Shelley Carson, “Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life” (Harvard Health/Jossey-Bass, 2010)

The creative ability of human beings is remarkable. Evidence of this can be seen in beautiful and unique works of art and music, innovations in architecture and technology, and daring new scientific theories and business practices. Even navigating the complex world we live in demands some degree of creativity. We are all creative, even if we may not think of ourselves that way, and we all have potential to become even more creative. In her new book, Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life (Harvard Health and Jossey-Bass, 2011), Shelley Carson writes about the mysteries of creativity. In the book, she explores why humans are highly creative as a species, and which parts of our brains are most involved in creativity. She describes a variety of creative processes, offering practical suggestions for ways to train our brains to become even more creative. Is there a connection between creativity and mental illness? Does group brainstorming work as well as we think it does? Dr. Carson has spent many years exploring these and other fascinating questions about creativity.