thrilled with it - read it through (though not the second and third part) and am already on my third week of the Artist's Way...

The articles are certainly thought provoking and coupled with the exercises for each week... well it certainly got the brain cells humming all right!

Am already feeling the change... keep wondering why I didn't buy this book earlier...

It is amazing how obvious it is - we as artists don't take the time out for ourselves - and when we start nourishing ourselves, the results are certainly going to be visible!

I would certainly recommend this book to everyone, blocked or not!

Wonderful book!So much practical info.I love it...Julia Cameron makes writing so much fun.
A wonderful resource for the new artist or one who wants to polish their craft!Great read and wonderful way to learn.

excellent way to get back on track...
with your artistic strengths & joys and your connection to your higher power. I don't think I've had a self-sabotaging thought she hasn't addressed perfectly.

The Complete Artist's Way
I purchased this item to participate in a book study with a group of friends online.Since we started the book study and began using the book, completing the tasks, etc....I have found myself more in tune with my creative side.I've done MORE creative works in the last few weeks than I had done almost the entire year last year.Not only has this book (and we're not even finished with it yet) helped motivate me and the others, but it's also generated IDEAS, LIFESTYLE CHANGES, and so much more.It has truly been a wonderful tool to have and I look forward to completing the book AND keeping it as a reference. ... Read more

Product Description
*Combines two favorite topics--drawing and creativity

*Enclosed spiral binding means it lies flat while artists work!

*Features countless inspirational drawings from the author and other famous artists, including R. Crumb and Maya Lin.

Every artist wants to be more creative, and this book demystifies that often confusing process. There are dozens of exercises to help readers more fully engage their artwork and unlock the power of the imagination. Artists will learn how to recycle old drawings into fresh ideas and discover new ways of working that free their creativity. Artists of all levels--working in every medium--will come away more confident and creative!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Expressive Creativity
Bert Dodson's techniques are an invaluable resource in gaining skills to help artists become more creative. Every illustrator has the occasional "artist's block". These skills can help anybody gain ideas. This book should be in every artist's library.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!
For months I have been taking this book out of the library when I realized that it was something that I needed to have on my shelf. Bert takes doodling to a whole new level and helped me turn my average art into something spectacular. Best of all, he reminded me of things that I used to do naturally when I was younger, that I didn't appreciate at the time, and consequently forgot about as the years went on. Thank you Bert for being a great artist and a great teacher. Please write a part II to this book!!!

fun drawing booik
I purchased this author's book "Keys for Drawing" and found it to be a great, reference and good instructional drawing book.It is clear and has many exercises that walk anyone through the art of drawing.When I saw this book at the library, (Drawing with Imagination) I checked it out and really liked it.It is fun and has some great fun drawing exercises.I had to have a copy for my library.It really helps with confidence building with regards to drawing skills and provides some fun exercises that are really good and also very relaxing.So if you dread learning to draw but want to do it in a fun, easy going fashion--try this book and see how relaxing and yet practical it is. The information is very well presented.

Every artist should begin with this book.
OMG! I LOVE this book! It's not just to read, I want to absorb all the information in it. Thank you sooooo much.

A great book to take you further in drawing.
I have taken several drawing classes and wanted to keep practicing and learning.I found this book and love it.I had wanted to work more on the different kinds of strokes one can use in drawing and there are some good examples in the book.But the sections I like most are the doodling and noodling sections where he shows you how you can build shapes out of strokes. For me, these activities really free up the drawing process and let creativity start to show. Every section offers exercises to work on. Spiral binding makes it easy to work with. This book continues to inspire me! ... Read more

Product Description

The fourth edition of this well-known text continues the mission of its predecessors – to help teachers link creativity research and theory to the everyday activities of classroom teaching. Part I (chs 1-5) includes information on models and theories of creativity, characteristics of creative people, and talent development. Part II (chapters 6-10) includes strategies explicitly designed to teach creative thinking, to weave creative thinking into content area instruction, and to organize basic classroom activities (grouping, lesson planning, assessment, motivation and classroom organization) in ways that support students’ creativity.

Changes in this Edition:

Improved Organization -- This edition has been reorganized from 8 to 10 chapters allowing the presentation of theoretical material in clearer, more manageable chunks.

New Material – In addition to general updating, there are more examples involving middle and secondary school teaching, more examples linking creativity to technology, new information on the misdiagnosis of creative students as ADHD, and more material on cross-cultural concepts of creativity, collaborative creativity, and linking creativity to state standards.

Pedagogy & Design – Chapter-opening vignettes, within-chapter reflection questions and activities, sample lesson ideas from real teachers, and end-of-chapter journaling activities help readers adapt content to their own teaching situations. Also, a larger trim makes the layout more open and appealing and a single end-of-book reference section makes referencing easier.

Targeted specifically to educators (but useful to others), this book is suitable for any course that deals wholly or partly with creativity in teaching, teaching the gifted and talented, or teaching thinking and problem solving. Such courses are variously found in departments of special education, early childhood education, curriculum and instruction, or educational psychology.

Customer Reviews (3)

Great
Thank you so much. The book arrived shortly after I ordered it and matched the description.

A valuable resource for teachers, students, & parents
I am always fascinated by creativity. Whenever I come across a creativity book, irrespective of whether it is intended for the business or academic world, I will always scan it first and if it appears "intriguing" judging from the front/back covers, table of contents and index page, I will oftenperuse - and reflect on - it. I will often adapt the ideas to my consulting work. In this case, this book did not disappoint me.

In a nut shell, this is a book about practical strategies for teaching and learning creative thinking skills. Although it has been written primarily for teachers and students, I find thatmany of the information on theory, strategies and assessment covered by the book are applicable and useful for anyone who is interested in exploring creativity, even in non-academic areas.

The main bulk of the book pertains to approaches to teaching the basic curriculum - mathematics, science, social studies, language - that encourage creative problem solving, and information on how research on motivation and creativity applies to decisions about classroom management, organisation and assessment.

