The Runaway Species
The Runaway Species is a deep dive into the creative mind, a celebration of the human spirit, and a vision of how we can improve our future by understanding and embracing our ability to innovate. It seeks to answer the question: what lies at the heart of humanity’s ability―and drive―to create? It examines hundreds of examples of human creativity through dramatic storytelling and stunning images in this beautiful, full-color volume. By drawing out what creative acts have in common and viewing them through the lens of cutting-edge neuroscience, The Runaway Species uncovers the essential elements of this critical human ability, and encourage a more creative future for all of us.
“The authors look at art and science together to examine how innovations―from Picasso’s initially offensive paintings to Steve Jobs’s startling iPhone―build on what already exists and rely on three brain operations: bending, breaking and blending. This manifesto of sorts shows how both disciplines foster creativity.”
― The Wall Street Journal
“Unravels the interplay of art, neuroscience, and evolution, while celebrating the special thing that is human innovation.”
― Entrepreneur
"Which inventions have had the most impact―and why? What can they teach us about game-changing innovation? And how will science and technology revolutionize our lives next? The rest of The Runaway Species sheds light on these issues … bolstered by delightful visuals."
― Harvard Business Review
“The Runaway Species approach[es] creativity scientifically but sensitively, feeling its roots without pulling them out.”
"A lively exploration of the software our brains run in search of the mother lode of invention… The Runaway Species is beautifully produced, illustrated and written. It sweeps the reader through examples from engineering, science, product design, music and the visual arts to trace the roots of creative thinking to three key mental skills: bending, breaking and blending.”
― Nature
"The Runaway Species is a simple and delightful read ― no science knowledge required. And in a rare triumph, the fact that this book was written by two authors never got in the way of making me feel like someone was telling me a story or delivering a thirteen-chapter TED talk. "
― Cooper Square Review
"Art and science converge in this beautiful collaboration. . . . Divided into three pArts, this inquiry covers a complicated set of connected topics in an engaging and surprisingly accessible way. . . . Packed with vivid images, countless examples, and fun facts that will leave readers eager to discuss it with friends, this is a refreshing and thought-provoking book that captures both the wonder of science and the beauty of the human spirit."
― Booklist
"A nice and highly readable introduction for laypersons to human creativity . . . The book is chock full of well-chosen and interesting illustrations that greatly enhance the value of the narrative . . . This book has many positive features. First, writing a successful trade < book on creativity is hard to do well. Some of the books tend to be too scholarly; others are just pop psychology with no theoretical or empirical basis . . . This book is both scientifically strong and accessible to the public. Second, the book is highly readable. It never gets bogged down in jargon and is lavishly illustrated to show how its concepts can be understood in concrete, practical terms. The book is never boring . . . The Runaway Species is an engaging and worthwhile book. We recommend it with enthusiasm to those interested in learning about creativity and how it has impacted and can impact society and its development."
― Robert J. Sternberg, The American Journal of Psychiatry
"An intriguing and riveting mélange of perspectives that successfully delineates what creativity and innovation are about. It is an outstanding and inspirational volume that will have a broad and global appeal. It will categorically transport the reader into the past and the future fusing them together as one scientific structure, constituting an electrifying and enlightening scholarly reading."
― The Inquisitive Mind
"A paean to the ingenuity of the human species, a description of the anatomy of creativity and a rallying cry to cultivate our skills for the benefit of our collective future."
― Tes.com
"Brandt and Eagleman have written an exuberant book about creativity. If you were a fan of James Burke’s brilliant Connections, or perhaps of Don Norman’s ruminations on design, there’s a similarly sumptuous buffet of brain candy here on which to pig out."
― Neo.life
“Readers familiar with David Eagleman’s writing will encounter the clever analogies that typify his style. Co-author Anthony Brandt, a professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, ads rich texture and scope to their speculations. It is not obvious what NASA and Picasso have in common. Nor what flamboyant hairstyles, bicycles, or stadium designs share. But the answers seem obvious once the links are pointed out.”
― Richard E. Cytowic, New York Journal of Books
"It’s a belter of a book for anyone with an interest in neuroscience, creativity or education... Understanding ourselves and our creativity is a journey that also helps us to understand what makes us human. The Runaway Species not only makes the complex readable, but also opens a fascinating world that exists between predictability and surprise."
― Business Hitchhiker