I found the way the author worked on creativity very interesting. More than that, I found the division of content into parts very smart. It is a book rich in knowledge and brings many insights. Of the last non-fiction books I've read, this was by far the best. Really enjoyed!

I loved this book! The title and cover really spoke to me and I'm happy to report that those elements, along with the synopsis, all held true in delivering a thought-provoking yet fun read! We are all creative beings, it's part of who we are as humans. We we born to innovate, make, create, brainstorm, improve and build. I loved the examples that this book offered and flew threw this book as a result. Highly recommend! :)

This book was everything I needed as a creative. There is so much going on in the world, and art is always evolving, and this book was just an amazing reminder that you have to keep going, creatine new habits to get back into creating again, and I want this book so bad because you can tell she gives you space to write things that you learned from each chapter, this book was just THE BEST! Once it comes out I will be buying this book and walking around together with my sketchbook and pencils.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this gem.

I really enjoy reading about creativity from a variety of creators, because I think it’s fascinating to see where those individuals pull their creativity from and how they have harnessed it to make amazing things. When I saw this one available as an advanced reader copy, I was excited to dive in!

Some things I loved:
⚡️ The book addressed many of the common misconceptions people have about creativity, as well as sharing a variety of stories about past creatives and the results of scientific studies done on the topic.
⚡️ The “a day in the life” descriptions of modern and past artists that show how important hard work and structure are when it comes to allowing creativity to flow.
⚡️ Most of the chapters have a section with specific and practical actions one can take to work on a specific area of unlocking creativity, and these are really helpful for self-reflection, self-awareness, and getting creative juices flowing.



Some things I didn’t love:
⚡️ Right from the get go, the book talks about the monetary value of creativity. I can appreciate creativity from an entrepreneurial perspective, but this is a theme that was brought up several times. I didn’t need to see the progression from an idea to its eventual dollar amount or net worth, and those little facts kind of cheapened the value of creativity to me a bit. (Maybe this is more on me, since the cover addresses turning creative ideas into gold. I just felt like was too much of the focus.)

I feel like this book has really useful information, and I got a bit out of it, but I don’t think I was the target demographic for this one. If you’re someone looking at connections between creativity and entrepreneurship, this is the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read. Loved the way author has described her personal experiences and has helped others to get inspired. It's a well written book with good details. It's a must read for those who self doubt. Creativity isn't inherited. I hardly read nonfiction books but it was easy to get into it.

I was expecting more, something “out there”. Even tho it was a very easy and aesthetically pleasing read, it’s mostly based on European artists and art, there’s so much more to the world and I think the book would benefit from more diversity

Excellent read! Never felt more inspired. Highly recommend it for all creatives. I was thinking about it well after I put it down. It will probably be sticking with me for a long long time.

An accessible, captivating read about how creativity thrives and drives progress in every field. After each chapter Maria Brito provides an “Alchemy Lab” with questions/prompts and suggested practices that helps reinforce her key messages and allow opportunities for readers to apply their insights and learning. I appreciated this addition! It was fascinating to read the anecdotes and examples of people (mostly famous artists) lauded for their creativity. If other readers take away one message from this, I hope it is the belief that anyone can be creative!

I recommend How Creativity Rules the World to anyone interested in creative pursuits, practicing creativity, contemporary art, art history, and psychology.

Thank you to HarperCollins Leadership and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Less a dive into how creativity actually rules the world but more anecdotal pieces on the history of visual artists throughout history, mostly European based. I had strong hopes for this as a very creative individual, but I felt genuinely tired the entire time and felt like I wanted to rush through to the end since I couldn't gain anything out of it. The beginning had a strong grab but then falls flat and tiring, which is the opposite of what you want for a book that focuses on creativity. I'm sure some people would love this book, particularly painters or other visual artists, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

It was an interesting book though I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would. However, I can see how many may like it hence why it gets a 3 star rating from me.

I loved this! I've already recommended it to all of my creative friends and plan on buying a physical copy. As someone looking to get into the art world it was especially meaningful but I think anyone who has interest in their creative side will get something out of this book.

Brito writes a great, brief history of art throughout time and uses her own experiences to provide examples of how creativity has changed the world. I don't find many books motivational, but I'd say this has motivated me a lot!

3.8 ⭐
I am a non-creative person so I was looking for a little motivation. I found what I'm looking for in this book and more...
I really liked the way in which the author shows us how creativity is present in each of the areas of life and is available to everyone.
Without a doubt, my favorite parts were the "alchemist labs" to put the proposed exercises into practice.
I think the only thing I didn't like is that when she talks about certain specific works of art I would have liked to see them in the book and not have to go looking for them.