The book is divided into two parts: "Understanding Creative People & Processes" and "Creativity & Classroom Life.".The first part gives an excellent grounding in creativity fundamentals. The second part gives practical suggestions for creativity design, development & assessment in a classroom setting.For teachers, this part, especially the assessment tools,is a real gem.

Very fortunately, the author's fluid writing style, coupled with her interesting case studies and numerous applications, makes the book easy-to-follow.

The author has very masterfully organised practical activities, such as "Thinking about the Classroom" and "Journeying and Journalling" in every chapter.For readers, there are a lot of points to ponder, several questions to ask and many things to do. This is the part I enjoyed "playing" with them the most.

At the end of each chapter, and also in the bibliography, the author has listed many useful references for further exploration. For research purposes, this is a gold mine.

For parents, who are looking for simple ideas and practical strategies to develop creative activities for their children, I dare say this book is definitely a very helpful guide.

As a matter of fact, if you are just looking for creative opportunities in your own life, this book (particularly chapter 6) can be a valuable source of curious delight.

creativity in the classroom:schools of curious delight
I am sorry,I am not writing review about the book. I would like to ask you to e-mail the contents of the book to me as soon as possible. Thank you ... Read more

Product Description
Inspiring Creativity is an anthology of essays by 22 professional creativity coaches. The articles explore a wide variety of issues that can help people undertaking any type of creative work. The back cover reads as follows: Whatever type of creative work you do – writing, painting, acting, dancing, composing, crafting, or inventing – Inspiring Creativity will transform your results. Written by 22 practicing creativity coaches, this anthology presents a fascinating array of thoughtful approaches, practical tips, and valuable insights to engage your mind and help you become a more productive, successful creator. You’ll learn how to give yourself permission to create, find muses to arouse your imagination, develop big ideas and techniques to work deeply, and find time to live your creativity every day. You’ll receive the encouragement and support you need to honor yourself and face the challenges of the creative life. Powerfully motivating, the 22 articles in Inspiring Creativity represent the collective wisdom of a diverse team of knowledgeable, sensitive coaches who stand ready to guide you to your full creative potential. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great inspiration
Awonderful book that expresses the stages an artist goes through and questions about being creative. It's great for a beginner or someone getting in touch with their creative side again. I bought this for my daughter whom is getting in touch with her artistic side. She would ask me questions all the time on being an artist, as I have always been,yet sometimes she would have trouble understanding some issues . I felt this book explained things in a easy to follow format.It's a great book for anyone interested in understanding art in general.

A bunch of letters
If the result of this book, based on the title was to inspire, It does not!.

I found it like a set of letter about creativity, but the organization, the quality of content and the topics where not enogh to inspire something.

Of course always we can find something good, but I just found only 2 dossiers that you can see the writter really work for what they get payed.

Less than Inspiring
A collections of writing from top creative coaches with anecdotes.Somehow I found the stories are boring and suggestions didn't inspire me to be creative.Very disappointed.

Creativity coaching
Since ten years, I have been teacher of Creativity and Inventive of Engineering's students, the courses of educational formation in high education and of postdegree of teaching in high education, and this book is really one of the best ones than I have read. I widely recommend because it presents tips practical to help us to develop our creative potential by creativity coaching of another person and ourselves. Specially, the ideas to live our daily life creative are very valuable to enjoy the creative process and product.

Midwest Book Review, October 2005 Issue
In the last five years, the field of coaching and mentoring creative artists has taken off as its own little cottage industry. Eric Maisel, more than any other writer/teacher/psychologist, seems to have had a major role in this genesis, so it's no surprise that this anthology is kicked off with a Foreword by Maisel. He says, "If you get it into your head that you must write novels, compose symphonies, prove or disprove string theory, or in some other way really manifest the potential of your heart, mind, and hands, you have set yourself on a journey that traditionally you have had to navigate alone. Now you need not feel completely alone: creativity coaches are available to help" ( p. xi).

The book is broken into six sections: Give Yourself Permission to Create, Choose a Muse for Inspiration, Create Big Ideas and Work Successfully, Live Your Creativity Every Day, Express and Honor Yourself, and Challenge Yourself to Higher Creativity. The sections form a natural progression, and each section contains three or four pieces. More than just tips and easy ideas, most of the articles advocate philosophies for approaching creativity that would be beneficial to all areas of art, writing, acting, or inventing. The only thing missing in this first edition is an index and a list of resources for further study and research. Perhaps as the field expands and later editions are created those items will be included.

The 22 professional coaches and experts who contributed to this volume are some of the best minds in the still nascent industry of creativity coaching. Four particularly good articles were: "Igniting a Creative Spark Within: How to Establish Creative Focus" by Suzanne R. Roy; "The Hero Within: Using the Mythic Journey to Discover Meaning in your Creative Work" by Michael Mahoney; "Of Flying Monkeys and Modern Day Muses: Who You Gonna Call?" by Jill Badonsky; and "Get BeMused: How to Find Yourself a Creative Muse in the Unlikeliest of Places" by Kaylen Bennett.

This is a fascinating collection, particularly for writers, but it would also serve as an excellent source for the college and online courses springing up to teach the art of creativity coaching. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review
... Read more

Product Description
By now a modern classic, The Gift is a brilliantly orchestrated defense of the value of creativity and of its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities. Widely available again after twenty-five years, this bookis even more necessary today than when it first appeared. An illuminating and transformative book, and completely original in its view of the world, The Gift is cherished by artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. It is in itself a gift to all who discover the classic wisdom found in its pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent!!
I am a musician and write songs. This book opened a new way of understanding the creative process. Very well researched and documented. Highly recommended!!

Essental reading for any creative person
This beautifully written book seems like poetry 'what oft was thought but ne'er so well expressed' yet it deals with a pragmatic issue: the issue of reward for art and the role of money. For anyone working in a creative field it is enormously cathartic and empowering as it explores almost simultaneously how essential and irrelevant money is within a creatively productive life. For anyone not working creatively, albeit profitably, it is a spur to question the worth of what they are doing.

