The Creativity Paradox
Posted by: Karen Kleckner Keefe
When asked where he gets his ideas, writer Philip Pullman usually responds, “I don’t know where they come from, but I know where they come to, they come to my desk. If I’m not there, they go away again, so you’ve got to sit and think.” We’re all aware of the irony of the discipline required to accomplish great acts of creativity, but that doesn’t stop us from searching for shortcuts. Which explains the popularity of Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer. Creative types have their own special species of productivity demons and distractions. (I’m not pointing fingers, gorgeous moleskin notebook.) So, strike while the iron’s hot and recommend these inspiring titles to your impatient creators.
- The Creative Brain: The Science of Genius by Nancy Andreasen
- Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation, from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson by Jennifer Michael Hecht
- Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson
- The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley
- The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World by Paul H. Ray
- The Power of Art by Simon Schama
- The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life: A Practical Guide by Twyla Tharp
