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Summary: A Must-Read for Real-Life Problem-Solvers
Review: As a tenured law-professor in a school dedicated to teaching lawyers to solve problems creatively, I consider de Bono's book the most startlingly original and comprehensive book I've encountered on the subject. Moreover, it convincingly reveals how unaware teachers, academics, journalists, politicians, and other professionals are of the mental shackles we wear as our legacy from the Western Tradition of "thinking." For the price, it's just-under-200 pages can't be beat!
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Summary: Thinking as a Skill !
Review: Edward de Bono challenges us in the way we think. "Intelligence is a pontential, but thinking is an operational skill", he says. This is a more fundamental book, and an excellent primer on de Bono's "thinking" rather than a book on how to do it. He tackles points like "why many intelligent people are trapped" or "why critical thinking is a valuable part of thinking but totally inadequate on its own". De Bono covers many topics in this book (incl. his famous Lateral Thinking) and some rather abstract excercises I didn't like. Rather difficult topics like emotion, other people, or thinking & doing are included which prove de Bono as the best in the world on thinking. Bravo!
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Summary: Don't be Stubborn; Consider Alternatives
Review: I took a chance on this book and its author. I was extremely dissapointed, bordering on furious. Truth be told, I could only read the first twenty pages of this monstrosity. de Bono's routine insults of Western civilization, of logic and certainty, and his denigration of perhaps the three greatest men who have ever lived: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, were simply too much for me. It's possible I may try to read it again, but I won't hold my breath.
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Summary: This book will change how you think
Review: If there was ever a book that changed my life, this is it. This book is a synopsis of many of de Bono's other books. It is written simply and filled with bits of humour. It's a quick read, and the ideas and tools he introduces are meant to focus your thinking skills and change your perspective on how thinking is done. Please get this book and read it with an open mind. You will like it
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Summary: A collection of skills rather than a well-organised course
Review: If you can read this book through, the one thing that may really stick in your mind should be the large number of acronyms brought forth by the author:-
PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting)
APC (Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices)
CAF (consider all factors)
C&S (Consequence & Sequel)
EBS (examine both sides)
ADI (Agreement, Disagreement, Irrelevance)
OPV (Other People's Views)
etc etc, all skills supposed to enhance readers' ability to think, to jump out of perceptions and patterns of thinking that the author regards as the biggest block against our creativity. Ironically, the author had reserved only 18 pages for his renowned "Laternal Thinking", that he had gone thru related methods of "Stepping Stone" (treat an idea of its movement value instead of just its judgement value), "Escape" (think of alternatives for things we take for granted) and "Random stimulation" (open ourselves to influence other than those we directly look for).
What had been written so far might seem rather a collection of jargons than an organised passage with clear objectives. However, I assure you that you will get the same bad feeling from reading the book. Perhaps the author had published so many books that it became too hard for him to write a new one with original, flesh, and practical examples and ideas at all. In that case you really want to read something from de Bono, the "Six Thinking Hats" is a much better choice.
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Summary: So you are very intelligent ... don't worry, you have hope!
Review: No matter who you are, thinking is a skill that you can improve.
This is not a book for the theory lover. This is a book for the one who loves the power of simplicity and results.The message is this: if you are intelligent it doesn't mean that you are a good thinker.
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Summary: Pleasantly Surprised
Review: REVIEW: I received a copy of this book by accident. I decided to read it anyway since I am a "thinking" personality type and the book looked easy to read. I was expecting the book to read like a hyped-up mass market self help book. I was pleasantly surprised. I found the book very practical, easy to read, and genuine. I picked up a good deal of useful information and helpful methods. These include understanding (within the brain) what makes things seem funny to step-by-step thinking procedures. De bono writes very simply and even when he explains theoretical concepts the explanations are not technical. There is some tendency by the author to regularly cite his many other books and to use his own made up words and acronyms. I found the citations to the other works authentic and not overt plugs. Similarly the use of coined terms and acronyms seemed very practical and not driven by ego as I've noticed with many authors. STRENGTHS: Very practical methods and ideas to improve thinking, easy to read, short chapters. Optional practice activities and not too technical or academic. WEAKNESSES: Some might not like the regular use of coined terms and acronyms. Only cites his own books. Some things explained too briefly. WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: Anyone interested in improving their thinking.
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Summary: No so new anymore
Review: The book is filled with practical exercises to expand your way of thinking on everyday issues. Its fine as far as it goes but it's basically the same as all the other creative thinking material that's being flogged everywhere these days. Furthermore, throughout the book, the author often refers to his own consulting services and other books on the same subject. Buy the book if these concepts are new to you or if you are looking for specific exercises on lateral thinking.
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Summary: Pete and Repeat, Pete left. Who was left? Repeat. Pete and..
Review: This book is very repetative. I repeat, this book is very repetative.
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Summary: Pete and Repeat, Pete left. Who was left? Repeat. Pete and..
Review: This book was a quick read and totally worth the time. De Bono explains many methods to help you keep an open mind about many common situations. He explains that the mind wants certainty in order to take action, but that sometimes to get this certainty, the mind will use a familiar pattern of thinking that may not necessarily apply to the situation under consideration, while ignoring many possibilities. The more our minds use the same patterns, the easier it is to use the same pattern even if the situation doesn't call for it. For example, say you commonly jump on the defensive in personal situations and believe people do things without considering you. You may ignore possible alternatives in many personal situations and use the same destructive pattern to interpret many of your personal encounters. In one section of the book, De Bono compares these patterns of thinking to pouring hot ink on a bowl of jello. The ink will make an indention. Then if you pour the ink and melted jello out, the indention remains. And the next time you pour hot ink into the same jello, the ink will deepen the same indention in the jello. In the same way, the more our minds use certain patterns to interpret the world, the easier it becomes to use the same patterns time and time again. This book teaches you to recognize your familiar patterns of thinking and move beyond them if necessary. A really interesting read. De Bono does not attack Western thought. On the other hand, he simply objectively describes some of the history behind it and the fact that it was necessary and most practical at one time. In the end of the book, he gives a layout for setting up a "thinking club" which if set up would probably resemble Benjamin Franklin's "Junto." Excellent read!
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