Creativity

A Short and Cheerful Guide

By: John Cleese

Narrated by: John Cleese

The legendary comedian, actor, and writer of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda fame shares his key ideas about creativity: that it’s a learnable, improvable skill.

“Many people have written about creativity, but although they were very, very clever, they weren't actually creative. I like to think I'm writing about it from the inside.”—John Cleese

You might think that creativity is some mysterious, rare gift—one that only a few possess. But you’d be wrong. As John Cleese shows in this short, practical, and often amusing guide, creativity is a skill that anyone can acquire.

Drawing on his lifelong experience as a writer, Cleese shares his insights into the nature of creativity and offers advice on how to get your own inventive juices flowing. What do you need to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind? When do you know that you’ve come up with an idea that might be worth pursuing? What should you do if you think you’ve hit a brick wall?

We can all be more creative.

John Cleese shows us how.

Critic reviews

“Creativity . . . is . . . [a] meditation on how anyone, whether breaking into TV or leading a corporate giant, can tap into his or her creative gifts.”—The Wall Street Journal

“A versatile entertainer shares encouraging advice. . . . His candor is endearing. An upbeat guide to the creative process.”—Kirkus Reviews

“[A] humorous and practical guide . . . Whether you’re hoping to write a novel or paint a masterpiece, you’re sure to feel inspired.”—OK!

John Cleese's style

Direct to the point. short and sweet. funny and layback. Direct advise coming from a true creative.

I will probably listen to this one again.

A fun little book that took the sticky notes on creativity that I keep in various places in my mind and arranged them in a common sense pattern. I don't believe I learned anything new but I do have a clearer perspective on my own creative process. It's only an hour long if you only listen to it once.

Great for professional fools! DO READ!

I enjoyed the performance. I lOve the book it helped me creatively. It well accomplishing it goal, it was also a fun listen. Read it you are in arrest in developing as a creative.

Short, sweet creative book on creativity

This is a book that is read better by the author than most people might read it to themselves. It’s not a bird by bird but it is a cliff notes versions. I appreciate the comedy throughout but especially at the end. It is condensed with appreciation of the art of creativity. Highly recommend a listen.

Delightful delivery by the author himself

I like his cheeky attitude while talking about creativity so that something that could’ve been boring was instead fun to listen to.

A wonderful primer on the creative mindset

This is a simple, elegant book that contextualizes and destigmatizes creativity and the creative mindset. It’s thoughtfully written and beautifully performed by John Cleese. I’ve read many books on the creative process, and this is easily my favorite. It’s practical and concise.

Inspiring and Encouraging

I am very glad the author agreed to narrate his book. He jests at the end that he has no idea why he did, since it only takes an hour to read. True. However, I already purchased and read the book, but wanted to hear Mr. Cleese's voice, rather than the voice in my head. He does, indeed, emphasize and interpret his words differently. (Must be the accent. ;-) Also, as a purely practical point, not everyone is capable of reading the printed words. Regardless of how you access this book, I highly recommend it and also think it makes an excellent present. Thank you!

Creativity How To

In this very short but enlightening novel we get the best view at the creative process and how to be creative.

I want to give this book a million stars but they won’t let me.

I recently went through a tough time during the pandemic said “F this” got a business coach, a nutritionist and at the grand old age of 65 went off to build a new life, a new business, find new capacity for creativity. I stumbled across virtually everything in John’s book by trial and error by reading everything that wasn’t nailed down about how the brain works and how emotions are created and can be controlled and how a person can truly control their own destiny. This book taught me a number of new things, clarified a lot, and would have cut down my learning process by about three months. Final notes: 1. My learning period 2021 made that year the best and worst of my life. 2. I think John could add a chapter about exorcizing the negative emotion that originates in your childhood and stays with you through life. 3. I love John Cleese, one of my best decisions was taking my dad seriously when he said, 55 or so years ago, “these guys are funny you should watch them”. 4. To Neil Lafortune, my drum teacher, this book explains why I all of a sudden got better at drumming. Finally, calm your hare mind and buy the book, but you won’t understand what I just said without reading the book (Sorry if that piece of advice puts your hare mind in a chicken or egg debate loop with itself.) That’s my review, have to conclude because I have a parrot problem to contend with. Thanks John!

Funny, Insightful and refreshing

A very informative book by John Cleese and all the better that he narrated. If you’re a Monty Python and Fish Called Wanda fan, this is a treasure. His creative approach is an unchained method with less “stress” and sound advice to foster creativity.