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  • Creativity

  • A Short and Cheerful Guide
  • By: John Cleese
  • Narrated by: John Cleese
  • Length: 58 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (134 ratings)
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Creativity cover art

Creativity

By: John Cleese
Narrated by: John Cleese
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

We can all be more creative. John Cleese shows us how.

Creativity is usually regarded as a mysterious, rare gift that only a few possess. John Cleese begs to differ, and in this short, immensely practical and often very amusing guide he shows it's a skill that anyone can acquire. Drawing on his lifelong experience as a writer, he shares his insights into the nature of the creative process, and offers advice on how to get your own inventive juices flowing.

What do you need to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind? When do you know that you've come up with something that might be worth pursuing? What do you do if you think you've hit a brick wall?

Not only does he explain the way your mind works as you search for inspiration, he also shows that, regardless of the task you've set yourself, you can learn to be better at coming up with a promising idea, refining it and knowing when you're ready to act on it.

We can all unlock new reserves of creativity within ourselves. John Cleese shows us how.

©2020 John Cleese (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Humorous and practical.... Whether you're hoping to write a novel or paint a masterpiece, you're sure to feel inspired." (OK Magazine)

"His candor is endearing.... An upbeat guide to the creative process." (Kirkus)

"A sincere and thoughtful guide to creativity, and a very useful book." (Graham Norton)

What listeners say about Creativity

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BRILLIANT overall, everyone should listen to this I think it will genuinely change your life.

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A gem of a book!

An entertaining explanation of how the creative mind works. I had many a ha moments as I recognized similar in my own life but hadn’t quite grasped the concept of what is your sub conscious mind at work. I highly recommend.

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Very interesting listen

I learnt from this audiobook, John has a charm with his words and it was a pleasure to listen to

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Great but too short

Really got a lot out of this, wish there’d be a little bit more though, even just an extra hour would have been amazing. I will re-listen.

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The greatest of all the Pythons...probably

Love this guy. John Cleese is easily one of the greatest comic actors of any generation you care to name. Always was my favourite Python - if by a cigarette paper. All of Monty Python are the Olympus Gods of comedy alongside Peter Cook, Dud, Spike Milligan and Sean Lock.
I enjoyed the simplicity and insight to Johns creativity angle. Excellent work, great narration and something I've re listened to many times and will continue to do so. Absolutely superb Cleesey.

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Inspiring and liberating

I have always admired the work of John Cleese and was delighted to find this insightful book which I shall be listening to on repeat. I believe all creatives will benefit from hearing his wise words. It leaves you feeling heard, understood and empowered. It has helped me see my creativity in a totally different way which is liberating. Thank you.

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The only negative is there’s not enough of it

Wonderfully written and narrated with a concise approach to offering his thoughts.
A true genius with a wonderful scale to the world.

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Not as cheerful nor insightful as I hoped

A fine and short book on creativity. Less cheerful than expected, and I must say I experienced better performance from John Cleese.

Creativity is predominantly presented as an unconscious process and John puts a lot of focus on the Incubation-phase of the creative process. What the book do well is to give relatable examples--especially if you are a writer.

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Never heard a system for creativity so well explained

John Cleese’s intelligence is always a pleasure. I had never thought of there being a system for being creative and concise but this is so simple and the concept of allowing a zone to play and then applying repeated review makes so much sense , not just for the arts but for anything that needs to be conceptualises or needs a fresh approach - I think this will change the way I do things in business and pleasure

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Outstanding!!

As someone who is very creative pleasantly surprised to discover things I wasnt consciously aware off. as well as being reminded of other things I was but often take for granted. Length is perfect, narration is engaging and witty. My favourite book on Audible by far, inspired to finish writing mine now!!

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