Shelf Control #6: “The Rise” and “50 Psychology Classics”

Shelf Control is a weekly meme created by Lisa at Book Shelf Fantasies where bloggers feature books they own and would like read. It’s a way for readers to take stock of what they own and get excited about the books on their shelves and devices.

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these posts, so I’ve decided to feature 2 books instead of just one. I chose the books at random and was surprised to see that both books are based in psychology.

…I guess this is a sign that I should start reading the nonfiction books I own.

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My first pick of the week

Title: The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery

Author: Sarah Lewis

Genre/Subject: Nonfiction; psychology

Published: 2014

Length: 259 pages

Goodreads summary:

From celebrated art historian, curator, and teacher Sarah Lewis, a fascinating examination of how our most iconic creative endeavors — from innovation to the arts — are not achievements but conversions, corrections after failed attempts.

…Written over the course of four years, this exquisite biography of an idea is about the improbable foundations of a creative human endeavor. Each chapter focuses on the inestimable value of often ignored ideas — the power of surrender, how play is essential for innovation, the near win — can help propel you on the road to mastery, the importance of grit and creative practice. The Rise shares narratives about figures past and present that range from choreographers, writers, painters, inventors, and entrepreneurs; Frederick Douglass, Samuel F.B. Morse, Diane Arbus, and J.K. Rowling, for example, feature alongside choreographer Paul Taylor, Nobel Prize winning physicists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, and Arctic explorer Ben Saunders. (Goodreads)

Where I got it: Book Outlet

When I got it: Last year

Why I got it: I was inspired by her TED Talk on how the idea of failure can motivate us.

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My second pick of the week

Title: 50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do: Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books

Author: Tom Butler-Bowdon (editor)

Genre/Subject: Nonfiction; psychology

Published: 2006

Length: 301 pages

Goodreads summary:

This is the curious reader’s guide to popular psychology, an invitation to embark on a journey more than a century in the making. Comprised of excerpts from fifty books and covering hundreds of groundbreaking ideas, 50 Psychology Classics explores foundations of the field (William James’s ‘The Principles of Psychology’) as well as contemporary writings (Malcom Gladwell’s ‘Blink’). Among the topics included are: 
* The Science of the Brain
* Tapping the Unconscious Mind
* Happiness and Mental Health
* Personality and the Self
* Human Motivation
* The Dynamics of Relationships
* Creative Power and Communication Skills (Goodreads)

Where I got it: Barnes & Noble

When I got it: 2014

Why I got it: Simply because I’m interested in the subject…and the book was discounted. 😉

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