This was a ground-breaking book when it was first published.

The author, Edward de Bono, is a pioneer in lateral thinking. He introduced new terms such as "Po" into common usage.

This book is designed to be read and reread in order to fully appreciate its benefits.

That being said, the concepts presented in the book are now quite common, and significant advancements have been made over the past twenty years.

Nevertheless, it is still worth giving this book a try.

You may discover some new perspectives or ideas that can enhance your thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Even though the field of lateral thinking has evolved, the fundamental principles laid out by de Bono in this book remain relevant and valuable.

So, don't hesitate to pick up this book and explore the world of lateral thinking.

Eck, no.

This simple phrase holds a certain mystery and perhaps a touch of finality. It could be a response to a request, an idea, or a situation that someone named Eck has encountered.

Maybe Eck was presented with an option that he simply could not agree to. It could be that the offer was unappealing, or perhaps it went against his principles or beliefs.

The short and direct nature of "Eck, no." implies a sense of determination. Eck is not wavering in his decision. He has made up his mind and is not easily swayed.

This could leave those around him wondering why he has chosen to decline. What are the reasons behind his "no"? Is there something more to the story that they are not aware of?

In any case, "Eck, no." serves as a clear and concise statement of Eck's position. It leaves no room for misinterpretation and sets the stage for further discussion or action.

Whether Eck's decision will have consequences or lead to a different outcome remains to be seen. But for now, "Eck, no." stands as a powerful assertion of his will.

Everyone is born with creativity. It is an inherent trait within each of us. However, creativity cannot be learned in the traditional sense. Instead, it often involves unlearning some of the approaches that we have acquired as part of our education.

This book offers a detailed explanation of the process that can assist in enhancing creativity. It is an essential read for professionals who encounter numerous technical problems on a daily basis. By understanding and implementing the concepts presented in this book, they can find innovative solutions to these challenges.

Additionally, this book is also highly beneficial for college students. In today's competitive job market, having a successful career requires more than just academic knowledge. Creativity plays a crucial role in standing out from the crowd and achieving professional success. College students can gain valuable insights and practical tips from this book to develop their creative abilities and set themselves on the path to a fulfilling career.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to tap into their creative potential and achieve greater success in their personal and professional lives.

The search for alternatives in no way prevents one from using the most obvious approach.

The search merely delays the use of the most probable approach.

It is like taking a detour before reaching the main destination.

The search merely adds a list of alternatives to the most probable approach but detracts nothing from it.

In fact, the search adds to the value of the most probable approach.

By exploring different options, one can gain a more comprehensive understanding and potentially find a better solution.

This is exactly how I would write a paper in college when I had 5 pages of content but needed to meet a 15 page minimum.

I would search for related topics, examples, and research to expand my paper and make it more substantial.

The search for alternatives not only helps to meet the requirements but also enriches the overall quality of the work.

“How do I love thee, let me count the ways.” Apparently, there were numerous ways for this author to expound on Lateral Thinking and its techniques repeatedly. I feel that if this book were 100 pages shorter, it could have conveyed the same content. Sheesh!

Lateral thinking is an alternative mode of thinking that allows for incorrect ideas to emerge without being judged or prematurely dismissed. We typically think in a structured manner to find the correct path to the answer. However, with lateral thinking, the aim is to discover something interesting and ultimately arrive at an answer, regardless of the route taken.

The book effectively explains what vertical and lateral thinking are and how they differ, and it offers several techniques to facilitate lateral thinking, along with practical exercises to try out those techniques.

Let's begin with the positive aspects. I adored the analogies the author used to elucidate the concepts of lateral and vertical thinking. They simplified how the brain processes information and the potential limitations involved. I also valued some of the techniques presented for practicing lateral thinking, although some of them are common sense and we merely need to be aware of them when necessary.

What I didn't like were the practices that seemed too impractical and, for me, didn't serve much purpose other than to gain a better understanding of the techniques they represent. The other major letdown and the main reason this book received a 2 was the excessive amount of redundant information.

Overall, I find it rather challenging to recommend this book to anyone, considering the amount of time one would have to waste to get to the core of the matter. However, if you work in a creative field, I would suggest setting aside your perfectionism and skimming through it.

Key Takeaways:

1. The mind operates by attempting to fit information into pre-existing patterns, so the order in which you receive information matters and can shift your way of thinking.

2. Vertical thinking focuses on what is correct and best while avoiding mistakes. Lateral thinking suspends judgment and is generative.

3. Challenging assumptions can be difficult but can be achieved with practice. One method that can be applied is the 5 why's.

4. Design is a problem-solving technique that avoids cliches.

5. Acknowledging dominant ideas and their boundaries helps to loosen things up and explore different directions.

6. When dealing with concepts and rules, reverse and reorder the information to challenge preconceptions.

7. The ideas generated from brainstorming can be immediately useful (as a solution), generate new ideas, or help reframe the problem.

8. Our perception can be polar (black vs. white) and tends to categorize things, which can be limiting.

9. Our perception can be blocked when things are unseen, blocked, or considered adequate (good enough), preventing us from going further and exploring additional solutions.

I didn't appreciate this book in the first half. It just didn't seem to click with me at that time. Then I took a break.

Months passed, and when I returned to it, I skimmed through what I had already read to refresh my memory. Amazingly, by then, the message must have been digested enough for me to truly appreciate how profoundly helpful this book can be.

I was so engrossed that I blazed through the second half in just two days. I know for sure that I will return to re-read it and actually implement the techniques presented. I can already envision the ways in which some of them will be beneficial in my everyday concerns. This book has truly opened my eyes and given me valuable insights that I believe will have a positive impact on my life.

