creative thinking book review

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The Art of Creative Thinking by Rod Judkins || Book Review & Annotations

No matter how many books one reads, it is always a pleasant surprise to come across books that introduce you to new things and change how you think. Such books must be cherished, marked, talked about, and read repeatedly.

The Art of Creative Thinking was a surprise for me. Not only because it was more than what I expected, but because it's the kind of book that I generally wouldn't go for. I always thought I disliked such books. But then, a process of changing is liking new things and finding the value in what we didn't value before.

about The Art of Creative Thinking

My review & more.

THE ART OF CREATIVE THINKING reveals how we can transform our businesses, our society and ourselves through a deeper understanding of human creativity. Rod Judkins, a lecturer in creativity at the world-famous St Martin's College of Art, will examine the behaviour of successful creative thinkers and explain how all of us can learn from them to improve our lives. Judkins will draw on an extraordinary range of reference points, from the Dada Manifesto to Andy Warhol's studio, via Steve Jobs, Nobel Prize winning economists and many others, and distil a lifetime's expertise into 90 succinct chapters. Along the way he shares the story of most successful class in educational history (in which every single student won a Nobel prize); shows why graphic nudity during public speaking can be both a curse and surprisingly persuasive; and reveals why, in the twenty-first century, it's technically illegal to be as good as good as Michelangelo.

Firstly, this isn't a self-help book . The title gives that impression and it is usually shelved as self-help but it is not. While it does provide advice and how-tos, it doesn't work like the usual self-help books. It is not a comprehensive guide to improve your creativity, it is not a sectioned and orderly book, and it definitely isn't a book that gives you a ton of actionable items .

The Art of Creative Thinking is not a regular novel. If you go into it expecting it to be like other novels, you will be sorely disappointed. It is not a linear book and it does not connect related chapters in the traditional way , even if the content relates. Chapter 12 may relate to chapter 76 and there can be no indication of it. The author may repeat a point in completely different chapters which have different contexts. Two consecutive chapters will be totally disjointed. There isn't a rhythm or a flow.

The book is meant to be read randomly. The author says so himself in the introduction (and more often than not, it is a good idea to read the way the author suggests). Reading it like any other book is a disservice to the book and yourself because you won't get what it is actually trying to say.

This book is not meant to be read in a linear way. When your creativity is running low or you feel the need for inspiration, open it at any page at random.

A reviewer on Goodreads said that "You might as well just browse an inspiration Pinterest board" and I agree with the comparison, not with the point. It takes time to browse Pinterest and put together a board that can inspire you in 5 minutes if you ever need it. That work is done for you in this book.

Rod Judkins has written 90 concise anecdotal chapters about creativity . It is a bunch of anecdotes about successful and/or popular creative people and what they did. It is like a bunch of articles or quick blog posts compiled in one book. It is lowkey like a Pinterest board, ready to give you quick doses of inspiration but nothing deep.

The book is literally "this creative method worked for this person, you should try it too." It does not say why that creative is good, it doesn't talk about how that advice helps or the mechanics behind it, and it doesn't give a guide on how to do it. It never goes deep into any of the topics. It doesn't talk about how the brain works or how some things unlock creativity in the brain. And the main thing is: it doesn't guarantee anything.

Sometimes you succeed and sometimes you fail but it's important to try everything and see what happens.

The author puts forward some information and it is up to the reader to do what they want with it. You can take the topic and research it, read longer biographies of the people mentioned, or you can put the idea into action and see if it works for you. You can pick apart what the author says and fill your thoughts in between the lines or you can write a blog post on why the author is wrong.

While there are totally almost 300 pages, each chapter is 2-5 pages. Each chapter takes only around 5 minutes to read so that you can quickly get some ideas or inspiration that can kickstart your creativity and move on. So yes, it is like an inspirational Pinterest board, only that it is in written form and is not in technology. You are more likely to get distracted when Pinterest is your go-to but you won't with this paperback. And that's the thing, the book does everything to make sure it doesn't distract you and lead you on random tangents.

The point is not to read the book and learn, it's to do something with what it's saying. That's why there isn't anything deep and there isn't any explanation or reasoning behind what is said. That's why two consecutive chapters are not related and one chapter doesn't flow into the next. All of those things will keep you reading the book and won't let you go to do what you should be doing—which is getting creative.

Creativity is like mining; we need to dig deep to discover and uncover ourselves.

I know, I'm putting a big emphasis on how to read the book and what to expect from it. That's because I recognize how one can easily miss the value the book gives by expecting something else . I went through a lot of the negative reviews on Goodreads and most of them didn't like the book because they were expecting something from the book which it does not give. It's important to keep an open mind.

The only reason I did not fall into the same trap was because I have been trying to pick up random books with an open mind. I went to the bookstore and was browsing all the random books. I found this and flipped through a few pages. That little bit of pre-reading helped me understand what the book is like and how I should approach it.

I took the author's advice and read the book randomly. Every morning or whenever I had some free time, I would read a chapter or two and go on with my day. Sometimes, the words stayed with me throughout the day. Sometimes, I totally forgot about them. A few times, the book inspired me to come up with ideas or create content. And one time, it gave me a new lens to look at my job with.

Since the first few chapters I read were wonderful, I expected to love everything about the book. But I found chapters that I didn't like, I disagreed with the author multiple times, and I criticized what was said more than I expected to. Only later did I realize that the book isn't written for one person . You may like some chapters and hate others. You may disagree with the chapter that I found the most inspirational.

You're supposed to take what you want from the book. The idea is to try most of what it suggests at least once and then keep what works for you, discarding the rest.

I had the most fun annotating the book. Each chapter is supposed to be read in 5 minutes and to get you doing something, but I often didn't have the time to do anything and I also had a lot of thoughts about what was being said. I wrote a lot of thoughts, commentary, and ideas in the margins. I connected what was said in the chapters to the Kdramas I was watching or other books that I read.

It took over two months for me to read every chapter in the book, especially since I was reading randomly and didn't know where unread chapters were. Even now, I'm not sure if I fully covered the book. There may be some chapters that I skipped over by mistake that I will discover in the future.

