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Whole New Mind

by Daniel H. Pink (Goodreads Author)

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 8,582 ratings · 1,134 reviews

Lawyers. Accountants. Radiologists. Software engineers. That's what our parents encouraged us to become when we grew up. But Mom and Dad were wrong. The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind. The era of "left brain" dominance, and the Information Age that it engendered, are giving way to a new world in which "right brain" qual...more

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Published by Marshall Cavendish Business (first published March 24th 2005)

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Jul 09, 2008 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: insecure lefties :)

Recommended to Kelly by: Heggel

Shelves: 2008

Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind makes many excellent points. Unfortunately, it suffers from an awkward and unconvincing metaphorical framework.

Chapter 1: Right Brain Rising

Pink starts out explaining about the brain’s left and right hemispheres, and how each side is responsible for different cognitive activities - the left hemisphere tends to be responsible for sequential logic, analysis, and language; the right hemisphere for holistic reasoning, pattern recognition, emotions and body language. So...more

13 likes · like · see review

Elliott This book was better than what reviewers and critics were saying about it. Daniel makes it completely clear that to survive in the conceptual age, we...more
16. Juni, 20:49 Uhr

Kelly Thanks for the input. Although I think he made some really great points (as I said in my review) I hardly think he "proved" anything empirically.

He a...more
03. Juli, 09:06 Uhr

Carrie @Kelly: I've got to say I agree almost 100% with your review of the book. It's not a book I ever would have picked up, except that I was assigned to r...more
27. September, 10:32 Uhr

Aug 04, 2007 Joel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pink's proposal is a touch idealistic, but the vision he paints is promising. Basically, since automation and outsourcing to Asia can now accomplish lots of left-brain heavy jobs (computer coding, etc.) and since affordability of so many products has freed up some of our time and energy, Pink suggests that future jobs (and happiness) will depend more on those who master six critical senses managed by the right side (the creative side) of the brain: design, play, story, symphony, empathy, and mea...more

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Aug 05, 2008 Edy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Buku ini bercerita tentang adanya pergeseran dari pemikiran otak kiri (Directed Left Thinking) yang teoritis dan analitis ke arah pemikiran otak kanan (Directed Right Thinking). Pergeseran tersebut didorong oleh adanya masa kelimpahmewahan, otomatisasi dan serbuan negara dengan tenaga kerja murah. Ketika selera orang semakin meningkat sedangkan komputerisasi dan tenaga kerja murah dari asia membanjir, membuat warga negara maju harus berpikir tentang eksistensi mereka di dunia tenaga kerja.

Menur...more

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May 25, 2008 T.J. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: my enemies, self absorbed petty bourgeois functionaries unconcerned with global poverty

Shelves: this-book-is-wretched

I hate this book and want to set it on fire.

No, seriously. Daniel Pink takes a bunch of self-evident ideas, hammers them togethers with some feel-good rationale, and writes a pampered, whiny how-to of middle class comfort telling us to use our right brains to stay competitive and maintain our middle class relevance.

His examples are trite and his sources appalling--looking at the selections at your local suburban Target is not the way of justifying your belief in a culture of abundance, you self...more

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TS Y'all are missin' the point. The "Asia" thing merely connotes the outsourcing of manufacturing to low wage economies. He could've just as easily said...more
27. März, 16:58 Uhr

Widarto Adi As an Asian, specifically Indonesian, TS made a point.
Yes we can manufacture with cheap price, but you know what?
To sell a premium price product in I...more
16. April, 23:17 Uhr

Jan 09, 2008 Rick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, education

Besides having an author name seemingly borrowed from “Reservoir Dogs,” there is much to like in this popular business/pop psychology book. It posits a movement from an era when “Left-Brained” Knowledge Work was at a premium to one in which “Right-Brained High-Concept and High Touch” Work will be the demand opportunity. Computers and a global workforce have reduced the at home demand for knowledge work—computers do it massively faster and smart, English-speaking workers in West Asia and Africa d...more