This book is as emotionally touching in the same way as it is smart and creative, and that last adjective being the aim of the message contained here, I have to say that it hitted right the center of the goal. I loved the way that the author chose to expose the facts, the famous names references from artists to elucidate the skills and We can use to improve and exercise the creativity. Well Done.

Where to begin. I guess first it's important to note that this book is about creative entrepreneurship and the creative process. It isn't a manual to get unblocked (see The Artist's Way for that), although there are a few good suggestions for what to do when you do feel blocked. The primary focus, though is on developing a career that depends on creative thinking.

I was leery of the beginning of the introduction, which dives in with the stock generalizations about people not believing they can be creative, which I thought we'd grown past as a society? IDK. But then Brito turns left into an amazing story about her grandfather in Venezuela that grabbed both my attention and my emotional investment, and boom! Didn't want to put it down.

I took notes, friends. I rarely ever take notes on books like this, but maybe I really should.

Another important point is Brito's background is adjacent to painters and art history, rather than creative writing or other fine arts, so the vast number of examples she draws on are of painters and sculptors, mostly European, and may or may not transfer well to other types of artistic business ventures...or ordinary business ventures that require creative problem solving and/or artistic sensibility. She does make a strong case for consuming art, and especially learning to carefully observe its fine details, as a means to increase one's creative problem solving skills. I hadn't known examining paintings was a required medical school course (to draw conclusions based on infinitesimal detail) but it absolutely makes sense.

I feel more validated in filling my Instagram with art, archaeology, and cats, rather than celebrity influencers. It has been feeding my brain in exactly the way Brito recommends people nourish themselves with museum and gallery visits (in person or virtual: you can see the Met and the Louvre's collections online, after all).

I did not (yet) do the "alchemy lab" workshop questions at the end of each chapter because I'm traveling and don't have the quiet time to devote to them, but they seem extremely well-directed for manifesting ideas, implementing business plans, and recovering from failures.

She says, "Failing is hitting the creative limit of an idea," or something to that effect, which is not a way I've ever seen failure framed before. It's fascinating to recast failure as a thing that happens to an idea rather than to a person. Srsly, mind blown.

I would have liked to see this book delve into other art forms, especially writing fiction and film-making, tbh. I'm also not sure how the magical networking connections that allow artists to become <i>working</i> artists happen. Networking is hell, basically, and also a mystery to me. I realize that How-to-Network is its own book, but it does seem like there would have been room for it here, because as much as creative art can happen in a vacuum, getting it out of the studio and into other people's eyeballs is a crucial step.

ARC

I never read nonfiction unless its a memoir. But Maria Brito made this more enjoyable.. Her story about how her grandfather inspired her was nice. This book is bound to inspire everyone who reads it

Part history book, part creativity guide, part business manual--one-hundred percent inspirational! I loved how the author combined art history, discussing many artists ranging from Michelangelo to Frida Kahlo to Jeff Koons (and many more), with her own experiences transitioning from a high-powered lawyer to a thriving art curator and dealer to inform readers of not only the creative process but also how this process is used in businesses that have and will continue to transform the world. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this e-galley!

I am a person who rarely read nonfiction. But Maria Brito made me enjoy every page of the book since the beginning. Her story about how her grandfather inspired her also inspired me a lot. The way she explained what she wanted to offer is easy to read. It is like I am reading fiction instead.

This book helps to explore, develop and improve creativity levels, and there are many impressive examples of creative ideas that I can learn and apply to my own life.

This book bounds to inspire everyone who reads it.

This book stays very true to what it promises. It gives a very reliable approach to harnessing creativity and explains the inherent nature of it by citing interesting discourses. Would definitely recommend to artists and others in the creative profession!

I love it when a book title not only delivers on its promise - but overdelivers. Brito has written a masterclass on developing and harnessing one's creativity. Rooted in visual art examples, she provides interesting personal stories and historical case studies on the ways creativity has influenced social and cultural change; dispels myths about creativity; and outlines a blueprint for building habits and flexing your own creative muscles to inform any endeavor. Her law background shines through as she makes her case with colorful context for the examples she provides, and her closing argument ties together the creative lessons while laying the groundwork for each of us to play a role in inventing the future. Highly recommended for those seeking insight into how creativity works, how it can influence, and inspiration for expressing more creativity in your own life and work.

I received a digital pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is not easy to define a book as "inspiring", but that is exactly what Maria Brito did with "How Creativity Rules the World"! As a young artist who is finding his creative voice and trying to pursue a career in filmmaking, the examples that Brito brings forth to illustrate how creativity is something you learn, and not something you inherently have, is highly motivational for artists and every other individual. The book works great as a motivational read, but it also delivers a very compelling and straightforward look at art through various ages and countries. Well worth a read, a revelatory book that is bound to inspire those that read it!