It was interesting to see the parallels between what this book said and what creative people unconsciously follow. It was fun to notice the similarities between great artists that are known worldwide and people I follow on the internet who are relatively undiscovered.

Even though the chapters were very small —sometimes only a page and a half— they had a lot of value. The author gives the bare minimum to push the reader to be creative, but there's actually a lot of reasoning behind each point. Whenever I realized it, I annotated my thoughts and tabbed the pages.

I started annotating with a specific scheme in mind but it quickly deteriorated into vibes. Since it took over two months, I couldn't remember or stick to the scheme. By the end, the only thing that stayed true was my golden tabs which marked actionable points. The browns and greens are "discussion points" and "interesting things" and whatever else.

From the amount of brown and green tabs I used, it is clearly seen that I found a lot of the points discussion-worthy. I really liked that almost every chapter gave me something to think about and something that I can create content on . I've already written two newsletters related to things in the book and I'm looking forward to writing more.

I'm also looking forward to adding more annotations over time and eventually owning a book so different from what I bought because my interwoven thoughts will make it something else. This is a book that I will reach for when I need quick doses of ideas or inspiration and I will own it (probably) forever .

I also really liked how the book encourages change and contradiction. It doesn't expect the reader to agree with all of what it says. In fact, it has several contradictory chapters.

I said before that consecutive chapters are usually not linked but chapters away from each other can be. Some of those links are subtly mentioned in the book.

At the bottom of the last page of every chapter, there is a link to another chapter(s). These links can take you several pages ahead or to the beginning of the book. But they aren't always direct relations. They can mention the same point in a different context or say a contradictory point.

I really liked how these links were subtle and encouraged non-linear reading. I could put down the book whenever I wanted, go in my own direction, or follow the links if they sounded interesting.

It was interesting how, often, similar chapters were not linked at all and very different chapters would be linked because they have one thread in common. I made several of my own connections while reading the chapters and often flipped through the book to find what I read earlier. It was like making a web of my own and it was fun.

Although I really enjoyed the book, I have a few criticisms as well.

Each chapter is written to be concise and just put across a point. But often, the point isn't put across well. In some chapters, the author simply shares the anecdotes and the reader has to figure out what's being suggested. The writing felt clumsy and awkward at times.

It felt like there wasn't much editing done to fix each chapter. At least within a chapter, there needs to be a flow but that was often missing. The author jumped between points and didn't say what they wanted to well. Hence, some chapters were annoying to read.

Another fault of the writing was that there were too many anecdotes and not enough direction or actionable sentences . A couple of chapters were only anecdotes with nothing else. While I like knowing examples to make sense of the context, examples aren't enough to say everything . There were too many stories about other people and not enough about what to learn from them.

That leads to another point: there wasn't enough actionable advice . Only a few chapters in the entire book gave the reader directions on what they can do or try. All the other chapters simply mentioned what other people did. Some of the advice gets lost here because some examples are of people doing totally wild things in wilder contexts and we need help to apply those ideas in our lives.

The chapters could have been rewritten with better structure and flow, with lesser anecdotes and more actionable suggestions.

The biggest complaint I have is with the anecdotes chosen. The book mentioned at least 100 people—but none of them were people of colour. I understand that the author wanted to pick the most well-known people to drive the points home, and historically people who "succeeded" were generally Caucasian, but there are a handful of people of colour who could have been mentioned.

Books like these are a problem because there isn't any effort made to include people of colour who have been the backbone of important developments and instead choose to mention White people who are even somewhat known. It was especially annoying because there were some people mentioned that I have never heard of, but they were clearly from the same group.

It's a little insulting and demotivating when the people whose success stories are mentioned are the ones born with a silver spoon. If one can ignore the privilege of the people mentioned and how it gave them an invisible leg up, the book is motivating and inspiring. But once you start finding out more about them and if you're not in that group, the book isn't so nice.

And speaking of privilege, many of the tips and ideas mentioned are ones you can't follow unless you're privileged to do so . There were chapters that said to blow off meetings, quit your job, take a long time off, only focus on your craft and nothing else, change your schedule completely, etc. Such things aren't possible unless one has no responsibilities and money to live on without working a full-time job. Some chapters actually assumed that one has all day(s) to apply what's suggested.

The Art of Creative Thinking isn't a perfect or groundbreaking book. It is simply a collection of ideas put across in an interesting way. While there are some glaring flaws, I do plan on keeping this book on my shelf for years to come. Its aim is to provide inspiration, so I'm keeping it to get quick doses of that whenever I'm in a slump.

I wouldn't recommend it to everyone but I would suggest flipping through a few pages if you can. It might just be the book for you. Your enjoyment of the book totally depends on how you read it and what you expect from it.

Delve into books, magazines, documentaries, your culture, your heroes, and your mentors, because these are the gateways to creative opportunities.

discuss with me!

Have you read any books on creativity? I have been looking for such books (next on my list is Creative Confidence ), so if you have any recommendations, do give them to me in the comments!

What do you think about books like The Art of Creative Thinking —books with anecdotes and small chapters instead of a proper novel? Would you rather follow a blog or get your info through the internet now that we have that option?

Sumedha spends her days reading books, bingeing Kdramas, drawing illustrations, and blogging while listening to Lo-Fi music. Read more ➔

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I love your annotations! I'm not the biggest fan of self-help books, and I am very selective with the ones I do read. This one sounds amazing though, especially if you work in an industry that demands creativity every day. Some days you have to dig deeper than others.

I have previously read this book, and I agree with everything you have said. Since I primarily work to find creative ideas to communicate difficult investing concepts and products these days, I have read a few similar ones that open up more perspectives about thinking creatively.

"Damn Good Advice" by George Lois was written by one of the highest-paid copywriters/art directors in the world, who unfortunately passed away a few months ago. It doesn't provide actionable advice like a Twitter thread, but its 120 chapters offer great insight into how he thinks and operates. The entire book can be read in one hour because each chapter consists of just one image and one paragraph showcasing his unabashed chutzpah.

"The Copy Book - How Some of the Best Advertising Writers in the World Write Their Advertising" by Taschen features 53 leading advertising creative directors from around the world. Each of them gets a page or two where the authors allow them to share their thoughts and work, followed by the best works they have published (mostly ads).

