This book, which is now internationally known and a bestseller, is a textbook of creativity. It shows how the habit of lateral thinking can be encouraged and new ideas generated. The author has worked out special techniques for doing this, in groups or alone, and the result is a triumph of entertaining education.
Lateral Thinking: A Textbook of Creativity
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If more bankers and traders had read Lateral Thinking and applied the ideas of Edward de Bono to their own narrow definitions of risk, reward and human expectations, I suspect we would be in much better shape than we are. (Sir Richard Branson)
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
About the Author
Edward de Bono has had faculty appointments at the universities of Oxford, London, Cambridge and Harvard. He is widely regarded as the leading authority in the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. He originated the concept of lateral thinking and developed formal techniques for deliberate creative thinking. He has written sixty-two books, which have been translated into thirty-seven languages, has made two television series and there are over 4,000,000 references to his work on the Internet.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book twenty years ago. The book is not easy to read cover to cover, as has been mentioned by another reviewer, but it is worth working through it. The text often smacks of the evangelical preacher, as do many modern management texts, but the techniques do work. You don't have to buy into the pop psychology, just treat the techniques as tools. The techniques are covered quite briefly, and to make them work in practise takes some effort. This is not going to turn you into a creative genius overnight.
For example De Bono covers brainstorming in some detail, but in my experience in a design consultancy the real secret to successful brainstorming is in the selection of the brainstorm team. No advice on this delicate subject is present in the edition that I read (1969). I found that a sense of humour was essential in all brainstorm team members, as a good sense of the absurd and a willingness to appear a complete as can spark off really good ideas in others.
All in all this *is* a little gem. As far as I can tell all of his subsequent books simply expand and develop the ideas contained in this book. The most useful aspect is in being able to recognise the state of mind where ideas just pop into your head, and in being able to put yourself in a state where this will happen. Some techniques will work for you, some will not. Personally I now use other methods than those listed in the book, but I may not have developed my own way of working without reading this book first.
For example De Bono covers brainstorming in some detail, but in my experience in a design consultancy the real secret to successful brainstorming is in the selection of the brainstorm team. No advice on this delicate subject is present in the edition that I read (1969). I found that a sense of humour was essential in all brainstorm team members, as a good sense of the absurd and a willingness to appear a complete as can spark off really good ideas in others.
All in all this *is* a little gem. As far as I can tell all of his subsequent books simply expand and develop the ideas contained in this book. The most useful aspect is in being able to recognise the state of mind where ideas just pop into your head, and in being able to put yourself in a state where this will happen. Some techniques will work for you, some will not. Personally I now use other methods than those listed in the book, but I may not have developed my own way of working without reading this book first.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first De Bono book I read, I have used many of the examples contained in the book to change Management thinking. These Ideas coupled with systems thinking and lean make a powerful combination for kicking old mindsets into touch.
It contains excellent games to demonstrate how our thinking locks us into old solutions. I found the book facinating and still use much of the material in my management education classes today. I recommend reading most of his work. It will always make you think.
It contains excellent games to demonstrate how our thinking locks us into old solutions. I found the book facinating and still use much of the material in my management education classes today. I recommend reading most of his work. It will always make you think.
100 of 112 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Written in a very formal style and aimed at the teacher of lateral thinking rather than the student. I pushed ahead with it despite my misgivings in the hope that I could distill the essential techniques and practices from the teaching-aid text- Unfortunately the turgid style overwhelmed my interest and I gave up reading the book two-thirds in, not through lack of interest but because reading it was becoming hard work. In it's defence the introduction to the book advises the reader not to attempt a cover-to-cover read, rather to dip into it as required but I wanted to gain a rapid instruction in the subject in order to put the techniques into practice. I believe that I was able to fulfil some of my goals but the whole experience was unsatisfactory.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Repetative in the extreme
Looked forward to reading this, especially after hearing so many positive things about the author and his thinking. However after reading it I was extremely disappointed. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. David A. Shaw
4.0 out of 5 stars
Keep at it!
Do no try to 'read' this book it might not work. I found that by breaking it down and taking on a chapter at a time I could really concentrate and take it in. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. M. P. Gorman
3.0 out of 5 stars
School Text Book
I bought this book after reading a review in '50 psychology classics' by Tom Butler-Bowden.
Lateral Thinking is not an easy read, and not what I was really expecting. Read more
Lateral Thinking is not an easy read, and not what I was really expecting. Read more
Published 8 months ago by A. Gothorp
5.0 out of 5 stars
If the entire human population should think like this we would be a...
Get this book and always refer back to it. Students buy it.
Parents buy it. Everyone, this book should be made compulsory teaching
to our children from the moment they... Read more
Parents buy it. Everyone, this book should be made compulsory teaching
to our children from the moment they... Read more
Published 8 months ago by GA
5.0 out of 5 stars
You could change the world with this book.
I read this book in the early nighties and could not get over the way a simple process can bring about a thousand ideas. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Georges Philips
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great if you are keen to get an insight into creativity
I used this as part of a Masters project focusing on creativity & innovation...it was an essential part of the Theory, great explanations and suggestions regarding lateral thinking... Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2011 by N. Bankes-fay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lateral Thinking
Abook about Lateral thinking from the person who invented the term.
De Bono always delivers. Read more
De Bono always delivers. Read more
Published on 12 Jan 2011 by A. L. Thomson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intrigue at its best
This book is an intriguing read and once you commence reading you find yourself looking at a different path regarding how you think. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2010 by Mr. N. R. A. Williamson
2.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't skim through, let alone read it
This book promises long, and delivers short. It's full of pseudo-psychology, which is only off-putting to a certain extent. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2010 by Doctor Zeke
4.0 out of 5 stars
A unique book
This book is one of it's kind. Edward De Bono believes that "Lateral thinking" can be learnt...and gives us insight into how that can be done. Read more
Published on 26 Nov 2007 by Raghunandan Sugur
Listmania!
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