This book redefines the "liberal arts"
I enjoy reading books that expand my perspective, but this is one of the rare books that has truly altered it, or at least given me notice that alteration is necessary.

What served me best in reading this book was the fact that it was one of only two I brought for a very long trip.This meant that I had plenty of time and less reason to be distracted.With this time I was able to pace myself through a somewhat slow beginning, tolerate the re-telling of some stories with which I was already familiar, and, by the end of Part 1, be willing to write a 4-star review of how amazing it was that Michael Lewis could have so presciently defined the logic and sensibilities of the free software and free culture movements that would blossom within ten years of the book being published.His telling of the real establishment of capitalism--that begin with Martin Luther rather than Adam Smith, and the concomitant destruction of charitable customs in Western nations provide a far more cogent explanation of both the moral bankruptcy and the actual bankruptcy of globalism than I've heard in more than one hundred hours of NPR news stories.And his explanations are spot-on for what I am seeing as a person who is involved with, and invests in, community development and sustainability.Indeed, I think it would make especially good reading in faith communities that also have a social community mission.

Then Mr. Hyde lets the other shoe drop: "the gift" describes not only the cultural practices that made economies flourish under conditions beyond the abilities or cares of capitalism, but also the human practices that enable the "genius" of creativity to flourish.The depth of his insights are staggering, and in the end they recontextualized a good portion of my own liberal arts education.

I am delighted to have read it, and look forward to applying its lessons to everything I do going forward, starting with buying enough copies to begin giving them away...

Everyone should read this book!
This book is an eye opener. It's not just about how creative endeavors are affected by modern market society, it's about how we got here, and what it means to live in a market-driven world. It does not bash capitalism; but it gives a very accessible overview of how non-market societies used to operate, and suggests that it is still possible to strike a balance between treating art (or anything else) as commodity and as a gift. Highly recommended for anyone, not just artistic types.

the gift was a gift
I perused the book but it was bought for my son who just grduted ASU in creative writing - poetry.

My only dissapointment was emailing the author to no avail

George Sudduth ... Read more

Product Description
An integrative introduction to the theories and themes in research on creativity, this book is both a reference work and text for courses in this burgeoning area of research. The book begins with a discussion of the theories of creativity (Person, Product, Process, Place), the general question of whether creativity is influenced by nature or nurture, what research has indicated of the personality and style of creative individuals from a personality analysis standpoint, how social context affects creativity, and then coverage of issues like gender differences, whether creativity can be enhanced, if creativity is related to poor mental or physical health, etc.

The book contains boxes covering special interest items including one page biographies of famous creative individuals and activities for a group or individual to test and/or encourage creativity, as well as references to internet sites relating to creativity.

*Breaks down the major theories about creativity but doesn't restrict to a singular perspective
*Includes extensive citations of existing literature
*Textbook features included (i.e., key terms defined) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Poorly structured but informative
Not surprisingly, a heavy book from an experienced expert is quite informative and comprehensive. It certainly serves well as a reference for creativity researchers. What bothers me is the poor structure. Within many chapters, the structure and logical relationships among paragraphs are quite unclear and can be confusing.

Creativity Review
The product was for a class I have enjoyed it so far however, I have not completed yet. It is very descriptive and easily read. It is helping me to understand creativity and the many theories that help define this term. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (104)

Cooking with Herbs
If you love to cook and struggle with adding herbs into the mix, this is a must have book. It takes the guess work out of matching herbs to dishes. Well organized and super easy to use. A must have for every kitchen!!!

Just What I've Been Looking For
I love that this isn't a recipe book that tells me what to do moment by moment.Instead, it's a reference book that helps me to add flavor to my own dishes, flavor that differs from my own tried and trues.I love to cook and have been doing so for more years than I care to admit to.I don't always want a recipe to tell me what to do.Sometimes I just want to make something of my own creation.This book really helps with that.I've only had it a few days but it's already been quite useful.It lists flavors that different "experts" (doesn't say who the experts are unless I've missed it) use for particular ingredients.And it lists them in different type according to how many experts recommend that particular flavor combination.Bold type, all capitals, with an asterisk is use for the tried and true flavor combos.Small type, regular print (not bold) is for the least recommended but still mentioned by one or more.Those are the extremes, there are others in between.

For instance, there are two pages on Asparagus, covering both regular and white.It begins with the season it's generally available (spring), the weight of the flavor (light-medium), the volume of the flavor (moderate) and the techniques (blanch, boil, deep-fry, pan roast, stir fry).Then it offers a list of the nuts, herbs and spices, other vegetables, cheeses, eggs, sauces, oils, salts, creams, stocks, etc. that work well with Asparagus.It then gives you Flavor Affinities, which are groups of flavorings that work well together such as asparagus + ham + morel mushrooms + Parmesan Cheese.It then offers some dishes from chefs in which Asparagus is featured such as Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Morels and Pine nuts from Dan Barber, Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, NY).Last, it gives a recommendation on how to make asparagus soup from Daniel Humm of NYs Eleven Madison Park:You need a lot of asparagus flavor.You need acidity.You need sweetness that will come from the asparagus.You need the right amount of salt.You need just the right amount of spice, so that it doesn't actually taste spicy.We use a lot of cayenne, but you would never know it is there; it is just an accent.You need fresh lime juice to finish.Then he discusses the balance of flavors in soup and how to manage that with this soup (sweat the asparagus).Instead of a recipe, you get a how to on making your own soup your way.The whole book has tips from chefs just like that.

I'm going to love this part on "Chocolate/Cocoa-in general"Stuff that works well with chocolate!Experimenting time!!

I hope I've given you an idea of what this excellent book can do for you.

