Inspired: Understanding Creativity: A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul

by Matt Richtel

Overview

The New York Times's Pulitzer Prize-winning science reporter "unpacks the myths and mysteries of the creative process" (Salon).

How does creativity work? Where does inspiration come from? What are the secrets of our most revered creators? How can we maximize our creative potential?

Creativity defines the human experience. It sparks achievement and innovation in art, science, technology, business, sports, and virtually every activity. It has fueled human progress on a global level, but it equally is the source of profound personal satisfaction for individual creators. And yet the origins of creative inspiration and the methods by which great creators tap into it have long been a source of mystery, spoken of in esoteric terms, our rational understanding shrouded in complex jargon. Until now.

Inspired is a book about the science of creativity, distilling an explosion of exciting new research from across the world. Through narrative storytelling, Richtel marries these findings with timeless insight from some of the world’s great creators as he deconstructs the authentic nature of creativity, its biological and evolutionary origins, its deep connection to religion and spirituality, the way it bubbles in each of us, urgent and essential, waiting to be tapped.

Many of the questions Richtel addresses are practical: What are the traits of successful creators? Under which conditions does creativity thrive? How can we move past creative blocks? The ultimate message of Inspired is that creativity is more accessible than many might imagine, as necessary, beautiful, and fulfilling as any essential part of human nature.

Porchlight Business Book Award Winner (Innovation & Creativity)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063025530
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/19/2022
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	433,068
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Matt Richtel is a reporter at the New York Times. He received the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting for a series of articles about distracted driving that he expanded into his first nonfiction book, A Deadly Wandering, a New York Times bestseller. His second nonfiction book, An Elegant Defense, on the human immune system, was a national bestseller and chosen by Bill Gates for his annual Summer Reading List. Richtel has appeared on NPR’s Fresh Air, CBS This Morning, PBS NewsHour, and other major media outlets. He lives in San Francisco, California.

Table of Contents

Author's Note xiii

Prologue 1

Book I From Cradle to Muse

Heresies 7

Leap of Faith 36

Doubt 51

Seeds of Doubt 68

Creator Takes Shape 88

Author Takes Shape 102

Rise of the Voice 121

Mind Wandering 143

Fear 156

Book II Laws of Nature

View from a Microbe 183

Parable of a Rock Star 201

Enter a Physicist 206

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to a Platinum Record 217

God 228

Pandemic 255

Nature's Call-and-Response 268

Book III Neurology, Physiology, Personality, Chronology, and (the New) Geography

The Brain 285

The Eyes Have It 307

Personality 328

The Coach and the Diamond Head 342

Age 360

Two Short War Stories: One Muse 368

Vocabulary: Four C's 381

Book IV Salvation

The Secret Ingredient 397

Don't Quit Your Day Job 406

Todd 416

Book V Creativity in the Time of Chaos

Two Steps Forward 421

The New Jerusalem 428

Inspired 435

Acknowledgments 443

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/04/2022

Richtel (A Deadly Wandering), a science reporter for the New York Times, explores the origins and outcomes of creativity in this remarkable guide. Consulting musicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, and other creatives, Richtel argues that creativity “is as natural as reproduction itself” and looks at ways to nurture it. Speaking with a Stanford scientist studying PTSD, the author finds that creativity requires feeling safe and that even low-level anxiety can disrupt the process, though focused breathing has been shown to help. Richtel suggests that nature can be creative, too, and he compares the ingenuity involved in inventing penicillin to the craftiness that bacteria have displayed in response as they develop mutations that resist the drug. He examines the originality displayed by former U.S. chief justice John Marshall, NBA coach Steve Kerr, and even Jesus, concluding that curiosity and individuality are key components of creativity: “The secret ingredient to creativity is: you.” At once conversational and intellectual, Richtel’s lucid writing and intensive research showcase the many facets and manifestations of creativity. This profound and at times whimsical volume informs and inspires. Agent: Laurie Liss, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

2022-02-19
A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist explores creativity.