I spent over a year reading this book and finally completed it in May 2024. It's one of those books that I deliberately placed on the shelf behind the downstairs loo. This way, I would read about a paragraph at a time.

It seems that this is an atomic habit I had unconsciously developed! I use this method for non-fiction books that expand my knowledge or way of thinking. It gives me the time to soak in what I'm reading before moving on. If I were to read it straight through like a regular book, I would either breeze through it without truly understanding or retaining enough, or get stuck halfway because I couldn't assimilate the theory.

In this case, I did have some prior knowledge of lateral thinking, partly because of a forward-thinking sixth-form teacher in the mid-eighties. She used it as the foundation for a short general studies course. Although I don't specifically recall the details of the lessons, I believe it might have improved my thinking. Reading this book on my own now has helped me identify more opportunities to apply Dr Bono's theories.

However, I can't think of a single specific example of how I plan to do that. So, I think before I move on to a new 'loo book', I should take some notes from the chapter summaries and place them somewhere where I will actually act on my newfound enthusiasm.

We often need to find other solutions that are not available and not common. It is not just to reach the stage of solving our problems, but rather to solve them with a great deal of creativity.

This book gives you access to that stage.

A book that came at the right time.

We are constantly faced with various challenges and difficulties in our lives. The traditional and common solutions may not always be sufficient or effective. Therefore, it is essential for us to explore and discover other alternative solutions. These solutions require us to think outside the box, use our imagination and creativity, and come up with innovative ideas. This book serves as a valuable guide, providing us with the necessary tools and strategies to reach that stage of creative problem-solving. It offers practical advice and real-life examples that can help us apply these concepts in our daily lives. With the help of this book, we can overcome our problems more effectively and achieve better results.

Say No to NO and Yes to PO

Yes, this is correct. PO is the alternative word for NO, which allows us to move forward without any hesitation.

This is an awesome book for designers, thinkers, students, and indeed for everyone.

The book contains numerous practical exercises, especially designed for students. These exercises help students to enhance their skills and knowledge in a practical way.

Moreover, this book is also essential for teachers. It can be used for daily routine students' brainstorming sessions, which can激发学生的创造力 and思维能力.

In fact, I am a graphic designer, and creative thinking is of utmost importance in the design industry. If you want to learn creative thinking, this book is a must-read. It provides valuable insights and practical tips on how to think creatively and come up with innovative ideas.

Dil Nawaz

Co-Founder

The Lion Studios

www.thelionstudios.com

I took a significantly longer time reading this book than I had initially intended, especially considering how far behind I am from this year's goal. However, it was completely worthwhile. This was precisely the book that I had been scouring through de Bono's bibliography for. The theory of Mechanism of Mind was presented, and this was the comprehensive exploration of the practice that I needed to form a clear understanding of it in my mind. Virtually all of the other books that I've read, aside from Mechanism of Mind, essentially require this one as a foundation. While you can't directly derive all the content in the other books from it, you can still obtain equally valuable insights from it.

Brief summary:

- This book is not designed to be read in one sitting but rather to be studied over a period of years, practiced, and referred back to later, much like a textbook. Therefore, my initial impression is not meant to be overly in-depth. I did, in fact, purchase the hard copy, which I almost never do anymore, if that gives you any indication.

- Laffer curves challenge our brain's typical predictive ability as they show that more of something doesn't necessarily mean better. The concept of dose-dependency and non-linear systems eludes our minds and teaches us something about our own cognitive limitations.

- The "prison of mind," as de Bono describes it, consists of the routine thoughts, thinking patterns, and tools that we use to approach various situations. We become so accustomed to these that we may no longer be able to perceive reality as it truly is, but only as our minds are conditioned to see it. He developed lateral thinking based on this understanding of the normal functioning of the mind as a way to break free.

- Our brains naturally follow established paths. Logical thinking can take us further along those paths than our everyday thinking, but it becomes ineffective if the paths don't lead in the right direction from the start. Provocation is the means by which we set new destinations for these mental tracks to lead to.

- PO (provocative operation) is intended as an exploratory tool, a counterpart to NO (negating operation). PO is the essence of lateral thinking, and while it doesn't encompass all of thinking (nor could it or anything else), understanding how to use it is equivalent to understanding how to engage in lateral thinking.

I will definitely reread this book next year. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to enhance their creativity or who has an influence on the minds of others.

This book has the potential to make you think in a completely different way and help you become more open-minded. It presents ideas and concepts that can challenge your existing beliefs and expand your perspective.

However, one major drawback of this book is the way it is written. It is extremely boring, which can make it difficult to stay engaged and motivated to read. The language is dry and lacks the excitement and enthusiasm that would make the content more accessible and interesting.

Despite this, if you are willing to persevere through the dull writing, you may still be able to gain some valuable insights from the book. It just requires a bit more effort and determination on your part.

Overall, while the book has its merits in terms of the ideas it presents, the boring writing style does detract from the overall reading experience.

When I was searching for translations of "The Golden Bough", the search led me to the naïve translation of Naiif al-Khoush, and from Naiif al-Khoush I reached his translation of Edward de Bono's book "Lateral Thinking". The world of books is a strange one where one leads to another, so each book leads to its brother, and it is like a web, like the web of a spider.

Lateral thinking means a different way of thinking about things. It is the opposite and the antithesis of vertical thinking which thinks about a thing in a logical way. And in the end, it aims to produce ideas that are new, simple and effective. And de Bono gives many examples that were actually produced by this lateral thinking.

This concept of lateral thinking challenges our traditional ways of approaching problems and encourages us to look at things from different perspectives. It can open up new possibilities and lead to innovative solutions. By exploring different ideas and connections, we can break free from the constraints of conventional thinking and discover new ways of seeing and understanding the world around us.