Must Have!
My Executive Chef & mentor recommended this book to me and told me that it was a 'must have'. I finally took his advice and immediately kicked myself for not purchasing it sooner. As soon as I was done reading, I no longer wondered, how did he get so creative... what encourages him to think outside the box the way that he does? He uses this book as a platform to build upon and to inspire; it just gets his juices flowing. This book inspires me too, and I love it! It IS a must have.

Flavor Bible
This is an excellant book especially for the new culinarian.It shows you all the blends of food and how to incorporate them in a dish.

AMAZING! Perfect title for this book. .. FLAVOR BIBLE
This is AMAZING.I really don't know what more to say that hasn't already been said in the reviews already.I also love the chefs theories on food and flavor in the beginning of the book.Once you figure out how to read it(no worry, there is a chapter on that too), IT ROCKS! ... Read more

Product Description
FOREWORD by legendary business icon, Virgin's Richard Branson

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
Pablo Picasso

In today's flat world, business as usual no longer cuts it. Anyone can compete on quality, price and timing. So what's the secret weapon that will boost your business over and above the competition?

Creativity!

But far too often creativity is sidelined and the energy and excitement that go along side it are subdued.

The Business Playground will change all that!

Prodigious musician, producer and entrepreneur Dave Stewart, and advertising and branding guru Mark Simmons show you how to rediscover your creativity. Through a quirky selection of idea-inducing games and stimulating stories you'll be able to bring your workplace back to life.

Be inspired by creative conversations with legendary Mick Jagger, Tony Award winning director Matthew Warchus, and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. And learn from innovative companies like Google, NASA and Nokia.

Unleash your amazing creative potential and get ready to play!

What they say about Dave Stewart:

"If you are an entrepreneur and you spend time with Dave, you will know exactly what your next business idea should be, if you are a philosopher and you get talking to Dave, your mind will suddenly have clarity like never before. If you are a student and you listen to Dave, immediately you will believe in yourself and know exactly what you need to do next. Dave is a creative genius."
-Simon Fuller, Founder and CEO of 19 Entertainment and creator of American Idol

"Captain Dave is a dreamer and a fearless innovator, a visionary of high order, very delicately tractable on the surface but beneath that, he’s a slamming, thumping, battering ram, very mystical but rational."
-Bob Dylan

"Dave is who we all want to be – living his dream and actually changing the world every day with his gentle inspirational genius."
-Janice Vandenbrink, Senior Vice President of Global Systems at Visa International

"Dave is a truly extraordinary blend of creative genius and business person with flair."
-Rita Clifton, Chairman of Interbrand

"Real creativity has me in awe, and Dave Stewart is one of the most thrilling creative minds I have ever met."
Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop

"When I met Dave he talked for 12 hours about the impact of digitalizationon the production and distribution of media. As a banker, I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about - nor did anyone else. Over the next five years, we all found out."
-Michael Philipp, Chairman and Executive Board Member of Credit Suisse Europe, Middle East And Africa

"For over 30 years I have been working with creative people the world over; but none compare with Dave. His creative cup overflows with originality, profusion and, most importantly, generosity. He is undoubtedly a genius"
-Andy Law, Worldwide Chairman, The Law Firm

"Jack of All Trades Master of All of Them”
-Sunday Times

"He’s a One Man Advertising Think Tank”
-The Daily Telegraph

What they say about Mark Simmons and Punk Marketing:

"Blunt, fair, fearless and outrageous – just like the marketing style they espouse."
-Publishers Weekly

"Punk' reads like the insider wisdom your tattooed brother gave during your first nose-piercing session: 'Don’t show Mom, but the girls at school will dig it.'”
-Advertising Age

"Taken together, their anecdotes show that truly original, engaging, and— most important — surprising ads will always prevail, whether they’re labeled punk or not.”
-Business Week
... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

An unusual and top recommendation for business and general libraries alike
THE BUSINESS PLAYGROUND offers a fine survey from a musician and entrepreneur and an advertising and branding expert, who offer important links to business pursuits and creativity. From how successful innovations became business winners to using teams to get ideas out of the corner and into production, the lively and personal tone of this treatment, peppered with vignettes, makes this an unusual and top recommendation for business and general libraries alike!

Brilliant
There aren't many books that I read that leave me dumbfounded and questioning why it was I did whatever it was I was doing, in the manner that I was doing it.Stewart and Simmons utilize humor, real world examples, games, and downright wit and logic to get their point across that mentally "loosening it up a bit" is the best way to go about finding your creative avenues.I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking to break the mold of monotony at work or for anyone looking to find that creative spark in whatever he/she is chasing in life. I carry this book (and a notebook for all of my new ideas!) around with me wherever I go.

Best business book ever!
I work in the public sector, and am always in search of concepts that can be applied to my arena.Most business books have at least a nugget or two that can be synthesized; Business Playground was the whole gold mine.This book is absolutely applicable to any "business" situation, from an entrepreneur in a solo shop to the head of a business division to, well, government employees.Need an idea?Need a better idea?Got an idea?Got too many ideas?This well-written, concise, and witty book (catch the Elvis Costello reference) can help.I know one thing for certain:I have some shoe-swapping to do.And I plan to work a lot harder at play.Thanks, Dave and Mark...well done!

The Playground of Fun
The Business Playground
Where Creativity and Commerce Collide
by Dave Stewart and Mark Simmons

In their book, The Business Playground, Dave Stewart (yes, of Eurthymics fame) and branding guru Mark Simmons take you on a journey filled with play, exploration, and creative process in this colourful guide to unlearning conventional business ideas.

The book is broken down into 12 unique chapters that each offer a quick read either in succession or in random order. There's a nifty "board game" at the end of each chapter that can bring your business team new inspiration when they've hit a stumbling point. These two authors have certainly been around the block in terms of creative enterprises and their humour and individuality lead to a fun and engaging experience.

Recommended for medium to large businesses seeking new ways to break out of a traditional office environment and engage its creative juices.

interesting and thought provoking
This book is fun to read and really does excite you to think outside the box. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Look for the humor in a negative situation
"Look for the humor in a negative situation" - page 33 in this book.
I can't believe I paid $10.95 for this bs. Ha-ha-ha.
The person laughing, however, is the author - Harold R. McAlindon.