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Apr 22, 2009 Lauren Deland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you are already the type to work through your ideas by sketching, dreaming, and creating, this book isn't likely to tell you anything you don't already know. You may, however, come away feeling a little smug towards the persistent chorus of voices that cast doubts on the aspirations of those drawn towards the arts and liberal arts studies.
That is, until you realize that Pink's assertion that "right-brainers will rule the future" isn't really substantiated in this book. Pink begins the book...more If you are already the type to work through your ideas by sketching, dreaming, and creating, this book isn't likely to tell you anything you don't already know. You may, however, come away feeling a little smug towards the persistent chorus of voices that cast doubts on the aspirations of those drawn towards the arts and liberal arts studies.
That is, until you realize that Pink's assertion that "right-brainers will rule the future" isn't really substantiated in this book. Pink begins the book with the assertion that the outsourcing of jobs to developing countries is an inevitable symptom of globalization that we simply need to get used to. Shrugging off all questions about the ethics of outsourcing, Pink suggests that the abundance of life in the U.S. (paradoxically coupled with waves of job losses in the technical sector,) will place a premium on jobs that require "empathy" and other forms of fundamentally human understanding. Yet while I hold both a BFA and an MA, I'm not popping the champagne yet, because Pink fails to provide adequate evidence, or even a convincing projection of what a new creative class of U.S. workers may look like. This is where the "right-brained" premise of the book collides with the more practical problems of implementing such jobs: for instance, Pink predicts the (wholly predictable) increase in need for nurses (purveyors of empathetic, "care work") as the Baby Boomers age, but is altogether unconcerned about how spiraling costs in health care could impede this progress.
I would be interested to hear Pink review some of his arguments in lieu of the recent economic downturn-- how might his theories be affected by the new convictions held by many Americans, that we are not quite so affluent as we thought? Moreover, what of the fact that the queasy corporate ethics that Pink ignores are in large part responsible for this crisis? I confess that I cringed when I read Pink's praise of Ford's investment in "artistic-minded" administrators, and when he recited a list of financial service firms that had tasked out their accounting to India: Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan Chase. Sound familiar?(less)

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Jan 22, 2011 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’m a “right-brainer”. In the language of Myers-Brigg’s typology, I am an extreme INFP, an introverted feeling type (heart vs. head), with strong leanings towards intuition (vs. sensing), and perceiving (vs. judgment). As an “intuitive”, I make all sorts of connections, linking ideas, and often jumping from one thought to another. Trying to keep up with me in conversation, people sometimes say that I am “all over the place.” This typology has not always served me well in my career, particularly...more I’m a “right-brainer”. In the language of Myers-Brigg’s typology, I am an extreme INFP, an introverted feeling type (heart vs. head), with strong leanings towards intuition (vs. sensing), and perceiving (vs. judgment). As an “intuitive”, I make all sorts of connections, linking ideas, and often jumping from one thought to another. Trying to keep up with me in conversation, people sometimes say that I am “all over the place.” This typology has not always served me well in my career, particularly since I spent most of it in the midst of “left-brain” engineers who are logical, analytical, and decisive. It often seemed we spoke different languages; and though I could understand theirs, they couldn’t understand mine. Consequently, in that environment, my contributions were often derided and dismissed as “warm and fuzzy” or “airy-fairy.” Well, finally there is a respectful name for the all-over-the-place way I think. I am a "Cultural Creative". Thank you, Daniel H. Pink! And, not only is there a place in today’s advanced world for the way my mind works; according to Pink, there is a need for more of it!

In his book, A Whole New Mind, Pink tells of a shift from the “left-brain” thinking of the “Information Age”, to a future that belongs to those of us with a very different kind of mind: creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers, artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, and big picture thinkers. Of course that does not mean there is no further use for the skills or capabilities of the “left brain”. Rather, Pink says,

“…the defining skills of the previous era – the “left brain” capabilities that powered the Information age – are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous – the “right-brain” qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness, and meaning – increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders. For individuals, families, and organizations, professional success and personal fulfillment no require a whole new mind.” (p. 3)

The rules have changed, says Pink. A master of fine arts, an MFA, is the new MBA. As evidence, he cites Robert Lutz, the man hired by General Motors to help turn around the ailing automaker. Asked by the New York Times how his approach would differ from what had been done before, Lutz replied, “It’s more right brain…I see us being in the art business. Art, entertainment and mobile sculpture, which, coincidentally, also happens to provide transportation.”

Pink outlines what he asserts are the six essential aptitudes – “the six senses” – which will guide our lives, shape our world, and on which professional success and personal satisfaction will increasingly depend:
1. Not just function but also DESIGN. “Today It’s economically crucial and personally rewarding to create something that is also beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging.”
2. Not just argument but also STORY. “The essence of persuasion, communication, and self-understanding has become the ability also to fashion a compelling narrative.”
3. Not just focus but also SYMPHONY. “What’s in greatest demand today isn’t analysis but synthesis – seeing the big picture, crossing boundaries, and being able to combine disparate pieces into an arresting new whole.”
4. Not just logic but also EMPATHY. “What will distinguish those who thrive will be their ability to understand what makes their fellow woman or man tick, to forge relationships, and to care for others.”
5. Not just seriousness but also PLAY. “(T)oo much sobriety can be bad for your career and worse for your general well-being. In the Conceptual Age, in work and in life, we all need to play.”
6. Not just accumulation but also MEANING. Living in a world of “breathtaking material plenty…has freed hundreds of millions of people from day-to-day struggles and liberated us to pursue more significant desires: purpose, transcendence, and spiritual fulfillment.”

