Imagine · How Creativity Works

For fans of Drive and The Brain That Changes Itself, the story of how we imagine

How does one measure imagination? Why are some cities centres of innovation? Is the internet making us more or less imaginative? What kinds of classroom techniques increase the creativity of children? Does brainstorming work? Can the colour of paint on the wall or the location of a restroom have a dramatic impact on creativity?

For too long we’ve pretended that creativity is an impenetrable biological gift. As a result, we’ve clung to a series of myths about what creativity is and where it comes from. These myths aren’t just misleading—they also interfere with the imagination. That’s why, in addition to presenting elegant experiments and important scientific studies, Imagine is filled with real-life examples: Bob Dylan’s writing method, the drug habits of poets, an autistic surfer who invented a new surfing move, a website that solves seemingly impossible problems, and the offices of Pixar. Creativity shouldn’t be a process reserved for artists, inventors, or other “creative types.” The human mind, after all, has the creative impulse hard-wired into its most essential programming code. This book is about how that happens. It is the story of how we imagine.