On Becoming an Artist
Reinventing Yourself Through Mindful Creativity
Ellen J. Langer
Backed by her landmark scientific work on mindfulness and artistic nature, bestselling author and Harvard psychologist Ellen J. Langer shows us that creativity is not a rare gift that only some special few are born with, but rather an integral part of everyone’s makeup. All of us can express our creative impulses—authentically and uniquely—and, in the process, enrich our lives. Why then do so many of us merely dream of someday painting, someday writing, someday making music? More important, why do so many of us tell ourselves that we can’t do so?
With the skill of a gifted logician, Langer demonstrates how we undervalue ourselves and undermine our creativity. By example, she persuades us to have faith in our creative works, not because someone else approves of them but because they’re a true expression of ourselves. Her high-spirited, challenging book sparkles with wit and intelligence and inspires in us an infectious enthusiasm for our creations, our world, and ourselves. It will be of lifelong value to everyone who reads it.
Published by Ballantine Books
Praise for On Becoming an Artist
An artful blend of psychological research and personal reflection that illuminates human creativity.
— Howard Gardner, author of Creating Minds
Langer’s latest encourages readers to bravely seek self-reinvention by creative action, and in so doing, find it.
— Booklist
