Subjects:  1. Creation (Literary, artistic,    2. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)    3. Creative Ability    4. Creative ability in old age    5. Creativity    6. General    7. Gerontology    8. Older people    9. Psychology    10. Psychology Of The Aged    11. Medicine: General Issues   

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Psychology   

Reviews (10)

A practical exploration of spirituality
The book focus on the what the autor believes to be the seven principles underlying Leonardo da Vinci's life philosophy. These are not seven spiritual laws as defined by Leonardo himself but it is deduced from stydying the writings, drawings and art of Leonardo. I do not know what Leonardo would have thought about the seven principles that are attributed to him. The author succeed well in providing information that support his case that the principles fits into the life of Leonardo.
Nothing Decoded here.
Let the $11 price for a new hard-cover book speak for itself... and look at the used price...Save your 27 cents!
Michael Gelb Weaves a DaVincian Spiritual Masterpiece
Gelb does, in this book, what many might think is impossible.
Read more

Subjects:  1. 1452-1519    2. Creative Ability    3. Creative thinking    4. Creativity    5. Leonardo,    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Spiritual    9. da Vinci,    10. Self-Help / Creativity   

Editorial Review

Those wishing to study or provoke the creative process know that it is by nature elusive. Academic Press designed the Read more

Reviews (6)

Great reference tool
This is a wonderful collection of creativity topics written by the leading creativity experts in the field.The authors have taken years worth of empirical research and summarized it in a manner that is accessible to the layman.This book is best used as a quick reference to address a variety of subjects and their relationship to creativity and not as pleasure reading (as is traditional of encyclopedias).The critique that is often given to any book dealing with creativity it that it should itself be creative.This is of course absurd.When reading a book on mental disability we would never expect the authors to adopt a disability when conveying their messages.Those that think that creativity books must be creative would be better served by not venturing too far away from the pop-up book collection.Those looking for an encyclopedia that has gathered every imagination topic dealing with creativity that has been empirically tested (not just based on guesswork, hunches, or "feeling") will find this book very useful.

An Academic book for other academics
This is not worth anything close to the price that I, unfortuneately paid for it. Unless, of course, you love reading the kind of thing academics love to write to impress other academics and relatives. I cannot begin to tell you how so far off the mark everything in this book is. Suffice it say, it is not an encyclopedia of creativity. It is a collection of accademic papers which rehash the same old things. One has to wonder if any of the contributors have ever read any of the classic books on creativity that are out there. They, I think, could learn a lot.

Nice work
Wonderful work.Comprehensive and varied.It is "Academic," for the most part, but NOT highly technical.Best of all it has articles by everyone who is anyone in the field.All of the major figures in this field contributed.Not light reading, but if you want to know what the experts say, this is the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Creation (Literary, artistic,    2. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)    3. Creative Ability    4. Creativity    5. Emotions    6. Encyclopedias    7. General    8. Psychology    9. Cognition & cognitive psychology    10. Psychology & Psychiatry / Social Psychology    11. Reference works   

Reviews (3)

how to make art
One reviewer's 1-star rating is really unfair. The book was never intended as a visual presentation of particular artworks. It's a very rich set of essays, some very challenging, about how to make art, in particular, the kind of mental and emotional attitude that one needs to develop in order to be *spontaneously* creative -- as Trungpa puts it: "There is such a thing as unconditional expression that does not come from self or other. It manifests out of nowhere like mushrooms in a meadow, like hailstones, like thunderstorms."

A Practical Manual, Not A Coffee Table Book
This is NOT a coffee table book meant to showcase the artist's work; this is a practical manual for *doing* art from a contemplative (i.e. meditative) perspective--that is, fresh, unpremeditated, direct from one's sense perceptions, and unmediated by concept. Written in Trungpa Rinpoche's engaging, inimitable, and often elliptical style, it offers a number of startling and surprisingly useful insights into the nature of perception and the creative process--for instance: "Before we produce anything at all, we have to have a sense of free and open space with no obstacles of any kind" (p. 111). Now, this might seem elementary, but if you look carefully, the source of every creative or artistic block is having some concept in mind beforehand--either fear, or ambition, or an idea of where one wants to go before one gets there--"starting with the wrong end of the stick," as Trungpa Rinpoche used to say. This is a manual for freeing oneself of artistic blockages and reacquainting oneself with the freshness of unbiased perception. To my knowledge, there's nothing else remotely like this out there.

