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The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World Hardcover – October 10, 2017

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 416 ratings

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This enlightening examination of creativity looks “at art and science together to examine how innovations . . . build on what already exists and rely on three brain operations: bending, breaking and blending” (The Wall Street Journal)

The Runaway Species is a deep dive into the creative mind, a celebration of the human spirit, and a vision of how we can improve our future by understanding and embracing our ability to innovate. David Eagleman and Anthony Brandt seek to answer the question: what lies at the heart of humanity’s ability—and drive—to create?

Our ability to remake our world is unique among all living things. But where does our creativity come from, how does it work, and how can we harness it to improve our lives, schools, businesses, and institutions?

Eagleman and Brandt examine hundreds of examples of human creativity through dramatic storytelling and stunning images in this beautiful, full–color volume. By drawing out what creative acts have in common and viewing them through the lens of cutting–edge neuroscience, they uncover the essential elements of this critical human ability, and encourage a more creative future for all of us.

The Runaway Species approach[es] creativity scientifically but sensitively, feeling its roots without pulling them out.” —The Economist
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The authors look at art and science together to examine how innovations—from Picasso’s initially offensive paintings to Steve Jobs’s startling iPhone—build on what already exists and rely on three brain operations: bending, breaking and blending. This manifesto of sorts shows how both disciplines foster creativity.”
The Wall Street Journal

The Runaway Species approach[es] creativity scientifically but sensitively, feeling its roots without pulling them out.”
The Economist

“Unravels the interplay of art, neuroscience and evolution, while celebrating the special thing that is human innovation.”
Entrepreneur

“An intriguing and riveting mélange of perspectives that successfully delineates what creativity and innovation are about. It is an outstanding and inspirational volume that will have a broad and global appeal. It will categorically transport the reader into the past and the future fusing them together as one scientific structure, constituting an electrifying and enlightening scholarly reading.”
The Inquisitive Mind

“It’s a belter of a book for anyone with an interest in neuroscience, creativity or education . . . Understanding ourselves and our creativity is a journey that also helps us to understand what makes us human.
The Runaway Species not only makes the complex readable, but also opens a fascinating world that exists between predictability and surprise.”
Business Hitchhiker

“Which inventions have had the most impact—and why? What can they teach us about game–changing innovation? And how will science and technology revolutionize our lives next? The rest of
The Runaway Species sheds light on these issues . . . bolstered by delightful visuals.”
Harvard Business Review

“Readers familiar with David Eagleman’s writing will encounter the clever analogies that typify his style. Co–author Anthony Brandt, a professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, adds rich texture and scope to their speculations. It is not obvious what NASA and Picasso have in common. Nor what flamboyant hairstyles, bicycles, or stadium designs share. But the answers seem obvious once the links are pointed out.”
—Richard E. Cytowic, New York Journal of Books

“With the pleasing pace of an extended essay, the book offers surprises and insights at every turn, and the authors argue convincingly that basic strategies inform most creative behavior. . . Essential—and highly pleasurable—reading for anyone who cares about ideas and innovation.”
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Art and science converge in this beautiful collaboration . . . Divided into three parts, this inquiry covers a complicated set of connected topics in an engaging and surprisingly accessible way . . . Packed with vivid images, countless examples, and fun facts that will leave readers eager to discuss it with friends, this is a refreshing and thought–provoking book that captures both the wonder of science and the beauty of the human spirit.”
Booklist

“A nice and highly readable introduction for laypersons to human creativity . . . The book is chock full of well–chosen and interesting illustrations that greatly enhance the value of the narrative . . . This book has many positive features. First, writing a successful trade book on creativity is hard to do well. Some of the books tend to be too scholarly; others are just pop psychology with no theoretical or empirical basis . . . This book is both scientifically strong and accessible to the public. Second, the book is highly readable. It never gets bogged down in jargon and is lavishly illustrated to show how its concepts can be understood in concrete, practical terms. The book is never boring . . .
The Runaway Species is an engaging and worthwhile book. We recommend it with enthusiasm to those interested in learning about creativity and how it has impacted and can impact society and its development.”
—Robert J. Sternberg, The American Journal of Psychiatry

About the Author

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist and the New York Times bestselling author of Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain and Sum. He is the writer and host of the Emmy–nominated PBS television series The Brain. Eagleman is an adjunct professor at Stanford University, a Guggenheim fellow, and the director of the Center for Science and Law. He has written for the New York Times, Discover Magazine, The Atlantic, Slate, Wired and many others, and he appears regularly on National Public Radio and BBC.

