From celebrated art historian, curator, and teacher Sarah Lewis, a
fascinating examination of how our most iconic creative endeavors--from
innovation to the arts--are not achievements but conversions,
corrections after failed attempts.
The gift of failure is a riddle: it will always be both the void and the
start of infinite possibility. The Rise--part investigation into a
psychological mystery, part an argument about creativity and art, and
part a soulful celebration of the determination and courage of the human
spirit--makes the case that many of the world's greatest achievements
have come from understanding the central importance of failure.
Written over the course of four years, this exquisite biography of an
idea is about the improbable foundations of a creative human endeavor.
Each chapter focuses on the inestimable value of often ignored
ideas--the power of surrender, how play is essential for innovation, the
"near win" can help propel you on the road to mastery, the importance of
grit and creative practice. The Rise shares narratives about figures
past and present that range from choreographers, writers, painters,
inventors, and entrepreneurs; Frederick Douglass, Samuel F.B. Morse,
Diane Arbus, and J.K. Rowling, for example, feature alongside
choreographer Paul Taylor, Nobel Prize-winning physicists Andre Geim and
Konstantin Novoselov, and Arctic explorer Ben Saunders.
With valuable lessons for pedagogy and parenting, for innovation and
discovery, and for self-direction and creativity, The Rise prompts
deep reflection and sparks inspiration.
