Creativity and Books

As I was reading the various reactions and posts last week after the passing of David Bowie, two of the things that stood out to me were his enormous creativity and his voracious reading habits. I've never been a huge Bowie fan but I think I can learn a few things from his life. His creativity in multiple spheres speaks for itself. 

In 2014, he created a list of 100 of the books that most influenced him. You can find the list in various places, and a Facebook page has been set up to start a book club for those wanting to work through the list, but here's a link to give you a view: http://www.nypl.org/blog/2016/01/11/david-bowies-top-100-books

This topic also made me start thinking about what would be on my list. Almost every highly innovative, creative person is also a reader. In our environment, that could mean books, online posts, forums, etc. but they read.  They fill their mind with new ideas that challenge their perceptions of the world around them and their internal thoughts. 

Not that long ago, books were burned because it was assumed they would undermine the status quo. Remember, you can (and I argue you should) read books that present views that you don't agree with.  This is where you take a look from the other side of an issue, use your brain to evaluate what you read and then make up your mind. 

If you would like to be more creative read, read, read.