"Ogilvy on Advertising" may already be familiar to you, but it personally taught me how creativity and its applicability have changed over the years. This book was considered a bible by many copywriters a few decades ago, but people's tastes and attention spans have since evolved. For example, Ogilvy suggested that writing in black font on a white background is the best approach and discouraged people from doing the opposite. However, today many successful brands like CRED and Uber use the opposite style. If you enjoy reading well-written long copy ads, you would love this book.

"Hey Whipple, Squeeze This" by Luke Sullivan is one of the finest books available that provides detailed action plans on how to write in a captivating manner. Although the book begins by discussing ad spaces in the US in the 1950s, which might not be relatable to everyone, I recommend watching the ads that he talks about simultaneously on YouTube to further immerse yourself in the book. The author has been in the ad agency business for a long time. While I unconsciously felt a lot of the things he speaks about, I never deeply pondered on those topics or perspectives because i felt they are evident. However, listening to someone bring them up for discussion made me think deeper, and I could relate a lot, feeling very validated.

Unfortunately, all the above books are quite expensive. I have physical copies of all them except for the last one, which was gifted to me in Kindle format by a fund manager at my firm. If you'd like to browse through them or borrow them to read, feel free to let me know, and I'll bring them.

This sounds really amazing and from all that annotation pics only I could say you really enjoyed this. Non-fictions are hit or miss for me so I might have to try this. Fabulous review!

Do give it a flip through at least!

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The 10 Best Books on Creativity to Unleash Your Inner Genius

Creativity is a powerful force, shaping our world through innovation, problem-solving, and personal expression. It has led to breakthroughs in fields as diverse as science, technology, art, and business. But how can we tap into this wellspring of imagination and originality within ourselves? One effective method is through reading, which can stimulate our creative minds and offer fresh perspectives. This post aims to guide you on a journey of creative discovery by recommending some of the best books on creativity.

These books provide not only inspiration but also practical tips and strategies to unlock your creative potential. Whether you’re an artist seeking new sources of inspiration, a professional looking for innovative solutions, or someone who simply wants to enrich their daily life with more creative thinking, these books offer valuable insights to help you on your creative journey.

The Power of Creativity

Creativity stands as a pillar among the fundamental skills that will remain resilient in the face of automation. It’s a common misconception to view creativity as an inherent personality trait, reserved only for the chosen few. On the contrary, creativity is a skill and a habit that can be cultivated by anyone, given the right mindset and tools.

Every day, we employ creativity in various forms, often without realizing it. From devising unique ways to tackle a mundane task to brainstorming solutions for complex problems, creativity is a constant companion in our lives.

The role of creativity extends far beyond personal expression and problem-solving. It serves as the lifeblood of innovation, powering advancements in diverse fields. Whether it’s the scientific breakthroughs that redefine our understanding of the universe, technological innovations that reshape our lifestyles, artistic expressions that challenge conventional perspectives, or entrepreneurial ventures that disrupt market norms, creativity is the driving force behind these revolutions.

The Power of Creativity: Real-World Breakthroughs

Creativity is not just about producing art or writing a novel. It’s a fundamental skill that plays a crucial role in problem-solving, innovation, and personal expression. To truly appreciate the transformative power of creativity, let’s explore some real-world examples where creative thinking has led to significant breakthroughs.

Business Innovation Through Knowledge Networks  In the realm of business, creativity often takes the form of innovative organizational strategies. One such strategy is the concept of organizing knowledge in networks. This approach allows for repeated exposure to all your knowledge assets and associative recall with them, leading to the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. This has been instrumental in sparking innovative ideas and solutions in various industries.

Technological Advances with AI  The field of technology has also seen its fair share of creative breakthroughs. A notable example is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate repetitive tasks, generate fresh ideas, and produce content on par with human-made creations. I

Artistic Inspiration from Unexpected Places  In the world of art, creativity often emerges when we make links across domains that have nothing to do with each other. This cross-pollination of ideas has led to breakthroughs in art, where inspiration often comes from unexpected places.

Personal Development Through Creative Problem-Solving  Finally, creativity plays a significant role in personal development. Understanding personal points of leverage and potential points of leverage for preventing problems can be a creative way to turn the odds in your favor in various areas of life and business.

In conclusion, creativity is a powerful force that can lead to breakthroughs in various fields. By fostering our creative thinking, we can come up with innovative solutions, make unexpected connections, and even transform our personal lives.

Why Read Books on Creativity

Reading books about creativity might initially seem paradoxical. After all, isn’t creativity about originality and spontaneity rather than learning from others? However, this perspective overlooks the value of diverse inputs in sparking creativity. By reading, you expose yourself to a myriad of ideas, perspectives, and experiences that can ignite your own creative insights.

The books recommended in this list are particularly valuable because they not only inspire but also offer practical guidance. They share strategies, techniques, and insights from successful creatives that you can apply in your own creative endeavors. Remember, the key is not just to read these books, but to actively integrate their ideas into your own creative process.

Best Books on Creativity for Bringing Ideas to Life

Making Ideas Happen

Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky is a book that’s been a game-changer for me. It’s a must-read for all you creatives out there who have a head full of ideas but struggle to bring them to life. The real challenge often isn’t a shortage of ideas, but rather a lack of effective organizational habits and the ability to execute. Belsky offers a solution to this with the Action Method.

The Action Method is built on the idea that every task, whether it’s planning a vacation or launching a product, can be seen as a project. Each project is made up of three main components: Action Steps, References, and Backburner Items. Action Steps are specific, concrete tasks that push the project forward. References are any materials or discussions related to the project that you might need to refer back to, and Backburner Items are tasks or ideas that aren’t immediately actionable but could be in the future.

The book drives home the point that your organizational habits and your ability to execute are just as important, if not more so, than your ideas. This makes “Making Ideas Happen” a crucial read for anyone looking to level up their creative process and effectively turn their ideas into reality. It’s a testament to the power of the Action Method and the importance of execution in the creative process.

Little Bets

Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoverie by Peter Sims is a book that really resonates with me. It introduces a fresh way to approach creative thinking and problem-solving, centered around the concept of ‘little bets’. These are small, manageable experiments that let you test an idea before you go all in.

