
Creativity
A Short and Cheerful Guide
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $13.07
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John Cleese
-
By:
-
John Cleese
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
We can all be more creative. John Cleese shows us how.
Creativity is usually regarded as a mysterious, rare gift that only a few possess. John Cleese begs to differ, and in this short, immensely practical and often very amusing guide he shows it's a skill that anyone can acquire. Drawing on his lifelong experience as a writer, he shares his insights into the nature of the creative process, 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 something that might be worth pursuing? What do you do if you think you've hit a brick wall?
Not only does he explain the way your mind works as you search for inspiration, he also shows that, regardless of the task you've set yourself, you can learn to be better at coming up with a promising idea, refining it and knowing when you're ready to act on it.
We can all unlock new reserves of creativity within ourselves. John Cleese shows us how.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
So, Anyway...
- By: John Cleese
- Narrated by: John Cleese
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes listeners on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe.
-
-
Too many people reviewing the man, not the book.
- By Barry on 03-14-17
By: John Cleese
-
Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection
- Every Soundtrack Episode of the Classic BBC TV Comedy
- By: John Cleese, Connie Booth
- Narrated by: John Cleese, Connie Booth, Prunella Scales, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Fawlty Towers, where attentive hotelier Basil Fawlty and his charming wife Sybil will attend to your every need - in your worst nightmare. With hapless waiter Manuel and long-suffering waitress Polly on hand to help, anything could happen during your stay - and probably will. John Cleese’s special introductions to each episode are included in this collection of all 12 TV soundtrack episodes.
-
-
Ruined by Editorial Choices
- By Freya on 10-27-21
By: John Cleese, and others
-
Monty Python's Flying Circus
- By: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle
- Length: 53 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Perhaps the ultimate in TV comedy madness and absurdity, this cult series, which began in 1969, inspired many of today's writers and performers. This audio programme features many of the legendary sketches, songs, and catchphrases, including "The Dead Parrot", "The Ministry of Silly Walks", "The Lumberjack Song", "And Now for Something Completely Different", and many more.
-
-
Classic Monty Python
- By Andrew Moore on 06-22-08
By: John Cleese, and others
-
The Creative Act
- A Way of Being
- By: Rick Rubin
- Narrated by: Rick Rubin
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world.
-
-
Rick is Art
- By Ira Henke on 01-17-23
By: Rick Rubin
-
Creativity
- The Psychology of Discovery and Invention
- By: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Creativity is about capturing those moments that make life worth living. Legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi reveals what leads to these moments - be it the excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab - so that this knowledge can be used to enrich people's lives. Drawing on nearly 100 interviews with exceptional people, from biologists and physicists, to politicians and business leaders, to poets and artists, as well as his 30 years of research, Csikszentmihalyi uses his famous flow theory to explore the creative process.
-
-
squishy
- By GoingGoingGone... on 07-06-16
-
Diaries 1969-1979
- The Python Years
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Michael Palin's diaries begin in the late 1960s when he began writing for hugely popular programs. He recounts how Monty Python emerged and triumphed. From the success and cult status brought by Monty Python, Palin shares stories from their world tours, their stay at hotels recently trashed by Led Zeppelin, their battles over censorship, and how individually the Pythons went their separate ways. Yet at the same time they were working on the now celebrated series of films, including The Holy Grail....
-
-
The Diary of a Sometime Python
- By tru britty on 03-28-15
By: Michael Palin
-
So, Anyway...
- By: John Cleese
- Narrated by: John Cleese
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes listeners on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe.
-
-
Too many people reviewing the man, not the book.
- By Barry on 03-14-17
By: John Cleese
-
Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection
- Every Soundtrack Episode of the Classic BBC TV Comedy
- By: John Cleese, Connie Booth
- Narrated by: John Cleese, Connie Booth, Prunella Scales, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Fawlty Towers, where attentive hotelier Basil Fawlty and his charming wife Sybil will attend to your every need - in your worst nightmare. With hapless waiter Manuel and long-suffering waitress Polly on hand to help, anything could happen during your stay - and probably will. John Cleese’s special introductions to each episode are included in this collection of all 12 TV soundtrack episodes.
-
-
Ruined by Editorial Choices
- By Freya on 10-27-21
By: John Cleese, and others
-
Monty Python's Flying Circus
- By: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle
- Length: 53 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Perhaps the ultimate in TV comedy madness and absurdity, this cult series, which began in 1969, inspired many of today's writers and performers. This audio programme features many of the legendary sketches, songs, and catchphrases, including "The Dead Parrot", "The Ministry of Silly Walks", "The Lumberjack Song", "And Now for Something Completely Different", and many more.
