The Creative Brain: The Science of Genius (Paperback)

by Nancy C. Andreasen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Neuroscientists, until recently, shied away from the big questions--such as 'what is consciousness, ' 'what is abstract thinking, ' or (the topic of this book) 'what is creativity'--as being empirically unapproachable. Nancy Andreasen's book comes as a welcome antidote to this inherent conservatism and shows us how creativity can be approached scientifically. In a market flooded with 'new age' books on creativity, Dr. Andreasen's meticulously researched contribution comes as a breath of fresh air."--V.S. Ramachandran, MD, Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California-San Diego, and author of A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness

Product Description
Shakespeare’s tragic plays, Mozart’s sublime symphonies, Einstein’s revolutionary theories—how did these geniuses create such magnificent and highly original works? Were their brains different from those of ordinary people? Using modern neuroscience together with first-person accounts of creative breakthroughs from artists and scientists such as Mozart, Henri Poincaré, and Neil Simon, The Creative Brain illuminates where extraordinary creativity comes from.

Acclaimed brain scientist Nancy Andreasen proposes that, due to enriched connections between certain areas of the brain, geniuses are able to tap into the unconscious mind in ways that most of us can’t. She also explores the link between creativity and mental illness, and she shows how all of us can enhance our creative potential through mental exercises. Clearly and accessibly written, The Creative Brain is a fascinating investigation into the mystery of human genius.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Plume (October 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452287812
• ISBN-13: 978-0452287815
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #271,951 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars this book is a reprint of "the creating brain", September 15, 2007

By	Thomas E. Simpson Pa (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is a bit disconcerting to purchase a book and find that it has previously been sold. with another title(which I had already purchased and read). Is this ethical?

T E Simpson

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but Inconclusive, March 18, 2008

By	Curmudgeon99 (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews

The Creative Brain is an ambitious book that attempts to understand how creativity is supported and enabled by the human brain. While the beginning chapters of this book are quite interesting, by the later ones Dr. Andreason dispenses with the empiracle approach and instead she commences a less-satisfying portion of the book that is all anecdotal.
In the past few months I have read a lot of material on the brain, from the writings of Roger Sperry (Noble prize 1981), to "Inside The Brain" (mostly about brain damage) and "On Intelligence" by Jeff Hawkins. (Best one in my opinion).
In the interest of full disclosure, I worked on the psychiatric unit on 2JPE where Dr. Andreason conducted her studies of unmedicated schizophrenics. She is indeed talented but I felt sad for her after I finished this brief book. There really is not yet enough evidence to support her thesis. For that reason, I found the latter two thirds of this book to be disappointing. She did attempt some interesting studies of the writers at the Iowa Writer's Workshop but those studies--apparently, from this book--did not really gell into firm conclusions. Surely, she found some linkages between creative people and the incidence of mental illness but I do not find them conclusive. Being a writer and painter myself, I was hoping for some empiracle and definitive evidence here but I did not find it.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creativity is not intelligence, March 10, 2007

By	Glenn Cardwell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A very engaging book that looks at the components of creativity and the characteristics of a creative person. It becomes clear that creativity is not always appreciated until sometime after the idea itself. Mendel and Copernicus were never classed as creative until after their death. The artist van Gogh was not considered creative until others deemed him to be so. To me, one of the most fascinating chapters is the link between creative genius and socially labelled 'madness'. There appears to be a link between eccentricity, psychiatric disorders and moments of brilliance. Does the brain need some 'disorganisation' before it reorganises the data in a different and unique way to create a genius idea? This and many aspects of creativty are discussed. Whether you are a student of intelligence and thinking, or whether you are curious as to why you or others think differently, then you will throughly enjoy this book by a very clever author who got a PhD in Renaissance English literature before becoming a psychiatrist. That blend of background alone should alert you to a fascinating read. You will learn that intelligence does not make you creative. As a bonus, she even gives you a chapter on how to think creatively yourself. I'd love to have a long lunch with Dr Andreasen.