Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind

Psychologist Kaufman (Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined) teams up with journalist Gregoire to amplify ideas put forth in the pair’s Huffington Post article “18 Things That Creative People Do Differently.” As advertised, the authors explore 10 “habits of mind” that great creative thinkers—artists, writers, and innovators—cultivate in themselves, such as daydreaming, intuition, and sensitivity. They devote a chapter to each habit, pulling examples from the lives of great figures. Introductory material gives an overview of the history of research into creativity. Kaufman and Gregoire survey new findings suggesting that, contrary to previous belief, the creative process is a whole-brain activity, not confined to one hemisphere. Moreover, it is a messy, not orderly, process and “is both the realm of a select group of geniuses through history, and the domain of every human being.” By studying the standouts in creativity, they conclude, we can all learn how to enrich our well-being and express ourselves creatively in every endeavor. This guide is well-documented, never pedantic, and always educational and inspiring. [em](Jan.) [/em]