This isn’t just theory, it’s a strategy used by successful creators and innovators, from comedian Chris Rock to the creative wizards at Pixar. Here’s the kicker, instead of betting the farm on a single, unproven idea, ‘little bets’ let you learn, iterate, and refine your idea based on real-world feedback. This way, you’re not just minimizing the risk of failure, but you’re also shifting your focus from what you’ve lost to what you’ve learned.

By embracing this approach, you’re fostering a mindset of experimentation and discovery, and that’s where the real breakthroughs happen. And here’s a little secret: my entire career, including the Unmistakable Creative podcast, started as a series of these ‘little bets’. It’s a testament to the power of starting small, learning as you go, and being open to the journey. This philosophy has been a guiding light in my own creative process.

Deep Wor by Cal Newport is a book that has had a profound impact on my approach to creativity. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to take their creativity to the next level. The book argues that great creative work isn’t the result of sporadic bursts of inspiration, but rather the outcome of dedicated time, intense focus, and disciplined effort, a concept Newport calls ‘deep work’.

This book challenges the modern-day tendency towards multitasking and constant connectivity, arguing that they are detrimental to producing high-quality creative output. Newport presents compelling arguments on how deep work leads to the creation of substantial value, and how stepping back from social media can reveal the true worth of your content. He further discusses the importance of attention as a conduit to learning and the role of flow states in achieving deep work.

Newport also addresses the issue of information overload, explaining that it can trap us in a state of constant crisis, making us less productive and hindering our cognitive abilities. “Deep Work” is an invaluable guide for anyone seeking to unlock their creative potential by mastering the skill of deep work. It’s a testament to the power of focused attention and the importance of disconnecting in the creative process.

Best Books on Creativity for Organizing Your Ideas

The root cause of unproductive knwledge work is  is the way that we organize and manage information. This becomes a major bottleneck to doing creative work. The three books below are the antidote to the problems of information overload and disorganization.

Building a Second Brain

Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte is a book that has revolutionized the way I manage and organize information. It introduces the Second Brain Methodology, a system designed to streamline your digital life, reduce cognitive load, and enhance creative output.

The methodology revolves around the concept of PARA, an acronym for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. This structure is applied across all your digital tools, including note-taking apps, inboxes, and file storage solutions. This systematic approach to organizing information facilitates the creation of knowledge assets, which can be effectively utilized to overcome creative blocks.

What sets this book apart is its emphasis on designing a digital environment that fosters the behavior you desire. Forte underscores that the ultimate purpose of building a second brain is not mere information storage, but fostering a personal network of knowledge that can aid in creative thinking and problem-solving. “Building a Second Brain” is an essential read for anyone seeking to unlock their creative potential by mastering the skill of effective information management.

The Bullet Journal Method

The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll is a book I’ve often recommended, and everyone who has implemented its concepts has marveled, “I don’t know how I ever lived without this.” This method simplifies the process of organizing our lives, providing a structured yet flexible system for managing tasks, events, and notes.

The methodology involves three key elements: the daily log, the future log, and collections. The daily log, referred to as the workhorse of the journal, is where you capture tasks with bullets, notes with dashes, and events with circles. The future log is a place for anticipating and planning for upcoming tasks or events. Collections are thematic groupings of related information.

The beauty of the bullet journal method lies in its constraints. Unlike a digital to-do list app, you’re limited to the physical bounds of a page, which naturally forces you to prioritize. By taking just 15 minutes a day to observe, record, and review what’s happening in your life, you create order out of chaos. This method not only fosters productivity but also sparks creativity, proving that constraints can indeed breed innovation.

The Extended Mind

The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul is a fascinating exploration of the science behind the concept of externalizing, a key principle in “Building a Second Brain”. The book delves into the benefits of externalizing knowledge and how it can enhance our cognitive abilities.

One of the key benefits of externalizing knowledge, as Paul points out, is that it provides cues that trigger memories and insights. By externalizing our knowledge, we create tangible reminders of our ideas and thoughts, which stimulate our memory and help us recall and build upon these ideas, leading to deeper insights and more innovative thinking.

Furthermore, externalizing knowledge makes it accessible. Instead of having our ideas and information locked away in our minds, externalization brings them into the open where they can be easily accessed and used. This can significantly improve efficiency and productivity, particularly in professional settings.

Another advantage of externalizing knowledge is that it prevents us from wasting cognitive capacity. Our brains have a limited amount of cognitive resources, and by externalizing knowledge, we free up these resources for other tasks. This can enhance our ability to focus and think creatively, further boosting our productivity and problem-solving capabilities.

Finally, externalizing knowledge allows us to take it in new directions. Once our ideas and information are out in the open, we can explore them from different angles, combine them in novel ways, and generate innovative solutions. This can be particularly useful in creative pursuits, where the ability to see things from different perspectives and make unique connections is crucial.

In conclusion, “The Extended Mind” provides a strong scientific foundation for the practices outlined in “Building a Second Brain”. By understanding and applying the principles in these books, we can enhance our creativity, improve our productivity, and unlock our full potential.

Best Books on Creativity for Inspiration and Motivation

Still Writing: Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life

Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life by Dani Shapiro is a compelling exploration of the creative journey. Part memoir, part instructional guide, it’s a book that every creative person should have on their shelf.

Shapiro beautifully articulates the essence of the creative life: “The writing life requires courage, patience, persistence, empathy, openness, and the ability to deal with rejection. It requires the willingness to be alone with oneself. To be gentle with oneself. To look at the world without blinders on. To observe and withstand what one sees.”

This book is a testament to the resilience and dedication required in any creative field. It’s the kind of book that you can pick up, read a passage from, and find inspiration. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, “Still Writing” offers valuable insights into the creative process and the journey of bringing your ideas to life.

Perennial Seller

Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday is a must-read for anyone seeking to create work that stands the test of time. Holiday, a prolific author with multiple New York Times Best-Sellers to his name, delves into the concept of a ‘perennial seller’ – a work that, regardless of its initial reception, grows stronger over time and continues to resonate with audiences long after its creation.

Holiday emphasizes that creating a perennial seller is not about chasing immediate gratification or measuring success by fleeting metrics. Instead, it’s about focusing on the quality and substance of the work. He argues that while promotion can help a work be heard, it’s the creative process and the value the work brings that truly make it great.

