The Best of NPR: On Creativity [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

National Public Radio (Author)

Book Description

Series: Best of NPR | Publication Date: September 1, 1998

The best of the best of NPR on creativity, this audiobook features famous and diverse creators, including photographer William Wegman talking about his Weimaraners; journalist mark Hertsgaard discussing the Beatles; outsider artist Wes Bobo elaborating on his creative bent; and many more.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

These 14 lively interviews take listeners into the minds of people from all walks of life--from artists and musicians to an "autistic animal scientist" and a sound-effects designer--to unravel the enigma of the creative process. The Muses, we learn, visit us all, and often in the most unlikely places and forms. Musician Michael Wolff finds inspiration--and rhythm--rocking his infant son to sleep during the wee hours of the morning. Artist William Wegman's beloved dogs are at once his subjects, collaborators, and guides. And Mississippi mechanic, artist, inventor, and junk-collector Wes Bobo, fashioning sculptures from scrap metal, old appliances, and driftwood, explains why he throws nothing away: he never knows what it might become tomorrow.

Creativity is with us our whole lives. Seven-year-old Jimmy Landry tells with touching frankness what inspired his invention of the "bullet grabber," a magnet that attracts and destroys guns and bombs: people being badly hurt by war. And author William Maxwell remarks that "being an old man is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to me"; now the world of his youth is laid bare with startling immediacy in his memory, which serves as inspiration for a story that almost writes itself.

Each essay is presented in the casual but dignified style familiar to NPR listeners. With touches of humor and poignancy, these are uplifting celebrations of the creative spirit residing in us all. (Running time: 90 minutes, one cassette) --Uma Kukathas

From AudioFile

National Public Radio offers a multifaceted look at creativity over the past century with a compilation of interviews and readings from Bailey White, Dave Brubeck, William Maxwell and Kenny Garrett, among others. Thoughtful interviews with lively music interspersed provide 90 minutes of inspiration to exercise the mind. With segments lasting just a few minutes each, the listener enjoys a feast of food for thought without the ponderous weight of a documentary. Through personal interviews and recollections--including a piece on the creative balance within the Beatles--NPR brings the world of creativity down to a level that both professional and amateur can enjoy. H.L.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Hachette Audio (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570425833
• ISBN-13: 978-1570425837
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,428,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Books on Cassette > Arts & Photography
  • #93 in Books > Books on Cassette > Radio Shows

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT NPR book-on-tape!!!!!!! I LOVED it!, July 2, 1999

By 

Julie A. Roberts([e-mail]) (Bartlett, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of NPR: On Creativity (Audio Cassette)

I checked this book-on-tape out of the library where I work, and I totally enjoyed listening to ALL the stories on creativity! I want to hear more! Whether you listen to NPR or not, you will love this slice of American life. EXCELLENT!!!!! It even made driving in rush hour ok!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable variety and intrigue, September 15, 2002

By 

Shawn Kresal (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of NPR: On Creativity (Audio Cassette)

Fascinating! A candid look behind the curtain of various creative minds, the listener hears their first-hand stories of inspriration. Interviewing such diverse people as sound designers at Skywalker Ranch where the Star Wars sound effects are done, how Dave Brubeck turned his crying baby's voice into a hit jazz tune, or how a delusional satire entrance essay won a student admission to his college of choice. This tape has 8 interviews only 2 or 3 of which had trouble holding my attention (mostly due to the interviewer, not the content). A great way to pass an hour in traffic or on the stair-master.

If you enjoy listening to creative inspirational stories, check out the "Jerry Seinfeld On Comedy" CD where he reveals his inspiration on his own comedy.