Anthony Brandt is a composer and professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He is also Artistic Director of the contemporary music ensemble Musiqa, winner of two Adventurous Programming Awards from Chamber Music America and ASCAP. Brandt has received a Koussevitzky Commission from the Library of Congress and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet–the–Composer and the Houston Arts Alliance. He has co–authored papers on music cognition published in the journals Frontiers and Brain Connectivity. Brandt has written two chamber operas and works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, dance, theater, film, television, and sound and art installations. He currently lives in Houston with his wife and children.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Catapult (October 10, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1936787520
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1936787524
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.75 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1 x 8.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 416 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
416 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides insightful and interesting insights on creativity, culture, and neuroscience. They describe it as a good read with a clear writing style and illustrations that make it fun and fast to read. Readers appreciate the thorough research and detailed information about science.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

20 customers mention "Creativity"18 positive2 negative

Customers find the book provides excellent insights into creativity, culture, and neuroscience. They appreciate the blend of science and composition, with rich examples from arts and science. The idea is interesting, and the book offers a variety of inspirational creative thinkers beyond the expected Apollo 13 engineers. Readers enjoy the details and facts in the book, which opens their minds.

"...WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT: How do exceptionally creative people -- like Leonardo da Vinci, Bach, Chopin, Einstein, Edison, Picasso, Steve Jobs -- come up..." Read more

"...As other reviewers have noted, Runaway Species is accessible and engaging, offering takeaways for both the casual and academic reader...." Read more

"...and disciplines to illustrate their point, which is that creativity is a human universal that touches all parts of our lives...." Read more

"This book breaks down creativity by explaining various techniques used to build from (and depart from) previous works...." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and worth reading.

"...Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman for your diligent research and delightful read!!!" Read more

"This book was an absolutely delightful read! I loved all of the examples, anecdotes, and COLOR pictures throughout the book...." Read more

"Excellent book. I was asked to read it at work and really enjoyed it...." Read more

"...I got to know a lot about creativity and education means. Terry good book." Read more

4 customers mention "Ease of reading"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. The writing style is fluid and the illustrations make for fun, fast reading. The explanations are clear.

"...The book’s fluid writing style and 200 illustrations make for fun, fast reading. Some essential new concepts I learned: • “..." Read more

"...of it.. This is not a connection often made about but the explanation are clear and easy to understand...." Read more

"Easy to read, and rich in details and facts. I got to know a lot about creativity and education means. Terry good book." Read more

"Brilliant! This book is an education! Not difficult to read and understand, therefore, good for high school age readers, too." Read more

3 customers mention "Science content"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's science content. They find it detailed and rich in facts.

"...Bravo to you Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman for your diligent research and delightful read!!!" Read more

"Easy to read, and rich in details and facts. I got to know a lot about creativity and education means. Terry good book." Read more

"Solid science. Creative expression from visual arts, music, and invention...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2017
    WHO IT'S FOR: Scientists, writers, inventors, artists, musicians, and eternally curious folks who could use an extra shot of creativity
    WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT: How do exceptionally creative people -- like Leonardo da Vinci, Bach, Chopin, Einstein, Edison, Picasso, Steve Jobs -- come up with and execute their ideas? What makes the book special are vignettes of the other 200+ artists, scientists, composers and engineers you *haven’t* heard of yet, and all the cool ideas they’ve come up with as they “bend, break and blend” old ideas to create new ones. The book’s fluid writing style and 200 illustrations make for fun, fast reading.
    Some essential new concepts I learned:
    • “Skeuomorphs” are “features that imitate the design of what has come before.” Nothing is 100% new.
    • Every emerging billion-dollar industry is already 10 yrs old
    • To come up with great ideas, embrace error so you can proliferate lots of options
    • The 20% Rule: the brain seems to prefer visual stimulus of 20% complexity
    • The greatest creators (eg Picasso, Edison) were just insanely prolific. The more stuff you make, the more likely that some of it will be great.
    • Let young minds embrace the arts: “This is because the arts, due to their overtness, are the most accessible way to teach the basic tools of innovation.”
    WHAT IT’S NOT: Although it can teach you much about the process of innovation, this book’s not a creativity how-to book per se. For that, I recommend Edward de Bono’s classic Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step.
    WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: The dozens of fascinating stories of perseverance, ingenuity, and breakthrough – e.g. self-healing concrete, carbon-fiber violins, or James Dyson’s 5,127 vacuum prototypes (!) – demystify innovation, humanize it, and just might catalyze a world-changing story of your own.
    -- Ali Binazir, M.D., M.Phil, Happiness Engineer, TEDx presenter of "Awaken Creative Genius" and author of Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine
    47 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2024
    I enjoyed other books by David Eagleman and I'm sure I'll enjoy this one as well. As far as the book contents...5-star all the way!

