Rating: 
Summary: Insightful!
Review: A Whack on the Side of the Head is a book that deserves some time. If you rush this book, you will miss much of its value. Roger von Oech uses a combination of explanation, puzzles, and irreverent artwork in his treatise on creative thinking. People who consider themselves creative will instantly take to this book. People who don't feel they are creative may be a little intimidated by the format of the book, but if they can buckle down and force themselves to give it a chance, they stand to gain the most from the book. Reading this book can help you reawaken the imaginative thinking process most people abandoned in their childhood. We from getAbstract recommend this book to anyone who wants to be more creative; it will be as useful for a high school student as it is for an advertising executive or a software programmer.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After reading the rave reviews, I expected a much better book. It's okay, but, basically, goes over the same old stuff other books do. Nothing new. It's kinda of read one you've read them all.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book!
Review: I first came across Roger Von Oech when I was a trainer - training other leaders - in a worldwide youth organisation. The ability to think outside the square is important in any lifepath and Von Oech is easy to dip in and out of to get prompted in another direction when life the way ahead looks too narrow.
After borrowing them from libraries many times over the years I now own my own copy of both this and A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, also by Von Oech. I use them frequently and highly recommend them both.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: I must say that intitally this book did not appeal to me. But after conversing with the author, I was forced to take a second look. While it may not be the right book at this stage of my creative development, I will definitely add it to my creative library for future reference. It includes many creative exercises and inspiring quotes. And the Whack Packs? A must!
Rating:
Summary: Classic book on creativity
Review: I remember first reading this book at some point in the mid-1980's when I borrowed it from the local library. It seemed like a fun, quick read with the big fonts and plentiful cartoon-like drawings. I borrowed it again a few times after that, and went on to read A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, also by von Oech. A few years later when I was in university and had a bit more money I came across it in the university bookstore and picked up a copy for myself immediately. In the 10 years since, I've reread the book numerous times, and would confidently put it in my list of top-10 business books of all time. For someone like myself who probably has the adult version of ADD (I rarely finish any book before picking up at least two or three other ones), this is one of the few books that I can come back to time and again. I have von Oech's other books, and tools such as the card decks, but still find the original work to be the best and most inspiring. Now working in a corporate marketing group, I use the tools in leading group discussions, and routinely give copies to coworkers and friends to force them to challenge their way of thinking. Some of the people I've lead in workshops have commented that the "whacks" are simply a collection of others' ideas, common knowledge and cliches. Maybe. But von Oech does a wonderful job of bringing them together and presenting them in a manner that is concise, entertaining, and as a result highly effective. If you're interested in creativity, innovation, "disruption", trying to overcome writer's block, or just trying to "think outside of the bun" I strongly suggest that you give this book a read.
Rating:
Summary: A Fun and Practical Guide to Creativity
Review: I used this book in a criticial thinking class, and it was a big hit! It has a fun and breezy style, and offers practical advice. The stories and exercises are stimulating. I especially liked the chapters on the right answer and failure. A Good bet!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Way to Stimulate Your Creativity
Review: I've been a long time fan of the Creative Whack Pack. I recently got "A Whack on the Side of the Head" and discovered that it is a just as powerful creativity stimulant. I love the stories and the exercises. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: BUY IT! BUY IT!!! BUY IT!!!
Review: In the mid 80's we were looking for books to give to all the managers at an upcoming management conference. I saw this book and knew right away this was a top book. To top it off it was a book that was more likely to be read than others. I called it a "bathroom book", easily read in short time frames. This book was packed with all the info that we were trying to get across to the management team at the time. Brainstorming, teambuilding, and just plain creative thinking and this book gives you more ways of finding a different way of looking at situations than you would ever think of on your own. Now some 12 years later I find myself working with the, "Odyssey of the Mind" program and school age people instead of corporate managers. The "Whack on the Side of the Head", in hand to help our future leaders, inventors and innovators, to help them solve their long term & spontaneous problems. The caricatures help to draw the kids into the message, as well as the adults. Roger Von Oech is a genius. I love this book so much that I am personally on my 6th copy of this book, most lost to friends who have borrowed and love it so much I just gave it to them. My latest copies have come with "The Whack Pack", and these cards are a must for you desk when you are stuck and can't think of a new angle on something. BUY IT!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: It opened my mind in a big way
Review: My thinking had become stale in the past six months, and I was unable to think of fresh approaches to some pressing work problems. I mentioned this to my sister, and she lent me her dog-earred copy of Whack. I loved the author's breezy style and practical ideas. I have since bought two more copies, one for myself and another for a friend at work. I recommend Whack as a good way to open your thinking.
Rating: 
Summary: Whack me! Kick Me! For wasting my money
Review: Please I deserve it for buying both of his books at the same time and wasting still more money. Very disappointed to say the least. Simplistic. He repeats concepts over and over. Might be good for a junior high or high school class.
There are many more books along this line you'd do better to buy.
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