-
-
Classic Monty Python
- By Andrew Moore on 06-22-08
By: John Cleese, and others
-
The Creative Act
- A Way of Being
- By: Rick Rubin
- Narrated by: Rick Rubin
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world.
-
-
Rick is Art
- By Ira Henke on 01-17-23
By: Rick Rubin
-
Creativity
- The Psychology of Discovery and Invention
- By: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Creativity is about capturing those moments that make life worth living. Legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi reveals what leads to these moments - be it the excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab - so that this knowledge can be used to enrich people's lives. Drawing on nearly 100 interviews with exceptional people, from biologists and physicists, to politicians and business leaders, to poets and artists, as well as his 30 years of research, Csikszentmihalyi uses his famous flow theory to explore the creative process.
-
-
squishy
- By GoingGoingGone... on 07-06-16
-
Diaries 1969-1979
- The Python Years
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Michael Palin's diaries begin in the late 1960s when he began writing for hugely popular programs. He recounts how Monty Python emerged and triumphed. From the success and cult status brought by Monty Python, Palin shares stories from their world tours, their stay at hotels recently trashed by Led Zeppelin, their battles over censorship, and how individually the Pythons went their separate ways. Yet at the same time they were working on the now celebrated series of films, including The Holy Grail....
-
-
The Diary of a Sometime Python
- By tru britty on 03-28-15
By: Michael Palin
-
Classic Poems for Boys
- By: Edward Lear, William Blake, Robert Browning, and others
- Narrated by: Rachel Bavidge, Jasper Britton, Roy McMillan, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Classic Poems for Boys comprises a delightfully varied set of over 20 poems for 5- to 10-year olds. From rousing favorites like Felicia Dorothea Hemans’ "Casabianca" and John Keats’ "A Song About Myself", to dreamy, thoughtful poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Rudyard Kipling, this is a collection to be treasured.
-
-
Play this to your children at night to they sleep
- By JR on 03-04-13
By: Edward Lear, and others
-
The Steal Like an Artist Audio Trilogy
- How to Be Creative, Show Your Work, and Keep Going
- By: Austin Kleon
- Narrated by: Austin Kleon
- Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Read by then author, this is an audio compilation of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work and Keep Going, the bestselling and transformative series on how to unlock your creativity, find community and an audience in the digital age, and stay focused, creative and true to yourself—for life. Includes full text from Steal Like an Artist, on the ten things nobody ever told you about being creative; Show Your Work, on how to take that critical next step on a creative journey; and Keep Going, for anyone trying to sustain a productive life.
-
-
A boring non focus ramble
- By Kenneth Noel on 06-07-21
By: Austin Kleon
-
Things Fell Apart
- Strange Stories from the History of the Culture Wars
- By: Jon Ronson
- Narrated by: Jon Ronson
- Length: 3 hrs and 43 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From taking the knee to transgender rights, wedge issues are everywhere in modern life - dividing opinions, polarising debate and tearing friendships and families apart. Even something as seemingly innocuous as wearing a facemask can provoke vicious disagreement. But how did we get here, and what does it mean for society going forward? In this gripping series, acclaimed writer and journalist Jon Ronson searches for the origin stories of the hostilities - the pebbles thrown in the pond, creating the ripples that led to where we are today.
-
-
This is free on podcast apps
- By Gordon callanan on 08-09-24
By: Jon Ronson
-
Creative Quest
- By: Questlove
- Narrated by: Questlove, Fred Armisen, Tariq Trotter, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Creative Quest, Questlove synthesizes all the creative philosophies, lessons, and stories he's heard from the many creators and collaborators in his life, and reflects on his own experience, to advise listeners and fans on how to consider creativity and where to find it. He addresses many topics - what it means to be creative, how to find a mentor and serve as an apprentice, the wisdom of maintaining a creative network, coping with critics and the foibles of success, and the specific pitfalls of contemporary culture.
-
-
Questlove once again is my fairy godmother
- By Richard on 04-26-18
By: Questlove
-
A Bit of Fry & Laurie
- The BBC TV Soundtracks
- By: Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie
- Narrated by: Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this classic TV soundtrack, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie explore a seemingly inexhaustible list of subjects with a delicious turn of phrase and elaborate wordplay. The hilarity includes regular acts such as not so super spy Tony Mercheson and his boss Control, yuppies, John and Peter and the critics. With four brilliant series of great satire, comic genius and hilarious use of language, the show cemented Fry & Laurie as a double act and paved the way for their future stardom.