This book encourages creators to ask critical questions about their work, such as ‘What does this teach?’, ‘What does this solve?’, ‘How am I entertaining?’, ‘What am I giving?’, ‘What are we offering?’, and ‘What are we sharing?’. These questions help to ensure the work adds value to the world, aligns with the creator’s purpose, and is capable of standing the test of time.

“Perennial Seller” is more than just a book on creativity. It provides practical guidance on creating work that is not only meaningful but also enduring. It’s a testament to Holiday’s understanding of the creative process and his commitment to creating work that continues to inspire and resonate, making it a valuable addition to any creator’s library.

The Icarus Deception

The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin is a book that has had a profound impact on me. It was the catalyst that inspired me to stop waiting for a publisher’s approval and take the leap to self-publish “The Art of Being Unmistakable,” which went on to become a Wall-Street Journal Best-Seller. This book challenged my conventional thinking and ignited a spark within me to embrace my creativity and chart my own path.

Godin’s book is filled with thought-provoking insights. He writes, “Our cultural instinct is to wait to get picked.” This line resonates deeply, highlighting the societal pressure to conform and wait for external validation. But Godin urges us to break free from this mindset and take control of our creative journey.

He further emphasizes the importance of seeing the world through the eyes of an artist, stating, “If you’re not seeing the world through the eyes of an artist, you’ll never truly embrace the revolution that’s going on around you.” This perspective shift is crucial for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in their field.

Godin also warns against the dangers of prioritizing instant feedback over long-term vision: “If you’ve sacrificed your long-term compass at the altar of instant feedback, you might enjoy some short-term achievement, but you’ve given up your grit.” This insight underscores the importance of staying true to your vision, even when immediate results are not forthcoming.

Finally, Godin challenges us to dare more and aim higher: “We think we’re being safe and smart and conservative and avoiding flying too close to the sun. But all the generator is doing is pushing us closer and closer to the waves, so that we’re flying too low, daring too little, and blowing our best chance ever to matter.” This powerful metaphor serves as a call to action for all creators to push their boundaries and strive for greatness.

The Icarus Deceptio is more than just a book; it’s a manifesto for the creative revolution. It’s a call to reject the status quo, embrace our unique talents, and create work that truly matters. It’s a book that has not only inspired you, Srinivas, but countless others to take control of their creative journey and make their mark on the world.

Your Brain on Art

Your Brain on Art is a book that has significantly shifted my perspective on creativity and its value. Many people, including myself at times, have fallen into the trap of believing that art is only worthwhile if it reaches millions or can be monetized. However, this book, with its focus on the neuroscience of creativity, has shown me that the act of creating and expressing creativity has profound physical and mental health benefits. Seeing the tangible, scientific evidence of how our brains light up during the creative process has underscored for me that the value of art goes far beyond its commercial success or widespread recognition. It’s about personal growth, self-expression, and the pure joy of creation.

The best books on creativity don’t just inspire you, they enable you to convert knowlegdge into action. I chose these books for this article because each one has had a tangible and concrete impact on my career. I can trace all of my most successful creative endeavors to the concepts in these books and the lessons I’ve learned from the people who wrote them.

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Cultivating the Four Kinds of Creativity

• Gabriella Rosen Kellerman
• Martin E.P. Seligman

How people and organizations use them all to innovate

In the decades to come, creativity will be key to doing most jobs well. In this article the authors offer a new typology that breaks creative thinking into four types: integration, or showing that two things that appear different are the same; splitting, or seeing how things that look the same are more usefully divided into parts; figure-ground reversal, or realizing that what is crucial is not in the foreground but in the background; and distal thinking, which involves imagining things that are very different from the here and now. Most of us tend to think in just one of those four ways. But we can hone our ability to be creative in other dimensions. Managers need to understand both their own strengths and how to balance the types of thinking across their teams to successfully execute creative projects. And organizations can use this typology to optimize innovation across the workforce.

One island of stability in the sea of conversation about the future of work is the conviction that our jobs will become increasingly creative. The World Economic Forum, McKinsey, and nearly every major think tank seem aligned around this hypothesis, offering heaps of data to support it. The trend is not just about the delegation of rote tasks to automation; it’s also about the accelerating pace of change and the increasing complexity of business, which demand original responses to novel challenges far more frequently than ever before.

• GK Gabriella Rosen Kellerman is a physician, the chief product officer, and the chief innovation officer at BetterUp, a coaching platform in San Francisco.
• MS Martin E.P. Seligman is the Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology and directs the Penn Positive Psychology Center.

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The Art of Creative Thinking - by Rod Judkins

Go to the Amazon page for details and reviews.