Words, Words, Words...
"A picture is worth a thousand words". But if you are expecting to see the beauty of Dharma Art in pictures, be prepared for real disappointment.There are NO color pictures/photos; only a few pages of black-and-white photos and the only one that can be considered as "art" is that of a thangka painting.If you want to see beautiful Dharma art, look elsewhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Buddhism - General    4. Buddhism and the arts    5. Creative Ability    6. General    7. Religion And Art    8. Special Subjects In Art    9. Study & Teaching    10. Buddhism    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Creative Ability    12. The Arts   

Reviews (1)

True "Super (High Level)" Learning
This book is utterly superb.I have never read such a clear, practical, and detailed book on how memory works, and how to improve it.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Developmental - General    3. Education / Teaching    4. General    5. Memory    6. Mnemonics    7. Personal Growth - Memory Improvement    8. Psychology    9. Study Skills    10. Memory improvement & thinking techniques    11. Study & learning skills   

Reviews (5)

Better off giving this as a gift with the book
I was fortunate to get a copy of this kit on sale for $5 at a metaphysical bookstore brand new. The Artist's Way Creativity Kit is very beautiful, complete with a small journal, incense, a circular cards with ideas on what to do for an artist date. That's pretty much the contents. It's simple and a great gift with the book. There really isn't a tool in the kit to help with promoting more creative output.

Disappointing
This piece is very unlike Julia Cameron's other creations. The kit doesn't seem to have much substance - a far cry from the Artist's Way. I was very disappointed by this kit, and I would not recommend it to anyone who has already been through The Artist's Way.

Very disappointing
I'm a huge sucker for just about anything Julia Cameron does--I have "The Artist's Way," two of her books of prayers & declarations (& a third on the way), two tapes, "The Vein ofGold," etc., etc. & I love these tools. I eagerly snapped up thisbox but was very disappointed. The little journal could be soldseparately--it's a nice volume & a neat idea. The other contents reallyaren't worth the money & just under half the box is air (there's acardboard insert to fill up the space). I suspect this was someone'smarketing idea & not something that should've been approved, becauseit's not up to the quality of all that Cameron has done (& her otherstuff is very, very good). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Creative Ability    4. Reference    5. Art / Reference    6. Art techniques & principles   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Creative Ability    3. General    4. Medical    5. Planning    6. Psychiatry - General    7. Psychology    8. Psychopathology - Autism    9. Special Education - Socially Handicapped    10. Abnormal psychology    11. City & town planning - architectural aspects    12. Coping with disability    13. Psychiatry   

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Autobiography/Biography    2. Audio Adult: Other    3. Creative Ability    4. General    5. Psychology    6. Music    7. Self-Help & Practical Interests   

Editorial Review

New Dimensions radio-host Michael Toms explores the subject of creativity with six specialists: Julia Cameron (Read more

Subjects:  1. Artists    2. Creation (Literary, artistic,    3. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)    4. Creative Ability    5. Creativity    6. Interviews    7. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    8. New Thought    9. Self-Help    10. Cognition & cognitive psychology    11. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques   

Features

• Abridged
• Audiobook

Reviews (14)

Lowering your expectations is good for the relationship
There is an underlying theme in this book that I think is important for every couple to consider: perhaps our expectations of our partners are too high.I've been a therapist for 25 years, and the most common problem I've encountered involves unexpressed-and often unconscious-expectations that one person has about the other. Women, I believe (and I think Dr. Lerner supports this as well), have higher expections than men. Sometimes they are so high, and so many, that there is no way not to be disappointed. What would happen if we lowered our expectations?We might, as Lerner suggests, become better listeners, and take more responsibility for fulfilling our own needs, rather than demanding that our happiness be met solely at home. Of all of Lerner's books, this is one I recommend most often to my clients.We don't need a soul-mate to be happily married, and if we lower the bar just a little, a "good enough" spouse can adequately provide the decades of richness we need.

