How To Fly A Horse: The Secret History Of Creation, Invention, And Discovery (William Heinemann)

We are all told the same stories about creativity: stories about inspiration, insight, incubation and — above all — genius; stories where creation is mystery, creators are magicians and creating is unique and special, the work of a rare few who conjure art and invention out of thin air. The stories are wrong. In how to fly a horse: the secret history of creation, invention and discovery, kevin ashton takes us behind the scenes of creation to reveal the true process of discovery. From archimedes to apple, from kandinsky to the coke can, from the wright brothers to woody allen, he uses stories and science to prove that creation needs no inspiration, insight, incubation or genius, and explains the reality behind creativity without resorting to magic or myth. Ashton exposes the seemingly unremarkable individuals, gradual steps, multiple failures, and countless ordinary — and usually uncredited — acts that set the stage for humanity’s greatest creations. He draws upon research and