Chupa Chups lollipops asked Dalí to design a new logo. He created a daisy insignia and lettering (still appearing on the candies today). Make the most of inexperience. A beginner has a fresh perspective. Amateurs are open to new ideas: they’ll try anything. They don’t know how things “should” be done, and haven’t yet become entrenched in a particular method. Avoid becoming an expert, specialist or authority. An expert constantly refers to past experience. Whatever has worked in the past, the expert repeats. An expert turns knowledge into a repetitive ritual. The most courageous act is to think for yourself. Aloud. Einstein doubted Newton. Picasso doubted Michelangelo. Beethoven doubted Mozart. If we didn’t have doubt, we would not have any new ideas. Nothing is absolutely certain. Certainty satisfies your hunger for answers with minimal effort. Certainty is a convenient and easy way out of our discomfort. The famous photograph of Brunel standing before the launching chains of the SS Great Eastern created an idea of Brunel as a romantic genius, arrogantly relaxed and confident. Although it looks like a snapshot of an insouciant savant taking a break, it was actually a painstaking act of image manipulation. This classic “snapshot” in fact took several days to construct. In the other photos taken on the shoot, although artfully posed, Brunel appears hesitant, insignificant, balding, conservative and inconsequential against the backdrop of huge chains and ships. Yet one photo struck the right note. Both the photographer and Brunel were searching for an idealized image. If you have to tell us how important you are, you’re not very important. Embrace the following attitude: I’m not sure what I do or why; let’s work it out together. If you are being less than you are capable of being, you’ll be deeply unhappy for the rest of your life. You will be evading your own capacities, your own possibilities. Although Picasso had produced thousands of paintings over his lifetime, he only ever selected the best 5 percent for exhibition. The rest remained in the vault. If you produce one hundred ideas, one of them is likely to be great The first forty ideas are obvious. The next forty are unusual and offbeat. The last twenty are strange and surreal because you are pushing your mind into areas it’s never been before. Generate more ideas, and more work, with less attachment. Takeout restaurant: a restaurant without a kitchen, where customers could order from the menus of nearby takeout joints and have their food delivered to their table. Work on an idea constantly until it’s resolved. The minute we lose momentum, we lose the thread. If you don’t know where you’re going, the journey is more surprising and your work is more enriching. The highest purpose is to have no purpose at all. Mitchell Feigenbaum began living by a twenty-six-hour clock. His days went in and out of phase with theirs. He periodically woke up to a setting sun, or had breakfast when they were having supper. He was studying chaos and wanted randomness in everyday life. Routine behavior leads to routine thinking. If you want to change your art, change your habits. Luxury is a motivational sedative. It’s a hindrance. It saps us of incentive. It whispers to our unconscious mind to relax, to take it easy. Neutral, simple, humble spaces are what help us to focus. All art is autobiographical. The pearl is the oyster’s autobiography. - Federico Fellini If you feel overlooked, that no one is interested in what you’re doing, enjoy the moment. Obscurity is a creative place. You are free to experiment and fail. No one is watching. No one has any expectations. Make the most of the freedom obscurity offers. I’m afraid of losing my obscurity. Genuineness only thrives in the dark. - Aldous Huxley Man becomes what he believes himself to be. Develop a set of principles you believe in and constantly strive to uphold. Leo Tolstoy decreed, “Change nothing in your style of living even if you become ten times richer.” Raymond Chandler set aside at least four hours each day to do nothing. He explained his two simple rules for this time: “A. You don’t have to write. B. You can’t do anything else. The rest comes of itself.” He didn’t force himself to write, but he stopped himself from doing anything else. No reading, writing letters, tidying - nothing. Without distractions, his imagination wandered and he’d think up a story. He almost always ended up writing for the full four hours. Don’t consider an episode of The Simpsons to be better or worse than a Shakespeare play. Don’t assume that because everyone thinks something is worthless, it actually is. The contractors hired to build the Bilbao Guggenheim were simply given Gehry’s small model, and were challenged to work out the measurements themselves. Juan Gris told me about a bunch of grapes he had seen in a painting by Picasso. The next day these grapes appeared in a painting by Gris, this time in a bowl. And the day after, the bowl appeared in a painting by Picasso. Copying is often misunderstood by people who are not creative. Cultivate your curiosity and you will constantly refresh your perspective. Working under another name will free you of others’ expectations and, most importantly, free you of your own. The way to achieve the perfect work-life balance is simple: don’t do any work. If your work and life are in separate compartments, something’s gone wrong. Choose a lifestyle, then work out what you have to do to make a living within that way of life. Choose a path that will let your abilities function at maximum efficiency toward the gratification of your desires. Don’t dedicate your life to reaching a predefined goal, but rather choose a way of life you know you will enjoy. If you’d rather go on vacation than go to work - you need to change your life. When you’re given an opportunity, take it and see where it leads, even if you have no idea how you’ll make it work. Say yes, then work out how to pull it off. Rise to the occasion when an occasion arises. How many opportunities have you missed? I’ve lost count of the number of people I know who have been given one and didn’t take it. They were blasé. They assumed another would come along, then another and another. But they didn’t. These people had one chance, and they let it pass them by. In retrospect, they bitterly regret it. Opportunities are often rare and fleeting. Only idiots fail to contradict themselves three times a day. - Friedrich Nietzsche There is pressure in our culture to be clear what you stand for, to make a decision and stick to it. It’s practically a criminal offense to change your mind. Immerse yourself in every aspect of your interest. Know everything there is to know about it. Many of Andy Warhol’s paintings started out as a joke. Humor is a bait and switch. A joke is funny because it causes “insight switchover” from a familiar pattern to a new, unexpected one. It is this moment of surprise and realization that triggers laughter. Creativity is about producing the unexpected and seeing things from a new perspective. Creativity is the defeat of habit by originality. The true teacher protects students against his or her own influence. These teachers encourage students to distrust them. They produce no disciples. A creative teacher teaches nothing, but provides a learning environment. The main task of a teacher is to teach students to question everything - including their teacher. Analyze the way you think. What was your best idea? Think back to how you had it and what preceded it. What was your worst idea? Did it germinate in a different way from your best idea? Who regularly inspires you? What can you learn from them? What do you enjoy most about your working process?

13 Best Creative Thinking Books of All Time

Our goal : Find the best Creative Thinking books according to the internet (not just one random person's opinion).

• Type "best creative thinking books" into our search engine and study the top 5+ pages.
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• Rank the results neatly for you here! 😊 (It was a lot of work. But hey! That's why we're here, right?)

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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024

• Best Creative Thinking Books

The War of Art

Break through the blocks and win your inner creative battles.

Steven Pressfield

The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Steal Like an Artist

10 things nobody told you about being creative.

Austin Kleon

The Creative Habit

Learn it and use it for life.

Twyla Tharp

Creativity, Inc.

Overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration.

Show Your Work!

10 ways to share your creativity and get discovered.

The Artist's Way

Morning pages journal.

Julia Cameron

It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be

Lateral Thinking

Creativity step by step.

Edward De Bono

Making Ideas Happen

Overcoming the obstacles between vision and reality.

Scott Belsky

A Technique for Producing Ideas

A simple five step formula for producing ideas.

James Webb Young

Creative Living Beyond Fear

Elizabeth Gilbert

The Laws of Simplicity

• 10 Must-Read Books on Creative Thinking - HatRabbits hatrabbits.com
• The 10 best Books on Creativity (The essential list you must read) shelleywalsh.com
• 12 Best Creativity Books For Your Library (2023) becomeawritertoday.com
• 12 Best Books On Creativity You Should Read in 2023 - Creative Book proactivecreative.com
• Learn40 Books Unlock Creativity Start Lifes Best Work www.canva.com

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10 Must-Read Books on Creative Thinking

People regularly ask us what books on creativity we recommend. After all, the titles on the topic are plentiful. After having read several meters of books on creative thinking and innovation, I can assure you the following are 10 titles you will not regret reading.