Too much story telling
This book was recommended for me to read by my husband's personal therapist.He's in anger counseling, after coming back from Iraq, and I'm the one reading about six books right now.
Delivers---Ways of Staying Connected
*****
Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Self-Help    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. Conflict Resolution    5. Creative Ability    6. General    7. Interpersonal Relations    8. Interpersonal communication    9. Intimacy (Psychology)    10. Psychology    11. Family & Relationships / Emotions   

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Imagination (Philosophy)    3. Mind & Body    4. Philosophy    5. Poetry    6. Psychology    7. Philosophy / Mind & Body    8. Topics in philosophy   

Reviews (4)

Evolution of a creative work
I would wholeheartedly give this book 5 stars for the fact that it contains something I haven't seen in other books on creativity -- a way of understanding creativity as something we All have in our capabilities and creative works as coming about through an evolution of thought. The evolutionary concept is a Very Valuable one to have -- even Mozart didn't have completed music bestowed upon him by God. Mozart's pieces evolved (maybe more inside his head than on paper compared to many others) and so the myth of magical bestowal of creative genius is slain. The thing is despite the fact that ideas need to evolve in the thoughts of their thinker before they become novels, poems, songs, scientific theories, paintings, sculptures -- and are not given in a lightning bolt from God -- doesn't detract from the fact that there is still something mystical in the practice of creating -- and the poets, writers, artists, and scientists who have found this are the ones who become great, because they can't let go of the process...maybe it could be said are even addicted (at any rate obsessed) Ultimately this book is valuable to understanding the evolutionary process of creative work...but it deflates the power of creative thought into something mundane -- and NEW ideas, new combinations, and creative thought itself is not mundane. Yes, there are years of work -- but the payoff is so attracting and powerful that most writers and artists feel it to be mystical-- and perhaps that is how the myth of the lightning bolt of inspiration has taken hold. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Creativity is still a gift. But it also needs tending. The tone of this book is a too deflating for my taste -- although it gave me good stuff to chew on and another way of looking at creative work.

Genius is a 3-part recipe
Recipe for genius: How to be a genius in six easy steps
Looking at titles that cover 'how to' be creative this book stands out as a sane title amongst the glib 'problem solver' titles that are based on the most 'creative geniuses' of all time. The myth of genius, within this publication, tends to be dispelled.Read more

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Psychology   

Reviews (2)

Plug In Your Creativity
I'll be brief and to the point. I have read this book many times. Each time it brings light to a specific area of my life that I need to work on. I believe the source of alot of depression, especially in women, is answered in this book. Anyone that finds themselves blocked creatively must read this. It provides simple concise answers to complex issues regarding many facets of creativity!

The book was excellent!!!
Thank you for writing a wonderful and inspiring book.It helps to encourage those of us that have a difficult time believing in ourselves. Thanks, ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Creativity    3. Inspiration & Personal Growth    4. Psychology    5. Self-Help    6. Women    7. Women's studies   

Reviews (8)

A.D.D. and Creativity in 60 Seconds
A.D.D. and Creativity in 60 Seconds
A must for ADDers
This book is Great.It explains a lot about ADD and Creativity. It may help you understand yourself or ADD child. You make look differently at ADD when you are done with this book..

I Can't Read It All
There are many good thoughts and observations in this book, and I had high hopes for it initially. However, it reads like the publisher asked for 200 + pages and Dr. Weiss expanded her thoughts to fill the space allotted.Although I hate abridged books generally, this one would be a great candidate for aggressive editing.I'd love to see it boiled down to its essentials, but I'm not interested enough in the author's personal experiences to read the whole thing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Attention-deficit disorder in    2. Attention-deficit disorder in adults    3. Cognitive Psychology    4. Creative Ability    5. Parenting - Hyperactivity    6. Popular works    7. Psychology    8. Special Education - Learning Disabled    9. Health & Fitness / General   

Reviews (12)

Play Freely
Great book to read if you have lost your spirit to play freely. The entire book can be summarized by the fable presented at the beginning of this book.
Divine Play
I have been buying books at Amazon for years, and this is the first review I ever felt compelled to write. Simply put, this is the book I buy and give to family and friends. The knowledge contained in this book is potent and reflect the juicy nuggets of a lucious truth that can be known and experienced in this life. Why just connect with the font of life when you can merge fully into it. I highly recommend this book.

