Thread by @DangerousMere

What are you reading over the holidays? I'm reading 'A Man of Misconceptions: the Life of an Eccentric in an Age of Change' by John Glassie. The eccentric being Athanasius Kircher, 17th century priest and scientist.

Did you know that the book Galileo published his telescopic observations in was called 'Starry Messenger'?

"For (17th century scholar) Pico, magic was 'the practical part of natural science,' and also the 'noblest part.'" ~ from 'A Man of Misconceptions' by John Glassie

I'm reading @Rest_book right now. Am only 2 chapters in but enjoying it so far.
What are you reading?
#amreading

I'm very interested in energy, exhaustion, restfulness and the effects these things have on creativity. In a world that seems to be feverishly seeking innovations and ways of making #creativity more 'productive' I don't think this gets talked about enough.
#Rest

"In fact, it looks to Coballis like 'mind-wandering is the secret of creativity.'"
This elicited a loud and satisfied 🙆 from this veteran day-dreamer.
#Rest

Guess what? Johannes Kepler's mother was condemned as a witch. He was able to get her off though. Found this out in 'A Man of Misconceptions' by John Glassie
#amreading

Athanasius Kircher in 'China Illustrated' on apes: "Except for the foulness of their bottoms you would scarcely believe they were animals." (Found in 'A Man of Misconceptions' by John Glassie)

"When you examine the lives of history's most creative figures, you are immediately confronted with a paradox: they organise their lives around their work, but not their days." ~ @askpang in @Rest_book

'... creativity "is not something you can summon on command," he (Scott Adams) says. "The best you can do is set an attractive trap and wait."'
From @Rest_book by @askpang

Creative people "... discover that rest improves rather than inhibits their #creativity and can make them more productive, not less."
From @Rest_book by @askpang

"The truth does have a way of shifting over time." ~ John Glassie in 'A Man of Misconceptions'

"Walking and thinking have been amiable companions since ancient times. The connection is reflected in the fact that we refer to members of a philosophical school as 'followers.'"
From @Rest_book by @askpang

"Creative people often become as attuned to their mental states as elite athletes are to their physical condition and energy levels." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"Naps are powerful tools for recovering our energy and focus."
From @Rest_book by @askpang

"Stopping work on a project when you can see the next point to make, or when you still have a little energy left, makes it easier to get started the next day." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"Creative work is a marathon, no a sprint, as writer (and marathoner) Haruki Murakami put it." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"... focused attention and mind-wandering can become partners in creative enterprises, and in creative life." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang
#amreading

"Sleep deprivation has immediate effects on your ability to focus, make good judgements, perform under pressure, and be creative." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

In fact, in the first week of the (Iraq) war, 64% of all fatalities suffered by US and British forces were due to accidents or friendly fire, and fatigue was a factor in many of those deaths." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"Exhausted workers can't give their best, take less initiative, are more cynical, and may even be actively subversive." p. 164, @Rest_book by @askpang

"'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' are the result of decades of deep play with language, mythology, and storytelling." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"... even in intensely competitive, fast-moving fields, it's both feasible and profitable to take time off to explore deep ideas..." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"... to stay ahead, it's necessary sometimes to step back. To keep up, it's good sometimes to slow down." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"The problem with studying creativity by measuring performance on tests is that it's not clear that laboratory tests measure the same kind of creativity we use in real life." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

"... we should treat work and rest as equals; that we should treat rest as a skill; that the best, most restorative kinds of rest are active; and that when practiced well, rest can make us more creative and productive..." ~ from @Rest_book by @askpang

@threadreaderapp unroll

Please 🙇