Imagine

How do you measure the imagination? How do you quantify an epiphany? In Jonah Lehrer's ambitious and enthralling new book, we go in search of the epiphany. Shattering the myth of creative 'types', Lehrer shows how new research is deepening our understanding of the human imagination. Creativity is not a 'gift' that only some possess. It's a term for a variety of distinct thought processes that we can all learn to use more effectively. Sometimes inspiration strikes in a crowded cafe, while at others a walk in a quiet park is more productive. Lehrer helps us fit our creative strategies to the task. Lehrer considers how this new science can also make neighbourhoods more vibrant, companies more productive and schools more effective. We'll learn about Bob Dylan's writing habits and the drug addiction of poets. We'll see why Elizabethan England experienced a creative explosion, and how Pixar designed its office space to get maximise its talent. From the neuron to the finished symphony, Imagine reveals the mind's deep inventiveness and its essential role in our complex world.