Easy to Become a Genius

          Imagine coming up with a creative idea. Where did it come from? Did the people around you help inspire it? What about your environment? Now imagine a book that provides all the explanations for the process of coming up with creative ideas. Well this book really exists and is called Imagine: How Creativity Works. Before reading this book, I was skeptical about what I was getting into. I did some research and found out that the author, Jonah Lehrer, had been accused of numerous 'crimes' in the writing world such as self-plagiarism and fabricating quotes. Even though reviews like this flooded my Google search page, to my surprise, an almost equal amount of reviews were positive and praising the content for being so engaging. Now, after finishing this controversial book, I can't help but praise it myself. Although there have been accusations of scientific inaccuracies, everything he says just seems to make sense. Lehrer uses examples and people from history to simplify the neuroscience behind creativity. While serious scientists may scold his attempt to teach such a complex subject in such an elementary way, it seems to work. His writing style is easy to read and it helps that the information is just so fascinating. While reading, I often found myself making connections to my own experiences and was so captivated when I could understand more about myself.

          "It's only at this point, after we've stopped searching for the answer, that answer arrives. (the imagination has a wicked sense of irony.) And when a solution does appear, it doesn't come in dribs and drabs; the puzzle isn't solved one piece at a time. Rather, the solution is shocking in its completeness. All of a sudden, the answer to the problem that seemed so daunting becomes incredibly obvious. We curse ourselves for not seeing it sooner."

          "But here's the mystery: if you've forgotten a person's name, the why are you so sure that you can remember it? What does it mean to know something without being able to access it? This is where feeling of knowing prove essential. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when it comes to problems that don't require insights, the mind is remarkably accurate at assessing the likelihood that a problem can be solved. You can glance at a question and know the answer is within reach if you put in the work. as a result, you're motivated to stay focused on the challenge."

         "The neuroscience of sleep reminds us that, every night, we temporarily turn into improv artists. Once we start to dream, we stop worrying about truth or logic or common sense. Instead of deleting our errant thoughts, we embrace the sheer freedom of our associations. And so we amuse ourselves with a set list of made-up stories and melodies, finding new connections amid the confusion."

          All of these passages were particular moments where I felt like I could make personal connections to what was being written. In the first quote, I felt that I experience the moment being described very often. I can't think of a solution so I stop thinking about it and that's when it comes to me. In the second quote, the author describes another common experience I tend to have but this one requires more thinking. If you put in enough concentration, it comes to you. Lastly, I feel as if the third quote is most relatable to me. I often find most of my motivation at night when I'm trying to fall asleep. Suddenly I think of plans and solutions to everything that has been on my mind for a while. Some nights I can't sleep because my mind is just being flooded with ideas.

          This book is intended for anyone with a brain. It is so incredibly relatable that anyone who thinks would be interested reading it. Lehrer persuades the reader by reading his/her mind in a sense. He can pinpoint specific occurrences that happen to everyone when they think and explain why it happens. He can connect well-known historical figures and their creative process to any common persons mind. He makes the reader feel as if they have the ability to be imaginative, insightful, and creative because they can.

          I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely interested in the human mind. In fact, I would even recommend this book to someone who isn't. You don't realize how enthralling the subject is until you actually begging to read about it. You get pulled in once you are able to make even the slightest connection to your own life and want to find out more. It's hard to put the book down when you feel like your just digging deeper and deeper through the mysteries of the human mind. You don't need to be a neuroscientist to understand this book, but you'll feel like one after you finish.

Making Sense of Complexity

"Geoffrey West doesn't eat lunch. His doctor says he has a mild allergy to food; meals make him sleepy and nauseated. When west is working- when he's staring at some scribbled equations on scratch paper or gazing out his window at the high desert- he subsists on caffeinated tea and the occasional sugar cookie. His gray hair is touseled ,and his beard has the longish look of neglect. It's clear that West regards the mundane needs of everyday life- feeding the body , trimming the whiskers- as little more than annoying distractions that draw him away from much more interesting problems. Sometimes West can seem jealous of his computer, this silent machine with no hungers or moods. All its needs is a power cord."

This passage from Imagine includes particularly interesting punctuation choices that the author made to engage the reader. First of all, the very first sentence ended after only five words. A short sentence is a dramatic way to catch the readers attention by briefly changing the tone of the writing. Choosing to use an end punctuation after only a few words works well to do so. Next, the semicolon that was used provides a pause in the passage for some clarifying information. In the middle of the passage, the author uses a set of hyphens twice. This also pauses the writing in order to emphasize some interesting characteristics of the man whom he is describing. The author also tends to use a great amount of commas. Lastly, the passage ends with another short-ish sentence.

The way this passage is punctuated reflects the way the author tends to write throughout this whole book well. His sentences are concise and to the point and as a result are easy to read. That being said, this book is very understandable and provides simple explanations and examples for a complex scientific subject. Although the writing is easy to read, it should be stated that sometimes the punctuation disrupts the flow. Constantly pausing to clarify and interject can be helpful, but also irritating. Punctuating like this is good in moderation but an excess can become too much.