Out of Play comes wisdom
I typically look at non-fiction books through the lens of business management and decision-making -- frames of reference that revere focus and efficiency.So, where does a book on "Play" fit into this?Very precisely and efficiently, actually.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Psychology   

Reviews (1)

Chasseguet-Smirgel's masterpiece
Why do we wish to remake the world?Why do we wish to destroy the cultural products of the generation that has come before us?Why do we reject coherence and rationality in favor of personality and illusion?The pull is great and disastrous, inevitably; and the pleasures are undeniable.How do we climb out of the great muck to the hard light of reality?And why should we?Is sublimation possible?Ideal?How we do love, how and why do we create?Chasseguet-Smirgel examines these questions with great clarity, moral purpose, and beauty. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. General    3. Movements - Psychoanalysis    4. Psychology    5. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    6. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory   

Reviews (3)

Misleading title for a great book on consciousness
This book seems to have been marketed towards people interested in 'altered states' which to me indicates chemical/substance use, when in fact only the final chapter is dedicated to substances! An Inspiring Reading
If you are interested in the subject of creativity, this book is a great overview.Through topics like writing, psychology, neurology, drugs, music, and sex, Hughes clearly illustrates how creative people and theirwork are an essential and often misunderstood element of the evolutionaryprocess.The topic is fascinating, and the book succeeds in inspiring adeeper understanding of the reader's self, if not an inclination for deeperresearch on the subject.

A Creative Masterpiece
Altered States: Creativity Under the Influence by James Hughes, is beautifully written and contains a wealth of pictures and illustrations. In this book, Hughes looks at the creative process and its role in society andthe creative mind and personality. In addition, he discusses the physical,emotional, and spiritual effects of creativity on the human soul. This bookincludes informative chapters on creativity and disease, sex andcreativity, creativity and chemistry (which looks at the use drugs in thecreative process), among other chapters .I highly recommend thisbook for anyone interested in studying art, artists, and thehistory/psychology/philosophy of creative behavior. Artists, teachers,students of the arts, as well as, art enthusiasts will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Artists    3. Conceptual    4. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)    5. Creative Ability    6. Creativity    7. Criticism    8. Criticism - General    9. Drugs and the arts    10. Psychology    11. Psychology Of Art   

Subjects:  1. Creative Ability    2. Creative ability in business    3. Creativity    4. Psychology    5. Social Psychology    6. Social aspects    7. Cognition & cognitive psychology   

Reviews (2)

Propositions about how the mind creates
This book is not about how to be more creative, but rather presents current(1981) research on creativity and how new ideas come about. Each chapter looks at a psychological processes making up creativity. Starting with a proposition, Perkins then presents facts and arguments that result in a revised proposition that more accurately portrays how the mind works. For example in chapter two the initial proposition is "Mental leaps depend upon on extended unconscious thinking", then after arguing that the subconscious plays less of a role in creativity the revised proposition becomes "Extended unconscious thinking does not occur. Deferring a troublesome problem and returning to it later occasionally helps for reasons that have nothing to do with extended unconscious thinking."By delving into these processes, Perkins demystifies creativity into a skill that can be learned as a balance of imagination and analysis. Thorough discussion from a scientific point of view
Perkins dares to throw away laymen's theories about creativity, and supports his case with theoretical considerations as well as with examples from reality. Do not expect a simple book. Perkins discusses in greatlength scientific research in the creativity field, as opposed to the many"creativity cookbooks" you'll find. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Creation (Literary, artistic,    2. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc)    3. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)    4. Creative Ability    5. Creativity    6. General    7. Psychology    8. Cognition & cognitive psychology    9. Psychology & Psychiatry / General