Pink provides plenty of evidence of this shift – persuasive even to those who are L-Directed - as it is manifesting throughout our economy and our society. He then spends much of the remainder of the book exploring how to develop these six essential aptitudes, with a Portfolio for each, rich with tools and resources. In fact, this is a book written to appeal to both L-Directed and R-Directed readers. It is well researched, but very readable, incorporating all six of these essential aptitudes. It is chock full of examples, anecdotes, and humour. And it is well edited (designed), and illustrated, with lots of experiential tidbits and options for further action.

Well, I abandoned the world of engineers some years ago and, since then, have been very much following my own natural inclinations, which also happen to be my bliss! So you can imagine my delight in reading Pink’s book, to discover that where I am right now is exactly where I should be. At last, my time has come! To see what I mean, explore my website at http://www.c-change.info So, can we help you to develop your six senses?

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Jun 06, 2008 Sally Linford rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although it goes against my principles to give 5 stars to a self-help book, I make an exception for this gem. It's fascinating and revealing, and full of hope for the future (there's a rare commodity). My book club really loved it--all of us.

Pink (yes, that's his name) outlines his vision for the next generation of world business trends in our "flat" world where automation, asia, and abundance have created new requirements for success--requirements that for the most part come out of the right br...more

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Apr 27, 2008 Brandy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008reads, non-fiction, for-work, library, adult

Pink has a fundamentally decent, and possibly true, point--that in order to succeed, today's workers need to be more creative than ever before, because all of the logic-driven drone-work will be done by, well, drones--but his point gets buried in this pop-psych, new-agey rhetoric. His advice on what sorts of traits will be necessary seem obvious to me--they boil down to play nice with others, make connections between people and ideas, and have fun--but he did lose me at the end where he advocate...more Pink has a fundamentally decent, and possibly true, point--that in order to succeed, today's workers need to be more creative than ever before, because all of the logic-driven drone-work will be done by, well, drones--but his point gets buried in this pop-psych, new-agey rhetoric. His advice on what sorts of traits will be necessary seem obvious to me--they boil down to play nice with others, make connections between people and ideas, and have fun--but he did lose me at the end where he advocates for spiritual enlightenment and the search for meaning as a surefire tactic to get ahead in this new, conceptual age.

Each chapter is devoted to one of his six traits, and each chapter ends with a hippy-dippy "portfolio" (workbook) section. Readers are instructed to do things like keeping a journal of every metaphor you encounter, taking Emotional IQ tests online, and measuring yourself on the Spiritual Transcendence scale.

If the idea of professional development via Laughter Clubs isn't enough to turn you off this book, I warn anyone of Asian heritage: he's really pissed at you about the whole outsourcing thing. In fact, he believes you are one of the three reasons we're moving from the Information Age to this Conceptual Age: Abundance, Asia, and Automation. Seriously. Even after we're out of the early section on Why We're In This Mess, the text is peppered with lines like "before the Indian programmers have something to fabricate, maintain, test, or upgrade, that something first must be imagined or invented" and "But the sort of emotionally intelligent care [nurses] often provide is precisely the sort of thing that's impossible to outsource or automate. Radiologists in Bangalore can read X-rays. But it's hard to deliver Empathy via fiber-optic cable." And yes, that's Empathy with a capital E.

Now I have to deconstruct why my boss gave this to me: does she think I'm too analytical? Does she think I'm too creative? or is this her subtle way of saying she's on to my plan to use my whole brain to take over my library?(less)

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Mar 21, 2008 Seth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind on my flight from Dallas to Chicago this morning. It turned out to be a shockingly quick read. While I was put off for several chapters by his apparent need to ingratiate himself to left-brain directed skeptics (myself included), I was gratified to find that he did have a clear line of reasoning, rich in examples of why right-brain directed folks will be in greater comparative demand in the coming years. Much like Thomas Friedman, but much, much quicker to g...more

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Mar 09, 2009 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reading-list

My first 5 star read of the year! This book was great! It contrasts Left brain thinking which has been the key to leadership in the past with Right brain thinking which the author believes will be the leading mode of leadership in the future. Terms that describe left brain: sequential, text, details, categories. Terms that describe the right brain: simultaneous, context, big picture, relationships. Pink believes that the typical organization of the past has rewarded left brain thinking and miss-...more

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Mar 10, 2008 Purple rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Daniel Pink was the keynote speaker at the ALA conference last June. There was so much positive feedback from the event that I put this book on my list of books to read. So glad I did. As many others have noticed, Pink offers a positive way of looking at the future in a time when things don't look so great. As always, there will be opportunity for those who adapt to the times.

