Books: Creativity
Creating Minds: an anatomy of creativity seen through the lives of Freud, Einstein, Picasso, Stravinsky, Eliot, Graham, and Gandhi
Howard Gardner, Basic Books, 1993
The creator of the theory of multiple intelligences looks at six people from what Jane Piirto would undoubtedly consider an "idiosyncratic" point of view. I agree, considering Gardner's need to create odd classifications, but the book is still worth reading for the profiles.
Creative People at Work: twelve case studies
Doris B. Wallace and Howard E. Gruber, Oxford University Press, 1989
One of the standard works on creativity. Somewhat technical, and goes into great depth, examining the creative processes of twelve individuals, including Darwin, Einstein, William Wordsworth, and Jean Piaget.
Fire in the Crucible: the alchemy of creative genius
John Briggs, St. Martin's Press, 1988
"Geniuses are not necessarily smarter or more talented than other people. But they give their attention to subtle nuances, contradictory feelings and perceptions that others experience and ignore." Briggs uses the practice of alchemy as a framework for his book, and as a metaphor for creativity. Some of the material has been outdated by current theories of creativity, but this is still a fascinating read.
Notebooks of the Mind: explorations of thinking
Vera John-Steiner, Oxford University Press, 1997
"How do creative people think? Do great works of imagination originate in words or in images?" The author discusses theories of creativity, and explores different types of creativity through interviews and excerpts from creative works. The languages of the mind are visual thinking, verbal thinking, emotion, and scientific thinking. Inspiring insights into the workings of creative minds.
Understanding Those Who Create
Jane Piirto, Ohio Psychology Press, 1992
"Most of the literature on creativty is idiosyncratic, theoretical, and highly dependent on the particular author's predispositions. This book attempts to synthesize some of the approaches to creativity and creativity training." A splendid introduction to the field of creativity research, without the jargon. Includes different types of creativity, and chapters on enhancing creativity during childhood.