Relatively useful as a quick & simple idea jogger!
The title, The Little Book of Big Ideas, certainly stands out. However, I consider it to be only relatively useful as a quick & simple idea jogger, in the case of readers who are busy professionals & others who just want something simple & yet different to jog their minds during quiet moments. [The crux of creativity is making associations &/or juztapositions.] It is nevertheless packed with inspiring quotations. For first timers who are just starting to embark on their creativity journey, this may not be a good book to start with.

Something old something new
Some old pearls of creative wisdom along with some newer thought provoking insights.Aside from an unfortunate ode to Ken Lay and Enron's creativity in the Forward, it's a worthwhile reference to pick up and ponder.

A humble little book
A big ideas, inspirational quotes, and creative tips this book has much to offer. This book may sit on your desk or in your office, and you may thumb it once a month. At this time, you may receive many inspirational ideas. I use this book frequently in this manner.

The bulk of this book is quotations from writers, scientists, as well as thoughts that have been passed down through time.

You cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do. -Liz Smith

Above all, try something. -Franklin D. Roosevelt

I think the biggest part of creativity in medicine is listening. -Dr. Alexa Canady

At the end of the individual chapters, there are "Creative Actions." These are ideas by the author in order to further inspire creative ideas. These can be helpful. I find them most helpful when I write them down as activities and do them on paper.

Most people may not enjoy this book. It is simple and makes its point clear. This is what I enjoy about the book. I purchased an additional copy of this book for my office co-workers, and I anonymously placed the book in my office area. It is fun to watch person after person, day after day thumb through this book and receive some words of encouragement.

Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try. -Yoda

An important resource for organizations and families
McAlindon's work is an excellent resource for anyone in a position of influence, especially those in supervisory positions including parenting. And, for those who are serious in the personal and professional development of others, who see their role as a responsibility in helping shape the future of individuals and organizations --- this book is a must! ... Read more

Product Description
Three of the most original thinkers of our time explore issues that call into question our current views of reality, morality, and the nature of life.*A wide-ranging investigation of the ecology of inner and outer space, the role of chaos theory in the dynamics of human creation, and the rediscovery of traditional wisdom.

In this book of "trialogues," the late psychedelic visionary and shamanologist Terence McKenna, acclaimed biologist and originator of the morphogenetic fields theory Rupert Sheldrake, and mathematician and chaos theory scientist Ralph Abraham explore the relationships between chaos and creativity and their connection to cosmic consciousness. Their observations call into question our current views of reality, morality, and the nature of life in the universe. The authors challenge the reader to the deepest levels of thought with wide-ranging investigations of the ecology of inner and outer space, the role of chaos in the dynamics of human creation, and the resacralization of the world. Among the provocative questions the authors raise are: Is Armageddon a self-fulfilling prophecy? Are we humans the imaginers or the imagined? Are the eternal laws of nature still evolving? What is the connection between physical light and the light of consciousness?

Part ceremony, part old-fashioned intellectual discussion, these trialogues are an invitation to a new understanding of what Jean Houston calls "the dreamscapes of our everyday waking life." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

"Creative Thinking"
I have always respected the open mindedness of all three thinkers and found the material in this book consistent with that as it was far from dogmatic. It inspired me to consider new ways of looking at the old concepts. On the negative side. I think some of the ideas showed a little lack of critical thought. Some of the topics were philosophically based notions and, as that is my field, I felt that it was a little lack of awareness of the problems that have been worked out by some other thinkers(I wish that they would have at least mentioned those ideas then debated the point). Specifically I wish they would have acknowledged the issues that have come up in transpersonal psychology. Overall, I feel most interested in these issues (the evolution of consciousness and mind and critique of the modern post modern views) will enjoy the creative thinking they share. C.J.

Mind blowing
I have read McKenna's other books, The Archaic Revival and The Invisible Landscape, True Hallucinations, and to me, this seems even better! Perhaps McKenna's best book! By page 10 I was flipping out, and it only got better. If you like McKenna, hallucinogens, metaphysics, forward type thinking, if you have ever pondered the mysteries of the universe, you will love this book. Dont mess around! Buy it now! Thank cosmos later.

New Age Pseudoscolarly Psychobabble
The chapters in this book are transcripts of three academics rambling on and on as they speculate about "cosmic consciousness" and how it touches upon existence, science, history, religion, etc.

An example of their fare:
"The chaos revolution now taking place throughout the sciences is a major setback for the forces of law and order, control and dominance.Scientists, the high priests of Marduk, must now accept chaos and replace Tiamat on her rightful throne.This is why I say that chaos is the biggest thing since the wheel.Imagination, creativity and inspiration are all on the upswing.Chaos, Gaia, Eros-arise!"

If you find meaning in statements like this, you will probably love this book.This material reminds me of listening to late-night frat house bull sessions, or someone who's stoned and thinks that his random navel-gazing is actually providing profound insights.It's reminiscient of the psychedelic froth of the 1960's.

I didn't find this worth the time spent reading it.

Lofty-sounding but vacuous
A more appropriate title for this book would be "Three Pretentious Fools Talking About Things They Know Nothing About."The book is composed entirely of vacuous but lofty-sounding rhetoric and New-Age style cosmic speculations, and is remarkable for its almost complete lack of intellectual content.It reminds me of the kind of pseudo-intellectual discussions I used to have in the dorm with my college buddies after we'd each had several beers.

holy trinity?
Three of the most intriguing and revolutionary minds of our time together at last.If you can find the video in which this book is transcribed,it's definitely worth watching as well.it's called Metamorphasis. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

Awesome Book!
I am SO glad I came across this book!I read two pages in the book store and knew it had to come home with me.I am a fellow 'Creative Gal' that recently launched my own business.But reading this book was so incredibly valuable - even if you've already taken steps toward launching your biz.Katharine gives you not only creative insight, but also tactical, business advice to turn your vision into reality.I gained so much and really opened my mind and eyes to steps I may have overlooked (or chose to overlook, perhaps).This is really a must-read for anyone starting their own business!