    I purchased a new book and it looks like they sent me a used book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2017
    I read a lot of creativity books and this is one I recommend as being the most novel and useful in recent years. The authors talk about covert creativity and have structured this book in such a way that they practice what they preach. As other reviewers have noted, Runaway Species is accessible and engaging, offering takeaways for both the casual and academic reader. There are a variety of examples of inspirational creative thinkers beyond the expected Apollo 13 engineers and Leonardo DaVinci. The pictures and background research are impressive and built to encourage creativity in the reader. Can't wait to re-read and find more ideas to develop my creative thinking and practice.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018
    As a musician, writer, business person, and teacher, I couldn't put RUNAWAY down! From the first page to the last, I was captivated. Problem solvers and creatives are always looking for inventive ways to stretch beyond our limits, and for the encouragement to take risks. Historically, how has creativity affected humanity? Where are examples of people using imaginative resourcefulness to take us to places yet discovered? How can we inspire our children and give them permission to be curious, to explore, and to invent? Bravo to you Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman for your diligent research and delightful read!!!
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2020
    I realized as I read this book, my understanding of how our human brain works has been very basic. I have read other works by Eagleman and other Authors on the subject of the "BRAIN" .

    What becomes apparent and not surprising, while man's brain is light years ahead of the other creatures that have roamed this planet, we have yet become much more civilized. As these authors have insinuated humans have yet learned to get along with each other much less make any serious attempts at coming to an agreement about anything!

    The reality is we all evolved from the same creatures guided by the same deity!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2017
    This book was an absolutely delightful read! I loved all of the examples, anecdotes, and COLOR pictures throughout the book. They draw from a dizzying array of fields and disciplines to illustrate their point, which is that creativity is a human universal that touches all parts of our lives. They also make a strong case for focusing more intentionally on cultivating creativity in our schools. In the 21st century, this is proving to be an essential skill that we ignore at our peril. Highly recommended read!
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2022
    The analysis and effects of our creativity are explored. This exploration is a very shallow discussion telling anecdotes well known about famous and not-so-famous inventors. Comparing this book to Sum or Incognito, one would expect more. There is very little reference material included primarily because the stories of innovation and creativity are so well known.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2017
    This book breaks down creativity by explaining various techniques used to build from (and depart from) previous works. Primarily, the authors rely on brief explanations and a vast number of examples. The examples illustrate how technical and artistic innovators seem to share (deliberate or unintentional) approaches for generating creative products based on existing products. The parallels are then used to support suggestions as to how companies and schools can promote creativity. Very good food for thought.
    9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • francois veilleux
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice,
    Reviewed in Canada on March 14, 2020
    Verry interesting point of view of who we are, I can tell David is not the writer it doesnt sound like him in my head when I read. But I love it still,
  • Mayank Mishra
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best book in creativity
    Reviewed in India on November 25, 2020
    David and the other author has nailed it. These kind of books are written only for persons with PhDs. I am really glad I read this book. The books talks about how mind is creative with beautiful illustrations of artists and other innovations. Not even a single instant book was boring. read it in several sittings as so much content is there to absorb. want to thank the authors for writing such a DEEP book. The neural networks on the brain is the most powerful thing of the universe.
  • Cliente Kindle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastico libro, chiaro e di grande ispirazione
    Reviewed in Italy on May 24, 2019
    Fantastico! Racconta in modo molto chiaro e alla portata di tutti come si sviluppa la nostra creativita'. Da leggere per chi vuole trovare ispirazione nel proprio esssere "essere un umano"
    One person found this helpful
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  • Miss Rebecca L Geraghty
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 30, 2017
    Excellent book, really clear and full of lots of good examples. Great read.
  • German Roger
    5.0 out of 5 stars A book full of hope and optimism
    Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2018
    The authors explain the principles behind creativity with - literally- colourful examples, and stress the importance of training creativity from a young age to aid the development of a wonderful future. A highly interesting and enjoyable book.
    One person found this helpful
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