Items related to Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Synopsis
Drawing on interviews with 40 winners of the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship—the so-called "genius awards"—the insightful study throws fresh light on the creative process.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
At the age of 38, John D. MacArthur, a destitute high-school dropout, borrowed $2,500 to buy the Bankers Life & Casualty Company of Chicago; eight years later he'd made a million dollars. At the time of his death in 1978 he was the second-richest man in America and "notoriously tightfisted." But he left most of his two-and-a-half-billion-dollar estate in the form of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with only these instructions to his board of trustees: "I figured out how to make the money, you boys figure out how to spend it." Thus the MacArthur Prize, also known as the "genius grant," was born. The award cannot be applied for, and it is not limited to any particular field of interest. Its purpose "is to promote those leaps of creative thinking that may occur when gifted people are left to their own devices." For Uncommon Genius, Shekerjian interviewed forty MacArthur Prize winners--John Sayles, Peter Sellars, Ellen Stewart, and Derek Walcott among them--in an attempt to discover "how great ideas are born." While much of what she learns about the creative impulse is not exactly groundbreaking--it involves risk-taking, openness, concentration, resiliency, and a great love of the work--spending time with the creators she has chosen to include is fascinating. They bring these broad concepts to life by inviting us into their studios, offices, labs, even dorm rooms (the youngest interviewee, Mayan epigraphist David Stuart, was a Princeton student at the time) and discussing their own creative processes. There is much to be gleaned here, not only about how creativity applies itself to various fields (community action, political science, writing, art history, woodworking, and even being a clown), but about how to nurture your own "creative genius." --Jane Steinberg
About the Author
Denise Shekerjian is a writer, author, and attorney. Shekerjian has published two nonfiction books and nearly a dozen literary essays. She also assists clients with memoirs, blogs, resumes, essays, grants, and other nonfiction material. Her writing specialties are the creative process, law, and politics. She has received two Pushcart Prize nominations, a New Jersey Council on the Arts award and was a Marshall Fellow in Civil Liberties. She holds an honorary doctorate in letters from the University of Vermont.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPenguin Publishing Group
- Publication date1991
- ISBN 10 0140109862
- ISBN 13 9780140109863
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages272
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 22.07
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius How Great Idea
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Acceptable. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00058726256
Quantity: 3 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius How Great Idea
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00069260514
Quantity: 3 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Published by
Penguin Publishing Group, 1991
ISBN 10: 0140109862
ISBN 13: 9780140109863
Used
paperback
Seller: Jenson Books Inc, Logan, UT, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: Acceptable. This item is fairly worn, but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn corners, bends, tears, small stains, and partial water damage. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing, if applicable. Pages may include excessive notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # 4BQWN8003IG5_ns
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Published by
Penguin Publishing Group, 1991
ISBN 10: 0140109862
ISBN 13: 9780140109863
Used
paperback
Seller: Jenson Books Inc, Logan, UT, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: Good. This item shows signs of wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact , but may have aesthetic issues such as small tears, bends, scratches, and scuffs. Spine may also show signs of wear. Pages may include some notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # 4BQIXZ000A5E_ns
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Published by
Penguin Publishing Group, 1991
ISBN 10: 0140109862
ISBN 13: 9780140109863
Used
Softcover
Seller: Goodwill of Colorado, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. This item is in overall good condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have minor wear including slight curls or bends to corners as well as cosmetic blemishes including stickers. Pages are intact but may have minor highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have slight wear overall. Minor shelf wear overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!. Seller Inventory # 466SUS000HP3
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Seller: Once Upon A Time Books, Siloam Springs, AR, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Good. This is a used book in good condition and may show some signs of use or wear . This is a used book in good condition and may show some signs of use or wear . Seller Inventory # mon0001201630
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Seller Inventory # M02C-01811
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Seller Inventory # R03O-00696
Quantity: 2 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born
Seller: DENNIS GALLEMORE, Seneca, MO, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft cover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. trade paperback, notes written inside front cover, no other marks or writing. Seller Inventory # A2887
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Uncommon Genius : How Great Ideas Are Born
Published by
Penguin Publishing Group, 1991
ISBN 10: 0140109862
ISBN 13: 9780140109863
Used
Softcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Reissue. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # GRP92155440
Quantity: 1 available