Welcome to The Library
The selections below are thoughtfully curated from the AWEN personal collection— books that have shaped my understanding of creativity both as a researcher and a creative person.
Each recommendation includes a quick note on its subject and perspective, with links to explore further or add it to your own collection.
Longer discussions on some of the works below will be added over time to our journal, Second Nature, which can be found here.
Psychology of Creativity
Zorana Ivcevic Pringle
A digestible, research-backed book bridging the gap between having ideas and implementing them through evidence-based decision-making practices.
Rollo May
A psychological and philosophical exploration of creativity as an act of courage and way of being in the world that requires confronting uncertainty and anxiety.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The foundational work on flow states, based on interviews with a wide range of exceptional creative individuals.
Scott Barry Kaufman & Carolyn Gregoire
Synthesizes research on creative personality traits, revealing the paradoxes and contradictions that fuel innovative thinking.
Dean Keith Simonton
Comprehensive psychological analysis of history-making personalities and events, exploring what traits predispose people to greatness across domains from politics to science.
Anne Jacoby
Applies creative skills from the arts to corporate environments, offering practical tools for building creative confidence and fostering innovation cultures in teams.
Psychology of Art & Neuroaesthetics
Anjan Chatterjee
A neurologist's perspective on why humans create and appreciate beauty, combining evolutionary psychology with brain research.
Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
Presents neuroscientific research on how artistic engagement rewires our brains for better health and well-being.
Ellen Winner
Provides a comprehensive psychological exploration of understanding artistic creation, appreciation, and development across the lifespan.
Keith Sawyer
Takes readers inside prestigious creative institutions to understand how artistic vision and visual thinking are developed.
Susan Cain
Investigates the creative power of melancholy, arguing that sadness and yearning are crucial sources of artistic inspiration.
Dacher Keltner
Explores the psychology of awe experiences and how cultivating wonder enhances creativity and life satisfaction.
ACADEMIC: Psychology of Art, Creativity, & Neuroaesthetics
THE CAMBRIDGE HANDBOOK OF CREATIVITY AND EMOTIONS
Zorana Ivcevic, Jessica D. Hoffman, & James C. Kaufman (Editors)
Comprehensive academic collection examining the bidirectional relationship between emotional states and creative processes across domains.
THE CAMBRIDGE HANDBOOK OF CREATIVITY
James C. Kaufman & Robert J. Sternberg (Editors)
The definitive academic reference covering creativity research from psychological, cognitive, and developmental perspectives.
THE OXFORD HANDBOOK OF THE POSITIVE HUMANITIES
Louis Tay & James O. Pawelski (Editors)
Academic compilation of how engagement with arts and humanities contributes to human flourishing and well-being across neurological, cognitive, and social pathways.
THE NEUROSCIENCE OF CREATIVITY
Anna Abraham (Editor)
Academic examination of brain mechanisms underlying creative thinking, from neural networks to cognitive processes.
AESTHETIC SCIENCE: CONNECTING MINDS, BRAINS, AND EXPERIENCE
Arthur P. Shimamura & Stephen E. Palmer (Editors)
Interdisciplinary collection bridging neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy to understand aesthetic experience and artistic appreciation.
THE ROUTLEDGE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF NEUROAESTHETICS
Martin Skov & Marcos Nadal (Editors)
Cutting-edge research on how the brain processes beauty, art, and aesthetic judgment across cultures and artistic mediums.
Creatives on Creating
Anne Truitt
Intimate journal entries from the minimalist sculptor reflecting on art-making, motherhood, and the creative life.
David Lynch
The filmmaker’s meditative approach to creativity, exploring how transcendental meditation fuels his surreal artistic vision.
Adam Moss
A former New York Magazine editor interviews artists, writers, and creators about their actual working processes and creative decisions.
Stephen King
Part memoir, part masterclass on the writing process from one of America’s most prolific storytellers.
Patti Smith
Memoir chronicling Smith's relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe as two young artists find their voices and forge unconventional creative lives in 1970s New York.
Stacey D’Erasmo
Interviews with eight legendary artists about sustaining creative careers over decades and redefining artistic success beyond novelty and recognition.
Creativity Self-Help
Rick Rubin
Zen-like reflections on creativity as a spiritual practice from the legendary music producer.
Elizabeth Gilbert
Encouraging manifesto that feels like a pep talk from a close friend about pursuing creative projects despite fear, perfectionism, and self-doubt.
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
A guide to replacing linear goal-setting with experimental approaches that embrace uncertainty as a space for discovery and growth.
Julia Cameron
The classic 12-week program for anyone hoping to unblock their creative expression.
Steven Pressfield
Tough-love approach to overcoming creative resistance and developing professional creative discipline.
Twyla Tharp & Mark Reiter
Practical exercises and routines for developing consistent creative practice from the renowned choreographer.
NOTE: I may earn a small commission if you purchase any of the books through the links above. Thank you.