Great!
Fun book, ideas presented in a clear and concise way.So glad I purchased it!

Must read for any Creative Girl (or boy!) out there
Written in both a pratical and fun way, the book is a fast read with a good amount of pitstops along the way to help you guage both where you are in your personal process and what you still need to do to get to your final destination. The real life examples help bring a human element to each new step and chapter.The book is a perfect mix of the encouragement that every creative woman needs while still giving you the realistic tools you'll need to navigate the rough waters of following your dream career.Seeing how she worked through the exact steps she writes about, helps make the whole idea so much more tangible.Looking at her successful business and beautiful jewlery is even more inspiring!

Thank you Katharine!!
Friends and family are always supportive when i mention i want to do something more creative, but this book is what I actually need.It should really be called "How to Have A Creative Career for Dummies."i have yet to gather my courage and embark on the photography career that really interests me, but after finishing this book, i am a giant leap closer.The step by step explanations of each stage, combined with the authors relatable warmth and empathetic prose, made me feel less anxious about striking out on my own, and more confident that my dream career is actually feasible.Highly recommend for recent high school and college grads, and anyone you know who has ever said "well, i like my job, but..."

Comprehensive
My wife finished reading this book and she loved it so much that she convinced me to read it too.At first I was skeptical reading a book geared toward women but this book is chock full of advice for any creative person.What impressed me the most about this book was how comprehensive the material is.Anyone who reads it will finish with a game plan for navigating a creative life and career.Seasoned creative professionals will pick up many tips as well. ... Read more

Product Description
What constitutes a creative person? Different cultures have different perspectives on what it means to be creative, yet it is nearly always the American or Western perspective that is represented in the psychological literature. The goal of this handbook is to present a truly international and diverse set of perspectives on the psychology of human creativity. Distinguished international scholars have contributed to this book's chapters on the history and current state of creativity research and theory in their respective parts of the world. Much of the work discussed has never before been available in English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Bruno-Faria reviews
This is a very interesting book. It shows me that we need to publish our articles in international periodicals to reveal the state of art the production in our country. Moreover I could know what others countries search about the subject.It is fundamental for someone that dedicate to study creativity.

Excellent Complement to Handbook of Creativity
The International Handbook of Creativity rounds off the picture presented in Sternberg's Handbook of Creativity. Where the Handbook provides an in depth picture of theories, strands, and foundation data for the study of creativity, the International Handbook completes the picture with worldwide applications of creativity. I am using the two in my Ph.D. class and students find both challenging and informative. ... Read more

Product Description
The UK Government's publication of "All our Futures: Culture, Creativity and Education" has started a discussion about fostering creativity in education. Literature on creativity has made two assumptions: that we can learn about creativity by focussing on the work of geniuses; and creativity is the preserve of the arts, rather than the concern of the curriculum as a whole. This examination offers a guide to issues of practice, pedagogy and policy concerned with creative eduction. ... Read more

Product Description
Technologically experienced and novice educators can use this NCTE standards–aligned text to empower students to create digital stories based on the principles of storytelling, technology application, and media technique. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Awesome technology book for teachers!

I found this book to be easy to read and helpful in many ways.I felt that a teacher could easily implement digital storybook in their classroom from reading this book.This is a good book for teachers who might not have a lot of background in this area but want to try using it.The book is broken down in to sections providing all the information that a teacher would want to help start this in their classroom.Ohler write in a way that makes it fun and exciting to read.He has good visual supports when they are needed.Overall he incorporates how you can use these tools in almost all aspects of the classroom.I would highly recommend this book for teachers who would like start or find different ways to implement digital storytelling into their classroom.

My thoughts on Digital Storytelling by Ohler
As a graduate student in Educational Technology and a certified Art Education Teacher, I had the privilege of reading and reviewing Jason Ohler's, "Digital Storytelling in the Classroom" as part of an assignment. I am always looking for creative ways to bring technology in the classroom, which is one of the reasons why I entered an Educational Technology Master's program. However, I never thought that Digital Storytelling would be an option until reading Ohler's book. I was thrilled that Ohler brought his own background into the book by explaining how he came to research and write about Digital Storytelling or DST. Ohler makes a point that stories, although they have been around for centuries, can be more difficult to discover than we think. Often, we do not even realize that we are writing digital stories because in most cases, they have become a part of our every day routine. Ohler defines Digital Storytelling as, "using personal digital technology to combine a number of media into a coherent narrative". As he continues the writing of his book, Ohler covers further specifics about Digital Storytelling along with the steps to create digital stories, especially within the classroom. The most valuable piece of the book, for me, was chapter 3, in which Ohler describes DST as an educational tool. What I enjoyed most was in specific detail with the important pieces, such as, content/technology standards and literacy development. Ohler does not throw little sentences of these important pieces here or there, but covers a large amount of the standards especially, in great detail. As an educator today, standards are a large part of our curriculum and focus. Ohler also includes information about assessment as the book continues, which I always find to be very helpful. For example, figure 4.1 on page 68 describes important assessment traits that must be looked at when evaluating digital stories in the classroom. One of the most important facts represented by Ohler is that anyone can write digital stories and I believe this to be true. As teachers, if we are given just a small amount of training, we can develop a story and then tell it with our available media. Ohler recommends using what you have on hand and what you are comfortable using. It is also important to know copyright and fair use in education. It just so happens that Ohler dedicates an entire chapter to these rules and regulations for you to know and learn. Although Ohler gives a large amount of useful resources, I wish there were more "real world" examples of teachers that have used Digital Storytelling in their classroom. There could be a chapter dedicated to their discoveries and suggestions for successful DST lesson plans. Overall, I am excited to use what I have learned from Ohler in and out of my own classroom.