-
-
it is what it is (a recording of a TV show)
- By A. Dossymov on 04-16-21
By: Stephen Fry, and others
-
Alchemy
- The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life
- By: Rory Sutherland
- Narrated by: Rory Sutherland
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why is Red Bull so popular, though everyone—everyone!—hates the taste? Humans are, in a word, irrational, basing decisions as much on subtle external signals (that little blue can) as on objective qualities (flavor, price, quality). The surrounding world, meanwhile, is irreducibly complex and random. This means future success can’t be projected on any accounting spreadsheet. To strike gold, you must master the dark art and curious science of conjuring irresistible ideas: alchemy.
-
-
One of the best books I’ve read
- By anon. on 07-23-19
By: Rory Sutherland
-
Blackadder: The Complete Collected Series
- By: Ben Elton, Richard Curtis
- Narrated by: full cast, Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through the ages of Britain, from the 15th century to the 21st, Edmund Blackadder has meddled his way along the bloodlines, aided by his servant and sidekick, Baldrick, and hindered by an assortment of dimwitted aristocrats. Now the complete history of Blackadder is collected together, including the four TV series: The Black Adder, Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third and Blackadder Goes Forth.
-
-
If you know the show well, You'll Love its Audio.
- By addie on 04-01-20
By: Ben Elton, and others
-
The Creative Habit
- Learn It and Use It for Life
- By: Twyla Tharp
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with 32 practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable 35-year career.
-
-
A much-needed shout-out to good habits
- By cvstuart on 03-27-13
By: Twyla Tharp
-
The Art of Noticing
- 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday
- By: Rob Walker
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This audiobook edition will spark your creativity—and most importantly, help you see the world anew. Through a series of simple and playful exercises—131 of them—Walker maps ways for you to become a clearer thinker, a better listener, a more creative workplace colleague and finally, to rediscover your sense of passion and to notice what really matters to you.
-
-
Bit worried of the sprinkles of reckless advice
- By guaparella on 11-13-21
By: Rob Walker
-
Embrace Your Weird
- Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity
- By: Felicia Day
- Narrated by: Felicia Day
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Embrace Your Weird, New York Times best-selling author, producer, actress, TV writer, and award-winning web series creator Felicia Day takes you on a journey to find, rekindle, or expand your creative passions. Whether you enjoy writing, baking, painting, podcasting, playing music, or have yet to uncover your favorite creative outlet, Embrace Your Weird will help you unlock the power of self-expression. Get motivated. Get creative. Get weird.
-
-
Embrace This Book!
- By Mark M. on 10-15-19
By: Felicia Day
-
How Magicians Think
- Misdirection, Deception, and Why Magic Matters
- By: Joshua Jay
- Narrated by: Joshua Jay
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The door to magic is closed, but it’s not locked. And now Joshua Jay, one of the world’s most accomplished magicians, not only opens that door but brings us inside to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history, and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery. In 52 short, compulsively listenable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it’s through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them, or the way technology influences the world of magic.
-
-
Joshua Jay Delivers
- By Travis N. on 12-15-21
By: Joshua Jay
-
Art Matters
- Because Your Imagination Can Change the World
- By: Neil Gaiman, Chris Riddell - illustrator
- Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
- Length: 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A stunning and timely creative call-to-arms combining four extraordinary written pieces by Neil Gaiman. Drawn from Gaiman’s trove of published speeches, poems, and creative manifestos, Art Matters is an embodiment of this remarkable multimedia artist’s vision - an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives.
-
-
This is 49 Minutes Long
- By E Spock on 04-06-19
By: Neil Gaiman, and others
Critic reviews
"Humorous and practical.... Whether you're hoping to write a novel or paint a masterpiece, you're sure to feel inspired." (OK Magazine)
"His candor is endearing.... An upbeat guide to the creative process." (Kirkus)
"A sincere and thoughtful guide to creativity, and a very useful book." (Graham Norton)
What listeners say about Creativity
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Alexey Shurygin
- 10-21-21
Buy it just to listen to John Cleese
If only John had narrated it, you’d be glad that you listened to the book. It’s a fantastic performance. Five minutes in I was sold. Now getting back to the story…
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- K.
- 11-17-21
Great small book
It’s simply a great short book on creativity. Having Sir J. Cleese read it helps move it into subconsciousness even faster.. for me. His narrative voice is inextricably linked with childish glee of his MPython work in my mind.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- NIKOLAOS BELIGIANNIS
- 05-26-24
100%
A way of living, create and play, play and create. Loved it and I am sure you will love it too!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!