In his latest investigation, New York Times reporter Richtel does not limit himself to artistic or scientific inspiration, emphasizing that creativity is an inborn human trait as natural as reproduction. “Creativity is…part of our more primitive physiology,” he writes. “It comes from the cellular level, part of our most essential survival machinery. We are creativity machines.” The result may not be a work of genius, but it is always characterized by originality, novelty, and meaning. As Richtel shows, it can also be disruptive, not always in a good way, and it invariably changes how we relate to the world. It’s common knowledge that children possess open minds with creative imaginations, “generating random thoughts, concepts logical and mad.” Unfortunately, according to pioneering studies, education, peer pressure, and parenting often quash this inborn creativity, resulting in the popular label “Fourth Grade Slump.” Not every expert agrees, but it’s a catchy phrase that undoubtedly contains an element of truth. “The number one enemy of creativity is perfectionism,” writes Richtel. “There isn’t even a close second-place enemy.” In that vein, the author stresses the importance of permission. Research reveals a surprisingly laissez faire attitude in parents of creative children who raise them with far fewer rules. Studies also show that creativity doesn’t necessarily follow along with IQ, but openness and curiosity are critical. Richtel presents a host of illuminating interviews with gifted individuals happy to reveal their insights. He pays closest attention to singer Rhiannon Giddens and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, but he also includes an entertaining chapter on Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who is “exceedingly open in a jock culture that can be very closed.” There is no shortage of inspiring advice, as Richtel’s definition of creativity broadens as the narrative proceeds. Eventually, it includes a vast swath of human behavior. Despite the author’s warning that this is not a self-help book, readers will learn more about achieving personal fulfillment than the secrets of pure genius.

An enthusiastic examination of the creative process.

Kirkus Reviews

Engaging and lively. … Crisp, conversational and at times darned funny. … What distinguishes Inspired is its expansive range and conversational tone, as well as Richtel’s ability to synthesize a lot of complex research, simplifying without oversimplifying.” — Washington Post

“Argues that creativity ‘is as natural as reproduction itself’ while exploring its evolutionary origins, examining its science and providing insight from notable creative types.” — New York Times Book Review

"Remarkable. ... At once conversational and intellectual, Richtel’s lucid writing and intensive research showcase the many facets and manifestations of creativity. This profound and at times whimsical volume informs and inspires." — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Inspired makes the convincing case that true creativity spans industries, movements, and endeavors.” — Scientific American

"The Pulitzer-winning author unpacks the myths and mysteries of the creative process, and shows the research that proves why it's not just the 'Big C' geniuses who can tap into it." — Salon

“Illuminating. … Entertaining. … Inspiring. … An enthusiastic examination of the creative process.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Allowed freedom, Inspired reminds us that a curious mind is an unstoppable force and cause for celebration." — 48 Hills

From the Publisher

"Allowed freedom, Inspired reminds us that a curious mind is an unstoppable force and cause for celebration."

48 Hills

Narrator Jonathan Todd Ross’s blend of straightforwardness, humor, and emotion highlights this multifaceted examination of creativity and the power of inspiration. Ross brings warmth to the all-encompassing information about creativity—what it is, how and why it is cultivated, and why it is important, in addition to how it can be destroyed, bring about unintended positive or negative consequences, and inspire social change. Ross tempers his tone of admiration and enthusiasm with solemnity as he delivers stories about how creativity manifests itself in the lives of creatives—for example, as he delivers the author’s observations on how timing and technology allow the sharing of information that sparks protests. Ross’s pitch-perfect performance conveys the complexity of creativity, making for an illuminating and inspiring listening experience. M.F. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2022 - AudioFile

Narrator Jonathan Todd Ross’s blend of straightforwardness, humor, and emotion highlights this multifaceted examination of creativity and the power of inspiration. Ross brings warmth to the all-encompassing information about creativity—what it is, how and why it is cultivated, and why it is important, in addition to how it can be destroyed, bring about unintended positive or negative consequences, and inspire social change. Ross tempers his tone of admiration and enthusiasm with solemnity as he delivers stories about how creativity manifests itself in the lives of creatives—for example, as he delivers the author’s observations on how timing and technology allow the sharing of information that sparks protests. Ross’s pitch-perfect performance conveys the complexity of creativity, making for an illuminating and inspiring listening experience. M.F. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2022 - AudioFile