A Review of: Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
I am a 4th grade special education teacher, and I am also getting my masters in educational technology. I became intrigued by the idea of digital story telling. What is it? How can I use it in my classroom? Will the kids enjoy it? Jason Ohler answered a lot of my questions and more in his book Digital Storytelling in the Classroom. Jason feels that humans are natural story tellers. We tell stories all the time about our lives and experiences. Digital story telling in the classroom is driven by an academic goal, however most kids are experts at telling stories so we are connecting to something they are already successful at. Digital story telling can come in many forms, such as a video tape, power point, photos, animation software, and sound recordings with still images.There are two types of digital story telling computer-based where the student is not upfront, and performance based where the student is presenting with technology. Coming from a special education background I found this helpful because so many of my students struggle writing down a story. I now have a ton of different ideas for these students to create, and share a story to the class. Digital story telling also meets almost all of the New York State learning standards. In all ELA standards students are required to be reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Through Ohler's book I was really able to see how reading and writing just doesn't have to be seat work. Even if there is not writing in the final product for example creating a movie, the students still had to write out a script. Students can be creating a digital story and still be meeting the ELA standards. Not to mention the digital aspect of it is connected to the technology NYS standards. Digital Story telling re-emphasized the importance of oral literacy. The concept of story telling has been around for ages, and with digital storytelling it is putting a new spin on and old way of passing down knowledge. When it comes to assessing these students' digital stories, I found the rubric on page 68 (Table 4.1) to be very helpful. It really breaks down the different areas of the project that should be assessed and questions the teacher can be asking themselves as they are grading the project. This rubric I would share with a group before they began their digital story-telling quest, so they would know what is expected as a final product. I like the fact that Ohler points out that when creating a story the students really have to focus on the elements of literature. For example, plot what is going to happen in my story, What is the problem? How am I going to show the climax?What is the resolution going to be? Students really will have to understand the concept if they are going to be able to use it when creating their own story. Another vital part of digital story telling, Ohler explains, is that the students know what the purpose of their presentation is. Are they creating this story for persuasion, to inform, to entertain or to express their thoughts?They need to consider what they want their audience to walk away with. There are a ton of great graphic organizers in this book as well. Being a visual learning myself I found them helpful to lay out the digital storytelling process.To point out a few figure 11.2 gives a great example of caking planning, 11.3 on page 142 was a great way to show me the entire process of digital storytelling. Ohler also devotes a section of his book to connect to the different levels of Blooms Taxonomy, this is great for me as a special education teacher because not all of my students are able to work at the synthesis stage, some of them will only be able to produce a story at the comprehension stage. But that is okay, digital story telling allows educators to scaffold their instruction and assessment so students are working at their level. I really recommend this book for educators that are looking for other ways of having their students present what they have learned. There are many parts of this book that I am going to take and add in my own classroom.

a great help
As a high school teacher who wants to try to keep up with her students' technological prowess, I got this book to help me plan a DST project.This book gave me the confidence to try one.I'm glad I bought it and have used it a LOT.

What this book did well:explain and give examples of what digital stories and story maps are, show and explain the steps in the process, and insist on copyright respect.Look at the Contents page; Ohler delivers what he promises.

I only wish Ohler had included calendars or timelines of other teachers' projects, because mine took longer than I expected.I take full responsibility for that, and actually expected mistakes on my part since I am a beginner, but I can't help but think I would have planned better had I had a model.

Incidently, my students were not as technologically savvy as I expected, and not saving the project correctly (with Microsoft Movie Maker) (some skipped the publishing step, for various reasons) was the most common mistake in that area.I recommend you have them turn in their project 3 or 4 days before the screening day so you can catch and have students fix those errors without wasting class time.

For other beginners: be sure the dialog/narration is included in the story board they turn in.My students groaned when I asked for the dialog to be written because they had already outlined the plot to me orally and through a map, but I caught numerous mistakes (insufficient or illogical plot development) thanks to the story board step.

Good luck.This book will really help.

Useful
This book is really useful for anyone wanting to use digital stories in the classroom. ... Read more

Product Description
The nature of artistic creativity and its relationship with 'difference' has intrigued people for centuries. The Genesis of Artistic Creativity is a revealing exploration of the lives of 21 famous writers, philosophers, musicians and painters including George Orwell, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Andy Warhol and many others, in light of the recognized criteria for diagnosis of high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome (AS).Having diagnosed hundreds of individuals with AS during his professional career, Professor Fitzgerald examines here the social behaviour, language, humour, and obsessive interests and routines that accompanied creative genius in the past four centuries. From Herman Melville's eccentric breakfast habits and Simone Weil's intense dislike of being touched by other people to Ludwig van Beethoven's inappropriate marriage proposals and Vincent van Gogh's inability to form satisfying relationships with others, the author offers compelling insights into the association between creativity and autism spectrum disorders.This celebration of artistic genius and AS will prove a fascinating read not only for professionals in the field of autism and AS, but for anyone interested in the sources of creativity and the arts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Disjointed, Disorganized, Disappointing
I really looked forward to receiving this book, because I thought it would include some insight into how the unusual "wiring" of Asperger's syndrome contributes to creative genius. Now that I've read through the parts I could make myself read, I can't imagine why anyone would recommend this book.

First, the introductory chapter was so disorganized that one can only guess at it's purpose. There were comments about the similarities between autistic savants and the intense focus and dedication to a craft that is evident in creative geniuses with Asperger's, but the connection was not entirely plausible. There was also a discussion about the heritability of genius, during which a mention was made of Margaret Mead's disgraced Samoan studies, for no apparent reason. The first chapter appeared to be a jumble of disconnected paragraphs.

Nevertheless, I plowed on to the next chapter, about Jonathan Swift. At the beginning a cursory statement was made concerning his writing ability and his influence over the politics of the day, but the bulk of the chapter was a short history of the way he was treated by his family and peers, and a list of quotations from the "neurotypicals" who knew Swift, and found him irritating. Even when discussing such clearly traumatic incidences as his mother's abandonment of him at a very early age, no attempt was made to explain how his own experiences might have influenced his work.