1. Serious Creativity , Edward de Bono Edward de Bono is widely regarded as THE authority on the topic of creative thinking. In Serious Creativity he proves this is not without reason. In this book, De Bono explains why we need creative thinking and more importantly: he shares his powerful lateral thinking tools and techniques. A classic.

2. Cracking Creativity , Michael Michalko With this book, Michael Michalko doesn’t take half measures. It has to be noted that the enormous amount of theory and thinking techniques in this book can be quite overwhelming. For those who just want to know the bare essentials to get started, Cracking Creativity is probably too much in-depth. However, for those who want to know EVERYTHING there is to know about business creativity, this is a pretty good start.

3. The Medici Effect , Frans Johansson In this book, Frans Johansson clearly describes how entering the ‘intersection’ of different fields hugely improves your chances of finding breakthrough insights. His advice? Bring different disciplines and cultures together and search for the places where they connect.

4. A Technique For Producing Ideas , James Webb Young The same way Serious Creativity is a classic on the topic of lateral thinking, A Technique For Producing Ideas is a classic on the topic of Incubation. If you’ve ever wondered why your best ideas suddenly pop up when you’re under the shower, read this book. About 70 years ago James Webb Young already explained how the incubation process works. And as a bonus for all of you who have little time to spare; it’s only 48 pages ‘long’.

5. Making Ideas Happen , Scott Belsky Generating an abundance of creative ideas is one thing… but as any creative will tell you: making those ideas happen is a whole different story. In this book, Scott Belsky (founder and CEO of Behance) helps you to create order in the ever-growing list of action steps that is a logical consequence of being creative.

6. Applied Imagination , Alex Osborn Alex Osborn is the inventor of brainstorming. In this book, he explains several principles and procedures for creative problemsolving. As an advertising director and copywriter, he knows how to entertain and inform his audience. Although it was first published in 1953, Applied Imagination is still topical today. An easy read filled with interesting stories and references.

7. Weird Ideas that Work , Robert I. Sutton Sutton explains how large organisations usually aim to prevent variation. While this practice allows them to do things safer, faster, cheaper and more consistently, it also prevents innovation. To find new ideas that work, you’ll have to try a lot that don’t. Sutton presents “11½ ways to promote, manage and sustain innovation” that seem illogical at first glance, but make sense when you read what makes them so powerful.

8. The Art of Innovation , Tom Kelley In this book, Tom Kelley, general manager at the famous design agency IDEO, describes how human-centered design is essential when you want to innovate. Reading how IDEO works will teach you (among other things) the value of observation, empathy, rapid prototyping and creating the right environment for innovation.

9. The Power of Positive Deviance , Richard Pascale & Jerry and Monique Sternin The Positive Deviance (PD) approach is as simple as it is brilliant; instead of focussing on the problem, find the positive exceptions. It’s these exceptions that often hold the key to remarkable solutions. The Power of Positive Deviance tells the amazing story of Jerry and Monique Sternin and explains why and how the PD method works. The book contains some incredible supporting case studies.

10. Biomimicry; innovation inspired by nature , Janine Benyus Benyus explains how humanity could benefit from the 3.8 billion years of ‘research & development’ that Planet Earth offers us. She shows how looking at nature can teach us how to solve humanity’s problems in a more effective and sustainable way.

Reading any of these books will offer you valuable insights and strategies to make yourself more creative and your organisation more innovative.

What are the best books on creativity or innovation you’ve read? Please share it in the comments down below.

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Hi Stan, thank you for sharing your book tip! I’ll definitely check out your book as I love to read your take on the subject.

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Book review: Teaching Creative Thinking

It shouldn’t be controversial to assert that our children should learn both subject knowledge and skills at school, but, sadly, these are contentious times.

Bill Lucas and Ellen Spencer have delivered an incredibly clear and practical handbook for all those in education, but most importantly for teachers. This book is a veritable pedagogical treasure trove for those who want children to think creatively and who appreciate that this is a skill that can be taught.

Creative thinking is set to be the focus of the 2021 Pisa test, which is not, in itself, any reason for us to develop a(nother) new curriculum. However, Lucas and Spencer’s research is influencing international curriculum and assessment. Even though we can feel our world shrinking post-Brexit, now is as seminal a moment as any to ensure our children can compete across any borders. The research cited is unapologetically international. This is about world-class teaching and learning, not a curriculum cemented into any one nation.

The division between subject knowledge and skills is a false one. Lucas and Spencer make this clear throughout, which tells you something about the climate in education.

Structurally, Teaching Creative Thinking is methodical. It opens with a polemical assessment of where education has found itself, how the role of schools is changing and why cultivating capabilities within young people is so important.

This is reinforced in the following section, where a research-flavoured potted history of creative thinking is presented, as is exposition as to why teaching this capability matters.

To be fair, the first act of the book did feel a little like Lucas and Spencer preaching to the converted. However, it should also shore up those more sceptical of anything other than ramming facts into compliant children.

Their second act is a patient and thorough guide to how these capabilities can be coached and grown in all learners. Chunking more complex ideas into small chapters and sections will enable the busiest or tired teacher to absorb immense ideas in one bite. They blend effective historical research with its more contemporaneous counterpart, to provide a starting point for teachers.

Examples and activities

The examples provided throughout this middle section of the book are taken from different countries, different phases and different subjects, but they use the hook and lure of the lesson starter, because they grab learners’ attention.

Suggested activities, along with an explanation of how these activities develop children’s creative thinking, are plentiful. Many of the activities outlined are have become well-used tools of the trade, trusted because I know they elicit brilliant reactions from learners. However, for some of these, I had long forgotten their pedagogical purpose and have perhaps used them only superficially in the classroom. This book enabled me to reflect more deeply on the why.

Established approaches such as philosophy for children and mantle of the expert are given as examples, as well as ways of phrasing better-quality questions, scaffolding group activities, developing resilience in learners and getting them to reflect on their own learning.

