Homer, Leonardo da Vinci, Mozart, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy; Curie,
Darwin, Einstein, Galileo, and Newton. What do these world-famous
artists and scientists have in common?- apart from the fact that
their achievements predate our own time by a century or more. Most
of us would probably answer: all ten possessed something we call
genius, which in each instance permanently changed the way that
humanity perceived the world. But pressed to be more precise, we
find it remarkably hard to define genius. Genius is highly
individual and unique, of course, yet it shares a compelling,
inevitable quality for professionals and the general public alike.
Darwin's ideas are still required reading for every working
biologist; they continue to generate fresh thinking and experiments
around the world. So do Einstein's theories among physicists.
Shakespeare's plays and Mozart's melodies and harmonies continue to
move people in languages and cultures far removed from their native
England and Austria. Contemporary 'geniuses' may come and go, but
the idea of genius will not let go of us. Genius is the name we
give to a quality of work that transcends fashion, celebrity, fame,
and reputation: the opposite of a period piece. Somehow, genius
abolishes both the time and the place of its origin. This Very
Short Introduction uses the life and work of familiar geniuses-and
some less familiar-to illuminate both the individual and the
general aspects of genius. In particular: the roles of talent,
heredity, parenting, education, training, hard work, intelligence,
personality, mental illness, inspiration, eureka moments, and luck,
in the making of genius. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short
Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds
of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books
are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our
expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly
readable.
General
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