Recommendations based on Imagine: How Creativity Worksby Jonah Lehrer

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. How We Decide

    by Jonah Lehrer
    Examining the science of decision making, exploring how we arrive at our choices.

    The first book to use the unexpected discoveries of neuroscience to help us make the best decisions. Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or ... (Goodreads)

  2. Thinking, Fast and Slow

    by Daniel Kahneman
    An exploration of the two systems of the mind, and how they influence decision-making.

    In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow , Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and ... (Goodreads)

  3. Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

    by David Eagleman
    Uncovering the complex inner workings of the mind, exploring the neuroscience of identity and decision-making.

    If the conscious mind—the part you consider you—accounts for only a tiny fraction of the brain’s function, what is all the rest doing? This is the question that David Eagleman—renowned neuroscientist ... (Goodreads)

  4. Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

    by Austin Kleon
    A guide to unlocking creativity by embracing influence, stealing ideas, and making something new.

    You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

    by Charles Duhigg
    Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.

    A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

    by Jonathan Haidt
    Exploring the underlying moral foundations of political and religious beliefs and how they shape our views.

    An alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780307377906 can be found, here., Why can’t our political leaders work together as threats loom and problems mount? Why do people so readily assume the worst about ... (Goodreads)

  7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

    by Susan Cain
    An exploration of the power of introversion, examining the implications of modern society's emphasis on extroversion.

    The book that started the Quiet Revolution, At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves

    by Dan Ariely
    Examines why people lie and how dishonesty affects our lives.

    Het wetenschappelijk bewijs liegt er niet om: zelfs de meest eerlijke mensen nemen meerdere keren per dag een loopje met de waarheid. Hóé (on)eerlijk we zijn blijkt verrassend genoeg afhankelijk van ... (Goodreads)

  9. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

    by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
    An exploration of the concept of 'flow' and how it can be used to enhance optimal experience.

    Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—But Some Don't

    by Nate Silver
    An exploration of the art and science of prediction, examining why some predictions succeed while others fail.

    Nate Silver built an innovative system for predicting baseball performance, predicted the 2008 election within a hair's breadth. He solidified his standing as the nation's foremost political ... (Goodreads)

  11. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

    by Robert McKee
    A comprehensive guide to the craft and principles of successful screenwriting.

    Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

    by David McRaney
    A humorous exploration of cognitive biases, irrational behavior and why humans deceive themselves.

    An entertaining illumination of the stupid beliefs that make us feel wise. Whether you’re deciding which smart phone to purchase or which politician to believe, you think you are a rational being ... (Goodreads)

  13. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

    by Daniel H. Pink
    Exploring the rise of right-brain thinking and how creativity and emotion are shaping our world.

    The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line ... (Goodreads)

  14. History of Art

    by H.W. Janson
    Comprehensive overview of art history, from prehistoric times to modern day. Includes analysis of major works and movements.

    For 1000s of art lovers both amateur & professional, esthetic life began with Janson, as his History of Art is often called. In the 1st edition, published in 1962, he spoke to that perennial reader ... (Goodreads)

  15. Stumbling on Happiness

    by Daniel Todd Gilbert
    A scientific exploration of why we often fail to predict what will make us happy and how we can find happiness in unexpected ways.

    • Why are lovers quicker to forgive their partners for infidelity than for leaving dirty dishes in the sink? • Why will sighted people pay more to avoid going blind than blind people will pay to ... (Goodreads)

  16. No Logo

    by Naomi Klein
    A critique of the negative impact of corporate branding and globalization on society and culture.

    With a new Afterword to the 2002 edition, No Logo employs journalistic savvy and personal testament to detail the insidious practices and far-reaching effects of corporate marketing—and the powerful ... (Goodreads)

  17. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

    by Robert B. Cialdini
    An analysis of the psychology of persuasion and how to use it to influence people.

    Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding ... (Goodreads)

  18. This Is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude & More. For Young and Old Alike.

    by Augusten Burroughs
    A humorous yet thoughtful collection of personal stories and advice on dealing with life challenges.

    If you're fat and fail every diet, if you're thin but can't get thin enough, if you lose your job, if your child dies, if you are diagnosed with cancer, if you always end up with exactly the wrong ... (Goodreads)

  19. Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever

    by Jack McCallum
    A behind-the-scenes look at the 1992 US Olympic basketball team, exploring their journey to gold and impact on the sport.

    They were the Beatles of basketball, the Mercury Seven in sneakers. In Dream Team, acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 ... (Goodreads)

  20. A Short History of Nearly Everything

    by Bill Bryson
    A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.

    In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)

  21. Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again

    by Ina Garten
    Delicious recipes for everyday home cooking from one of America's most beloved chefs.

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Throughout the years that she has lived and worked in East Hampton, Ina Garten has catered and attended countless parties and dinners. She will be the first to tell you, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake

    by Anna Quindlen
    Reflective musings on life, aging and the joys of growing older.

    In this irresistible memoir, the #1 New York Times bestselling author writes about her life and the lives of women today, looking back and ahead - and celebrating it all - as she considers marriage, ... (Goodreads)

  23. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

    by Shunryu Suzuki
    A guide to Zen meditation and philosophy, exploring the power of mindfulness and introspection.

    “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a ... (Goodreads)

  24. Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

    by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
    An exploration of how disorder and chaos can lead to strength and resilience.

    From the bestselling author of The Black Swan and one of the foremost philosophers of our time, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a book on how some systems actually benefit from disorder. In The Black Swan ... (Goodreads)

  25. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

    by Reza Aslan
    An examination of Jesus' life, death and legacy within the context of 1st century Judea.

    From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as ... (Goodreads)

  26. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  27. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

    by Amy Cuddy
    Uncovering the power of body language and how to use it to create success.

    Have you ever left a nerve-racking challenge and immediately wished for a do over? Maybe after a job interview, a performance, or a difficult conversation? The very moments that require us to be ... (Barnes & Noble)

  28. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

    by Carol S. Dweck
    Examining the impact of mindset on achievement, and strategies to cultivate a growth mindset for success.

    A newer edition of this book can be found, here., After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the ... (Goodreads)

  29. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

    by Malcolm Gladwell
    An exploration of unlikely success stories, examining conventional wisdom and biases.

    In his #1 bestselling books The Tipping Point , Blink , and Outliers , Malcolm Gladwell has explored the ways we understand and change our world. Now he looks at the complex and surprising ways the ... (Goodreads)

  30. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

    by Paul Tough
    Examines the importance of character development in children's success, and the impact of adversity on their lives.

    Why do some children succeed while others fail? The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool ... (Goodreads)