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A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
 
 
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A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative [Paperback]

Roger von Oech (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews) |

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Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1998
Revised and expanded for the 1990s, here is the bestselling creative-thinkingclassic written by America's foremost creativity consultant. Illustrated.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

ROGER VON OECH is the president of Creative Think, a California-based consulting firm that has conducted creativity seminars with such companies as American Express, Apple Computer, AT&T, CBS, IBM, NBC, and NASA. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in a self-conceived program in the history of ideas.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Business Plus; Revised edition (December 1, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0446674559
  • ISBN-13: 978-0446674553
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Roger VonOech Page
Roger VonOech
Roger von Oech is the founder and president of Creative Think, a California-based consulting firm that specializes in stimulating creativity and innovation. He has given seminars and presentations to corporations worldwide, including Coca-Cola, GE, Disney, Intel, MTV, Microsoft, NASA, Apple, Citigroup, and the United States Olympic Committee. He is the author of two previous creative-thinking books, A Whack on the Side of the Head and A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, as well as the popular Creative Whack Pack card deck. He lives with his wife and children in Atherton, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
76 of 81 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book should be read in combination with A Kick in the Seat of the Pants...and preferably read first. Just a suggestion. Von Oech demonstrates in his thinking and in his writing the same principles he advocates so eloquently. In Whack, first published in 1983, he identifies ten "locks" which limit (if not preclude) creative thinking:

The Right Answer

That's Not Logical

Follow the Rules

Be Practical

Play Is Frivolous

That's Not My Area

Avoid Ambiguity

Don't Be Foolish

To Err Is Wrong

I'm Not Creative

How does each limit (if not preclude) creative thinking? How can each be "unlocked"? To what extent are these barriers interdependent? Von Oech devotes a separate chapter to each of the ten, answering these and other questions while providing various exercises in support of his explanations.

Whack will be immensely valuable to executives in any organization which needs a culture within which to generate and then nourish fresh ideas and new perspectives. The same is true of all self-employed people (especially independent consultants) whose customers or clients expect them to address the same need. Finally, I think that school, college, and university classroom teachers can devise all manner of appropriate applications of von Oech's ideas. When you listen to Richard Feyman's lectures on physics (now available on audio cassettes), you suspect that he has read all of von Oech's books. He probably didn't. Nonetheless, he and von Oech are kindred spirits.

In addition to von Oech's A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, there are other excellent books also worthy of your consideration. They include those written by Edward de Bono, Guy Claxton, Michael Michalko, and Joey Reiman.
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40 of 42 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book deserves 8 stars out of 5! My first encounter with this book came when my roommate gave it to me as a Christmas present. She had read it in a creativity course and said this book changed her perception of the world and helped her be more creative.It is clearly organized and very easy to understand. Plus, it gives you the tools to apply its ideas to your problems in order to find creative solutions. Now a year later I give A Whack on the Side of the Head to my friends for Christmas! I also loved his new product on Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher. The cards feature thirty sayings that will make you think about the world and your problems in a whole new way. Kudos Roger von Oech on all your creative thinking tools.
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41 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I did seminar and workshop on entrepreneruship and creativity and have read probably about 20 books on creativity. And i have to admit this is the BEST BOOK on creativity. this is THE CLASSIC book on the subject. The author hs just written a new book (EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED) but this onw is WAY SUPERIOR and BETTER.

This is an old book but still freash to read and delighting to enjoy. The samples and the materials are easy to read yet very2 strong and useful.

I gave away this books to friends who want to learn more about creativity and want to change his/her attitude toward life.

Most people know that creativity is one of the key element of success yet so few take action of any sort to do something about it. So do yourself a favor, go and buy this book, read, and start think about it in your daily life. it will be beneficial for your future success and happiness.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Awsome and much needed in schools!
Great and Awesome opening to the creative thinking process... and dare say is much needed in schools! Read more
Published 1 day ago by SVRichard
The best creativity book on the market!
If you haven't bought this book yet, you MUST buy it now. Creativity is essential to every occupation on the planet... Read more
Published 1 month ago by James Thomson
A Whack On The Side Of The Head
"A Whack On The Side Of The Head" by Roger von Oech is an entertaining and informative read on developing creativity in your life. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Michael Taylor
excellent book
This is a book that makes you think all the time. It gives you ideas to see things from a different point of view. Really helpful if you are a marketing major.
Published 12 months ago by astevent
Extremely Accessible Creativity Book
If you've never read any books on increasing your creativity before, consider this review a five star recommendation to buy the book. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Judah
Excellent read
Really enjoyed reading this book, my professor recommended it to me and it was an excellent read to get you thinking outside the box.
Published 17 months ago by Beth
An okay book that's perhaps a bit dated
I read this book because it is a classic in the area of business strategy and creativity. It was good but not great in terms of the content and applicability to my business... Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. Bossart
Witty & Whimsy
Great read. Confirmed I'm not a loon. Just wish he added some advice for how to control the brain when one has too much creativity.
Published 18 months ago by J. Lupo
You Need the Whack
This is a "must " book because it is concise, powerful, and condensed. It will make
you think on many levels to develop ceative thinking. Read more
Published 20 months ago by jmurph123
Ouch! I'm More Creative!
Sometimes you just need a whack on the head to unleash your inner creativity. Not literally of course - I'm speaking metaphorically (which I learned is an important tool of... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Nancy
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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First Sentence:
Exercise: In my seminars, I like to start the participants off with the following exercise. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
imaginative phase, second right answer, mental locks, soft thinking, creativity teacher, practical phase
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus, Niels Bohr, New Year's Eve, Thomas Edison
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