I have to admit when the good folks at Riverhead mentioned that they were working on an animated video promoting Where Good Ideas Come From, I wasn't fully convinced it was going to be worth the effort. But the absolutely brilliant video they produced with Cognitive Media in the UK shows how wrong I was. It's genuinely worth watching multiple times, which is something I've certainly never said before about a book promo. Just four days after we released it, it's been viewed almost 100,000 times. My only concern is that people will buy the book after seeing the video and will be disappointed to find that, in fact, there are no turtles in the book itself. (But there's always the paperback!)
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The Basics
- I'm a father of three boys, husband of one wife, and author of eight books, and co-founder of three web sites. We spend most of the year in Marin County, California though I'm on the road a lot giving talks. (You can see the full story here.) Personal correspondence should go to sbeej68 at gmail dot com. If you're interested in having me speak at an event, drop a line to Wesley Neff at the Leigh Bureau (WesN at Leighbureau dot com.)
My Books
Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation
An exploration of environments that lead to breakthrough innovation, in science, technology, business, and the arts. I conceived it as the closing book in a trilogy on innovative thinking, after Ghost Map and Invention. But in a way, it completes an investigation that runs through all the books. Sold more copies in hardcover than anything else I've written.The Invention of Air
The story of the British radical chemist Joseph Priestley, who ended up having a Zelig-like role in the American Revolution. My version of a founding fathers book, and a reminder that most of the Enlightenment was driven by open source ideals.The Ghost Map
The latest: the story of a terrifying outbreak of cholera in 1854 London 1854 that ended up changing the world. An idea book wrapped around a page-turner. I like to think of it as a sequel to Emergence if Emergence had been a disease thriller. You can see a trailer for the book here.Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter
The title says it all. This one sparked a slightly insane international conversation about the state of pop culture -- and particularly games. There were more than a few dissenters, but the response was more positive than I had expected. And it got me on The Daily Show, which made it all worthwhile.Mind Wide Open : Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life
My first best-seller, and the only book I've written in which I appear as a recurring character, subjecting myself to a battery of humiliating brain scans. The last chapter on Freud and the neuroscientific model of the mind is one of my personal favorites.Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software
The story of bottom-up intelligence, from slime mold to Slashdot. Probably the most critically well-received all my books, and the one that has influenced the most eclectic mix of fields: political campaigns, web business models, urban planning, the war on terror.Interface Culture : How New Technology Transforms the Way We Create and Communicate
My first. The book I wrote instead of finishing my dissertation. Still in print almost a decade later, and still relevant, I think. But I haven't read it in a while, so who knows what's in there!
Recent Posts
- The GovLab
- What Peer Progressives Really Believe
- Tilting At Windmills, The Internet Edition
- Bill Clinton On "Creative Networks of Collaboration"
- A Quick Roundup Of Future Perfect News
- Future Perfect Tour
- First reviews for Future Perfect
- Introducing Future Perfect
- Why The Bay Area Needs The Bay Lights
- Anatomy Of An Idea
Morvelous!
Posted by: Max | September 26, 2010 at 12:09 AM
Fantastic development of doodling! Amusing, entertaining, informative.
Just wondering where you get a 10' square whiteboard!
Dave
Posted by: DaveP | September 26, 2010 at 01:15 AM
Very entertaining and engaging. Reminds me of the UPS commercials.
Posted by: Jonathanjjenkin | September 26, 2010 at 04:54 AM
Fantastic development of doodling! Amusing, entertaining, informative.
Posted by: porno izle | September 26, 2010 at 11:26 AM
I love the mind-mapping connection! A perfect fit for the subject matter.
Posted by: Jessica | September 26, 2010 at 02:39 PM
great!
I love this kind of videos!
and I think it was a really interesting idea for promoting this book,
I made subtitles in Spanish, so I leave the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3LcLQXk9cg
Thank you very much for sharing stories and new perspectives.
Vero
Posted by: Verónica | September 26, 2010 at 07:38 PM
Steven,
Thanks for adding to the conversation with your book, video and willingness to share.
You hit on something I've thought about as well:
http://www.ownyourbrand.com/index.php/2007/08/08/the-lone-genius/
CS Lewis said, "we read in order to know we are not alone."
There are a lot of us with partial solutions and ideas in search of a complete hunch!
Keep creating...it freaks people out,
Mike
Posted by: Michael | September 27, 2010 at 07:45 PM
Who was the designer for your the book cover? Love it!
Posted by: NikiBlaker | September 28, 2010 at 12:41 PM
fantastic work, congratulations!
Posted by: Bruna Guerreiro | September 30, 2010 at 04:08 AM
Steven - is there any studies that show that ideas come from the intersection of people? It makes a good story, I am just wondering if there is any evidence?
Posted by: Rich Antcliff | September 30, 2010 at 07:20 PM
Fantastic development of doodling! Amusing, entertaining, informative.
Posted by: sex izle | October 03, 2010 at 11:17 AM
I'm definitely going to share this on my site! Great work! Amazing!
Posted by: Park-Avenue Princess | October 05, 2010 at 04:34 AM
Wow! The book trailer is one of the few I've seen that will really sell your book! I'm going to order it right now...
Posted by: Rebbie Macintyre | October 05, 2010 at 04:56 AM
Brilliant!! Where can I get a copy of the sketch ?
Posted by: Michael1952 | October 05, 2010 at 07:18 AM
this is awesome. and so relevant to something i'm doing right now. congratulations.
Posted by: Apps 55753818692 500034995 F840546f917318f6542d664ceade88cd | October 05, 2010 at 08:50 AM
That video is one of the cooler things I've seen in a while. Impressive!
Posted by: Lance Pederson | October 05, 2010 at 02:33 PM
A successful businessman is a tiger, a failure of the Wolf, the businessman is dealing with which you and them?
Posted by: air jordans | October 05, 2010 at 08:00 PM
These animations are done through "RSA Animate" - you can view a bunch of them at http://comment.rsablogs.org.uk/videos/
Posted by: Stefanie | October 06, 2010 at 08:41 AM
That video is one of the cooler things I've seen in a while. Impressive!
Posted by: seks izle | October 06, 2010 at 11:01 AM
A wise guy has learned to tolerate other folks, so he can naturally lead a pleased lifestyle. He understands to always keep a coronary heart of conscience and never to spread others’ blunders. Did you concur with me?
Posted by: new Jordans | October 07, 2010 at 06:58 PM
Cool Sketch!
Posted by: Yiweicao | October 08, 2010 at 02:47 AM
What a fantastic video, I very much enjoyed it! Great idea to combine your own voice with the drawings.
Posted by: Olga | October 08, 2010 at 03:10 AM
Is there a full mind mapp image or even a slide-show version of this available?
My 2cents: I would have loved the hand to be invisisble and only a pen moving. The hand really is covering and distracting a lot
Posted by: Bern | October 10, 2010 at 12:15 PM
How fantastic, Steven - you make it so clear (through words and images) that it's the combining and colliding of slow "hunches" that creates the brilliance. Love this! Validates a great deal for me about what I experience in the power of collaboration and connection. Thanks for putting it out there! Can't wait to read the book.
Posted by: Kathy Caprino | October 11, 2010 at 07:26 PM
Anyone know if the book has a Spanish translation on sale yet? I'm reading it in English and I'd really like to get my Spanish girlfriend a copy. Thanks
David Philips
www.davidphilips.net
Posted by: David Philips | October 12, 2010 at 07:37 PM