The brain is a self-organizing system and thus has evolved to use logic and linear reasoning as the basic mental instrument to form stable symmetric or rational patterns. This is done primarily in order better to deal with a stable universe. Doing so has for many eons been basic to human survival. However, over time it was discovered that asymmetric or novel, or counter-intuitive thinking, or "symmetry-breaking" or more accurately "pattern breaking forms of thought," proved to have even more survival value.
By definition creativity means to bring something new of value into being. de Bono believes that the brain is designed specifically "not to be creative," but to continue to form stable patterns for dealing with, and helping to make the universe more stable. Thus to him there is nothing at all innate about being creative. It is not an in born talent but a skill that must be learned, developed and then applied.
This book is his primer for teaching new creative habits of mind and generally for how to improve one's creative thinking abilities; and then for how to apply them to new situations. In difficulty, this book comes prior to his other book on "Lateral Thinking," and thus is an easy introduction to some of his most important more advanced thinking techniques.
Presented here are 62 exercises covering a wide range of areas from mind games, to mind exercises to, word games, general brainstorming, reverse sorting, and even random word and number associations, to humor, which in de Bono's way of thinking is the sine qua non of creativity.
Each exercise is designed to teach an important rudiment of what de Bono calls asymmetric thinking, which in his view is a key underlying percept of all creative thought. Like everything else, becoming good at creative thinking is a case of "practice makes perfect," and here with de Bono as the master tutor, one can feel his creative juices beginning to flow. This is one of de Bono's most accessible books. It is both very powerful and an easy introduction to his more advance teaching concepts, concepts that it has taken him a long time to perfect. Five stars.