“Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.”
How do you define ‘creativity’? Is it the ability to think outside the box and do things differently to other people? Is it to do with turning the mundane into something extraordinary? Or do you identify creativity with being able to conjure up new ideas out of nothing? There are no restraints when it comes to creativity, and there are few things as infectious as learning about other people’s interpretations of creativity. To help inspire your next great project, check out these powerful books on creativity here at What We Reading!
Steal Like An Artist – Austin Kleon
Austin Kleon is an acclaimed author and illustrator, and a man who knows that creativity is everywhere, and a force for sharing. Nominated for Best NonFiction in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative is his complete guide to being creative in the digital age. Able to be digested in one sitting, Kleon’s artistic perspective will give readers all the tools they need to feel uplifted, inspired and empowered.
Creativity, Inc. – Ed Catmull And Amy Wallace
Creativity, Inc is an insightful book on nurturing creativity through leadership from Ed Catmull, the founding father behind Pixar Animation Studios. Catmull leans on his real-life experiences rising from rags to riches to share with readers his understanding of how leadership can influence creativity.
This refreshing top-down perspective on fostering creativity covers a range of topics, including how a strong and motivated team can transform a mediocre idea into a brilliant one. It also explores the significance of mistakes as a part of the creative process and why it’s crucial for people to make them.
Not A Box – Antoinette Portis
Antoinette Portis’ Not A Box is a heartwarming read designed to inspire the creativity of imagination for children. With that being said, there are still plenty of deeper messages in this cutesy page-turner for adults to take away with them. A homage to her time sitting at the end of her driveway in a cardboard box, Portis introduces readers to a small rabbit who, through the power of creativity, whisks them off to faraway worlds where anything is possible all in what looks on the outside to just be a plain cardboard box.
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Imagine: How Creativity Works – Jonah Lehrer
Jonah Lehrer takes readers inside the psychology behind creativity in Imagine. From how the colour blue can double our creative output, to how child-like daydreaming is one of the most powerful ways of unlocking creativity, Lehrer utilises real science to dispel myths and explain how readers are able to be more creative more efficiently.
Using real-world examples, he tackles the myth that some people are born more creative than others and gives readers a compelling presentation of the complexities of the human mind.
Ignore Everybody – Hugh MacLeod
In his self-help book, Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, Hugh MacLeod reflects on his career as a cartoonist, delving into the origins of inspiration and the methods used to safeguard creativity.
With his own sharp insights and trademark cartoons, Ignore Everybody is both a powerful guide and a witty approach to how, in order to unlock your true potential, doing things your own way is the ultimate non-negotiable.
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Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
In Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explores the idea of the ‘optimal experience’ and how it can be the secret to a happy and creative life.
Explaining the effects a genuinely satisfied state can have on the human body, Csikszentmihalyi explains how this ‘flow’ can be controlled, rather than left to fate. It is one of the most genuine personal development books for those looking to unlock their full potential.
Thinkertoys – Michael Michalko
Michael Michalko’s Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques is all about changing the way readers think about how they think. Creative genius Michalko takes readers through how they can come up with ingenious new ideas through a series of fun exercises.
Whether it be for their personal or professional lives, Thinkertoys is an invaluable resource in understanding problem-solving and seeing the unorthodox in every situation.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