Nor did the author discuss any positive gifts that might have been a consequence of Asperger's, such as Swift's strong sense of fairness, and his ability to stand outside the generally accepted political machinations of his culture and see it with new eyes. Because the judgments of Swift's contemporaries were the primary focus of the chapter, we learn only that he didn't fit in -- but we learn absolutely nothing about the connection between Asperger's and Swift's creative genius, which the book is supposed to be about.

Subsequent chapters were no more enlightening. If you really want to know how Asperger's syndrome is connected to creative genius, you should avoid this book. The author seems remarkably devoid of any feeling of compassion for the people he writes about, or any sense of awe at the great works they produced in spite of the great injustices they experienced because they were different. Nor is he particularly interested in how a person with Asperger's thinks in a way that is different from his peers, and how this difference contributes, in a positive way, to artistic expression.

No chapter on Wittgenstein? Then, why keep mentioning him?
He mentions Wittgenstein about eight or nine times in each chapter and yet the man receives no chapter of his own. Why? What was the point in this? I had to go and look up on wikipedia (terribly reliable source I know) to see what all the fuss was about since the book never addressed Wittgenstein yet the author kept making references to him. Aside from this incredibly annoying feature, the book wasn't all that bad and kept me entertained. Once you get past this distraction, it's fairly well written and thought provoking. I recommend it if you can get it for cheaper than about fifteen bucks.

Anecdotal, not rigorous
Fitzgerald favors sweeping statements like "Wittgenstein was obviously the greatest philosopher of the 20th century," and often uses diagnostic criteria that are true of a majority of people, e.g. liking animals, liking music, being creative. For example, the posthumous diagnosis of Lewis Carroll might seem convtroversial, given that the Wired magazine Asperger's quiz, which is 30 questions long, has 2 of those questions focused on the ability to play make-believe (apparently, people with Asperger's tend to lack it). Furthermore, saying that people with AS "suffered unbearably" and can do things "a hundred times better than the average person" may raise hackles among both AS so-called "sufferers" and the general population.

Good read... shame about the premise.
This is a selection of mini biographies of famous artists, writers, musicians and painters that specifically looks for indications of Asperger syndrome from the available evidence about what sort of people they were. It was certainly very interesting reading but I am not sure about the hypothesis that autism and creativity are linked. For every great artist listed here how many are there that don't fit the diagnostic criteria of AS? Furthermore, the author often seems to just assume autism is the cause of the behaviours he describes, when he can't really know for certain... Historians and scientists beware, the lack of objectivity will leave you cringing. Despite this though I was engrossed from beginning to end and as a person who is diagnosed AS myself I felt better for discovering that, for whatever reason, many of these people faced similar difficulties to myself. ... Read more

Product Description
Charles, an African American student, learns to appreciate his similarities to and differences from his new friend Hector, who is from Puerto Rico. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Kashifu grandbery review
HI, have you read a book about two .differentcultures.My class just read a book called `'CREATIVITY'' BY John Stepoe.What I liked was Hector was fromPuertoRico. And Charles But you could have told us more about Puerto Rico.No I would not Recommend because I did not like the book.Kashifu K. Grandberry

Darius' "Creativity" Review
Have you read the b ook `'Creativity'' ? Our class read a book called `'Creativity'' by John Steptoe.I like when Charles gave Hector his shoes, because it was a nice thing to do. The author should have made the boys do more things together. I would
recommend it to my mom, my dad, and my sister, because they might like it.
Darius Harts, 3rd grade Scribe at CLAS

Isa's Creativity Review

Our class just read a book Creativity by John Steptoe. I liked it when Charles and Hector gave clothes to each other. I liked it because it showed love. The author should have changed the part about the kids laughing at Hector.
YaisaDodd, 3rd grade Scribe at CLAS.

Quentin CollierCreativity Review
Haveyoueverreadabookcalled"Creativity"? Ihad funreading"Creativity".I like when Charles walked Hectorhome. Becausein thisstoryCharles didnotwon'thisfriendto lookcrazy.Theauthor couldhaveimproved the book"Creativity" by making thepicturebetter. Iwouldrecommendthisbooktomy brother,mymom,and my dad.
QuentinCollier, 3rdgradeScribeatCLAS.

Review by Brittany Lowe
My class just read abook Creativityby John Steptoe. My favorite part was when they went to P.E. because even though every one was laughing at Hector Charles wasn't. But the author could of told us more about Puerto Rico. I will tell people they should read this book because it is interesting. Brittany Lowe, 3rd grade Scribe at CLAS. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1988, this book provides sixteen chapters by acknowledged experts on the richness and diversity of psychological approaches to the study of creativity. Addressing various aspects and levels of analysis, together they constitute a broad survey of the understanding of what it is to be 'creative'. In the first part of The Nature of Creativity, the role of the environment is discussed. In the second part, the role of the individual is viewed - first from a psychometric perspective; and then from a cognitive or information-processing perspective. In the third part, the role of interaction between individual and environment is examined, first through studies of creative lives; and then through studies of creative systems. The final part consists of an integration and comparison of these various approaches to creativity. A broad audience of psychologists, educators, students and general readers will welcome this lively and thought-provoking investigation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the mother lode
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. ... Read more

Product Description
Encouraging creative thinking in the classroom is an exciting component of any effective gifted education program. This guide offers basic foundations required for supporting creativity. From establishing the right classroom environment, to using creative teaching strategies, to assessing student outcomes, this book is filled with practical information. The book also includes a listing of competitive contests and programs and an extensive list of resources. This is one of the books in Prufrock Press' popular Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education. This series offers a unique collection of tightly focused books that provide a concise, practical introduction to important topics concerning the education of gifted children. The guides offer a perfect beginner's introduction to key information about gifted and talented education. Educational Resource ... Read more