The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius

by Nancy C. Andreasen

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"In her tour of creativity and the brain, Nancy Andreasen, professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa and the winner of the National Medal of Science, shows us that creativity is not the same as intelligence, nor the same as skill. Rather, we discover, the essence of creativity is to shape the materials of life in new and unexpected ways." "Andreasen explores how the human brain achieves creative breakthroughs - in art, literature, music, and science - the role of genes and show more environment, extraordinary creativity vs. ordinary creativity, the possession of a omnivorous vision, the value of not having a "standard education," and the question of "genius and insanity". The author examines what extraordinary creators such as Mozart, Henri Poincare, and Coleridge, said about creating and how their insights reflect particular qualities of creative people and the creative process. She includes her fascinating interview with the playwright Neil Simon in which he described how his mind and brain work." "Andreasen also shows how her studies of participants in the Iowa Writer's Workshop and other evidence suggest that, while creativity often may be inherited and may sometimes be associated with mental disorders, neither is inevitable or necessary for creativity to flourish." "The Creating Brain offers insight into what creates the creative brain, and offers advice to nurture it in both children and adults."--Jacket. show less

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3 reviews
This was a rather shallow overview of neuroscience with more time spent on examining the characteristics of people who were known to be exceptionally creative. I actually found the brief biographical sketches of these people to be the most enjoyable.
This book is on the neuroscience of creativity. The author is researching creativity, what makes people creative, how to recognize it, and how to enhance it.

There wasn't enough information for this book. Although interesting, the author spends a lot of time talking about people in the past who are considered creative. This content is available in many other books, I felt there was too much and it just didn't add to the intended content. She finished the book with advice about helping children.

A lot of the content in the middle was very interesting, but there was too little of it. The book is short and a pretty quick read, but doesn't have much to offer.
½
Couldn't finish.  Too many allusions to 'what we're beginning to figure out' and it's a decade old, so we've probably got a lot more evidence towards proving or disproving some of her ideas by now.  And the chapter at the end, the advice on how to encourage your kids' creativity, belabors the obvious.  Any suggestions for something newer?

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Author Information

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Nancy C. Andreasen, M.D., Ph.D., is Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry at The University of Iowa College of Medicine

Common Knowledge

Alternate titles
The Creative Brain
Original publication date
2005
Dedication
to the "lost geniuses" of the past, in the hope that this book will help more thrive in the future.

Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, Science & Nature, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
612.8Applied science & technologyMedicine & healthHuman Body SystemsNervous system
LCC
QP398 .A53SciencePhysiologyPhysiologyNeurophysiology and neuropsychology
BISAC

Statistics

Members
191
Popularity
171,488
Reviews
3
Rating
½ (3.68)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
3
ASINs
1