The range is expansive - everything from early years to further education - and there are plenty of new ideas that are presented so that one can dip in for inspiration or delve deep for greater inventiveness.

The final act provides short yet focused case studies from schools across the globe. Our Lady of Victories Primary in Keighley has only two pages for its “skills-led curriculum, sense of adventure and themed ‘wonder weeks’”. A chapter on Australia’s Victoria Curriculum and Assessment Authority studies its “support for schools to develop signature pedagogies and innovative approaches to assessment of capabilities” in three pages. It left me wishing for a brave English local authority or multi-academy trust to do the same. Within each chapter is a summary of the key learning points.

Dry research does wonders for my insomnia. This is not that book. Lucas and Spencer have provided well-evidenced solutions for an important element of modern education. It is an immensely practical guide and is suitable for all teachers - except those for whom creativity is pedagogical indulgence and superfluous debauchery.

Keziah Featherstone is co-founder and national leader for #WomenEd. She is a member of the Headteachers Roundtable and an experienced school leader. She tweets @keziah70

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The Art of Creative Thinking: How to Be Innovative and Develop Great Ideas (John Adair Leadership Library) Paperback – Illustrated, February 24, 2009

The Art of Creative Thinking provides clear, practical guidelines for developing your powers as a creative thinker. Using examples of entrepreneurs, authors, scientists and artists, John Adair illustrates a key aspect of creativity in each chapter. Stimulating and accessible, this book will help you to understand the creative process, overcome barriers to new ideas, learn to think effectively and develop a creative attitude. It will help you to become more confident in yourself as a creative person. The Art of Creative Thinking gives you a fresh concept of creative thinking and it will guide you in developing your full potential as a creative thinker. New ideas are the seeds of new products and services, and this book will open the door to them.

• Part of series The John Adair Leadership Library
• Print length 144 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Kogan Page
• Publication date February 24, 2009
• Dimensions 5.51 x 0.39 x 8.66 inches
• ISBN-10 0749454830
• ISBN-13 978-0749454838
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

About the author.

John Adair is acknowledged internationally as an authority on leadership. The world's first Professor of Leadership Studies, he advises many organisations in business, government, education, health and the voluntary sector. An effective speaker with a valuable message, he is one of the very few figures in recent years to have transformed the debate as to what effective leadership is all about. John Adair has recently been made United Nations Chair of Strategic Leadership. Based in Turin, he has launched a strategic leadership programme in association with the UN. He has also received the Lifetime Achievement in Leadership Award and China has made him its first Honorary Professor of Leadership. The author of over 50 books, now in 25 languages, on leadership and management development, he continues to write and teach throughout the world, inspiring new audiences with his timeless and timely vision of leadership.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kogan Page; 1st edition (February 24, 2009)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0749454830
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0749454838
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.39 x 8.66 inches
• #442 in Popular Psychology Creativity & Genius
• #1,879 in Creativity (Books)
• #6,525 in Leadership & Motivation

About the author

John eric adair.

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Celebrate Juneteenth at these Maine events

The holiday is Wednesday, but events start this weekend and run through the end of the month.

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Westbrook Middle School students Bella Zollarcoffer, Priscila Nzolameso and Sarikong Oak held tables educating and informing the community on Black hair history at Westbrook’s Juneteenth celebration last year. Cullen McIntyre/Staff Photographer

Juneteenth, which became both a federal and state holiday in 2021 , celebrates the anniversary of federal troops’ arrival in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to ensure all enslaved people had been freed. This year, the holiday falls on Wednesday, but celebrations are happening over the next two weeks.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. –  Indigo Arts Alliance presents The Welcome Table, an intergenerational symposium celebrating global cultural and culinary histories. Activities include art, movement and meditation workshops led by activists and cultural workers. 60 Cove St., Portland.  indigoartsalliance.me

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. –  Victoria Mansion is hosting a community day with free admission and a recitation of the Emancipation Proclamation by local actors. 109 Danforth St. Portland.  victoriamansion.org

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. –  Space and the Tate House Museum are putting on a Juneteenth community day with free admission and tours of Ashley Page’s “Imagining Freedom” exhibit at the museum. The historical art piece puts viewers into the shoes of an enslaved woman named Bet. 1267 Westbrook St., Portland.  space538.org Advertisement

1-6:30 p.m. –  The first event of “The City that Carries Us: Pain, Streets, and Heartbeats” will take place at the Public Theatre in Lewiston. The celebration will have a parade and a block party with performances, as well as scheduled activities and rituals throughout the day. It is hosted by the organization Maine Inside Out. 31 Maple St., Lewiston, maineinsideout.org

2-3 p.m. –  Through “Poems of Reckoning and Resilience,” the Portland Museum of Art and Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance seek to honor the legacy of Black Americans. Featured poet Nathan McClain will join local poets in the Great Hall at the museum to celebrate Black liberation and creativity. The museum is also offering free admission Saturday through Monday, in celebration of both Juneteenth and Pride Month. 7 Congress Square, Portland.  mainewriters.org

11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. –  The fifth annual Juneteenth Celebration on House Island in Casco Bay will focus on Black joy, as well as nature, health and economic opportunity. Guests can stay for one or two days, and partake in activities like camping, hiking, yoga and games, all led by BIPOC leaders. Fortland, House Island, Portland.  eventbrite.com

4:30-7 p.m. –  The Community Organizing Alliance is putting on an event with speakers, live performances, poetry readings, a voter registration drive and catering by Bab’s Table. There will also be opportunities to get involved in the racial justice movement. The Atrium at Bates Mill, 36 Chestnut St., Lewiston.  eventbrite.com

1-3 p.m. –  Riverbank Park in Westbrook will host a community event with art, poetry, music and guest speakers. There will also be a barbecue picnic, a student fashion show, hair braiding, pick-up soccer and more activities sponsored by the city. 667 Main St., Westbrook.  On Facebook.

7-8 p.m. –  The Portland Yoga Project is putting on a class called “Liberated Breath: A Juneteenth Yoga Experience” that seeks to reflect on the holiday through yoga. The class is free for BIPOC community members and is sponsored by the Portland Public Library. 7 Bedford St., Portland, allevents.in

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