Lateral Thinking

Book excerpt: The classic work on creativity and problem-solving techniques that “provide an alternative to just sitting around waiting for the Muse to appear” (Times Educational Supplement). The first practical explanation of how creativity works, this results-oriented classic reveals how to move beyond a “vertical” mode of thought—focused on following step-by-step logic in search of a single “correct” solution—to tap the potential of lateral thinking, which leads us to creatively generate multiple ideas. A prominent scholar of psychology, medicine, and physiology who taught at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and other world-renowned universities, Edward de Bono was the originator of the concept of lateral thinking, and in this book he explains this method that can benefit problem-solvers in any field. “This could be a very useful book for teachers and non-teachers alike. Dr. DeBono does not claim to be able to turn us all into Miltons, DaVincis, and Einsteins . . . but his techniques provide an alternative to just sitting around waiting for the Muse to appear. The Muse never appears to most of us—hence the value of this book.” — Times Educational Supplement