Review by Choice Review
Boden and colleagues (e.g., Colin Martindale, Hans J. Eysenck) have contributed eight essays to this book that not only illustrate the many facets of the complex phenomenon of creativity but expand and deepen them. Whether addressing the social aspects of creativity, its origins, its descriptions, or its measurement, the authors deemphasize the notion that, in the typical creative act, a single person makes a momentous discovery or has an insight that leads to the instantaneous solution of a problem. Rather, they provide a plethora of examples demonstrating the historical precursors of something termed "creative" as well as the necessity for a community to value an idea, process, or product if it is to be recognized, preserved, and communicated. Furthermore, what contemporary investigators consider "creative" often depends on the methods used to measure it; nevertheless, measurement is no substitute for an understanding of mechanisms and processes. Of all the definitions offered in this excellent volume, perhaps Howard Gardner's is the most useful, emphasizing the solution of problems, the fashioning of products, or the posing of new questions in a way that is initially considered unusual but is eventually accepted by a cultural group. Upper-division undergraduate through professional. S. Krippner; Saybrook Institute
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