Pink's way of bringing seemingly disparate things together is helpful/hopeful and decidely right brained. Pink's analysi...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Dwight rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I'm sympathetic to the opinion that folks with creativity provide valuable services and will continue to be in demand, anybody with half a left brain can see that most of the arguments advanced herein are faulty or poorly supported. Most of the evidence offered is anecdotal. When the author does us the (occasional) service of providing a reference, it is usually a weak source, a secondary source, or a source completely unrelated to the fact/quote stated. There may be a decent idea in here,...more

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Mar 31, 2008 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Our faculty read this book over the summer and it's been really applicable to what it is that we do in our classrooms. Pink argues that the age of "left brain" dominance is over... and that the future belongs to a "different kind of person with a different kind of mind: designers, inventors, teachers, storytellers - creative and emphatic "right brain" thinkers." Pink argues that there are 6 Senses that we need to develop and draw upon:Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning. Makes you...more

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Sep 02, 2007 Griggette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Peeps in their 20's

A must-read for anyone in college/recently graduated, as well as educators and professionals. Though Pink's title suggests that vegetable-dyed yarn makers and pan flute players will rule the future, he actually recommends that everyone, left- or right-brain dominate, embrace both hemispheres of their gray matter. His writing style is easy to read and his portfolio suggestions at the end of every chapter make it an interactive reading experience. A good read for anyone with an entrepreneurial spi...more

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May 12, 2013 Loy Machedo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In my career as a Trainer and Coach, I interact with a lot of children.

When I ask them the classic question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up’, almost immediately I get answers like – Scientist, Engineer, Lawyer or Doctor. Very rarely do I get an answer like Singer, Dancer, Artist or Explorer. And if ever, such an answer does surface, I hear the snickers or the sarcastic ‘been-there-done-that’ laughter of the parent.

It becomes painful obvious, that the parents want their children to ac...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Steven rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was disappointed with this book. I must confess I did not finish it. I'm writing a review for the first 60%. I did learn some things. It has been a while since my psychology classes and I enjoyed the brain review. However, it degrades into a cheerleading book without much support. I lost interest at the point where he talks about the CEO who hires poets instead of MBA holders. I need a bit more support to the argument than I asked some rich guy. Are there any studies comparing the success rat...more

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Jan 17, 2009 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*personal review

Daniel Pink lays out reasoning why adeptness at right-brained tasks will be tomorrow's competitive advantage. It isn't very fair to say it's just right-brained people that will rule the future, because that suggests an absolute shift from left brainers (accountants, finance people, techies) to right brainers. Instead, he advocates and theorizes an additional layer of right brained abilities ON TOP OF excelling at typical left brain activities to become a stand out in business.

He...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a person in a typically "right brain" profession, I REALLY enjoyed this book and the author's assertion that the day has come for those who think creatively rather than logically. He makes a good argument for his proposition that many traditionally "left brain" activities can be done by educated workers in China and India, but that creativity is much harder to outsource. Pink believes that we have entered a new age, and outlines history like this:
1. Agricultural Age (farmers)
2. Industrial Ag...more

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Apr 10, 2008 Garret rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The basic premise of this book is that because many of our left brain functions (logical, linear, etc.) can now be either oustourced or performed by computers, it is the right brain functions (inventiveness, big picture connections, etc.) that are going to be in high demand. It breaks down right brain functions and provides numerous resources to aid in exploring and developing this part of the brain. I found the book to be well researched and skillfully written. Strong reccomendation.

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Feb 11, 2013 Justin added it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 24, 2013 Gloria Denoon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Excellent read.

Daniel Pink outlined reasons why we and our children need more right-brain-directed thinking in this Conceptual Age: abundance, Asia, and automation. He further pointed out 6 basic components of this new mind; the six aptitudes -design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning.

My favorite part is his discussion on symphony, i.e., the ability to see relationships and patterns among different things, to piece them together into a big picture and to create something new or meanin...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Chad Warner rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: business, non-fiction, psychology, self-help

Pink explains that due to outsourcing and automation, Westerners need to focus more on right-brained (creative and emotional) thinking to succeed in the modern economy. Left-brained (logical) thinking is still necessary, but it needs to be paired with right-brained thinking to form a Whole New Mind. The book has some good points about the value of soft skills, but I didn’t find it especially insightful. I liked the earlier chapters about career more than the later chapters about finding personal...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Kater Cheek rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I listened to this book, I took some online quizzes to find out if I was more right brained or left brained. Three quizzes said I was left brained, one said I was right brained. So when I say I didn't like this book, you can chalk it up to my left-brained narrow-mindedness.

Pink starts out his book with one solid premise: left-brained tech centered jobs are being outsourced overseas and taken over by computers. If you want to succeed, you need to learn how to be more in touch with the righ...more Before I listened to this book, I took some online quizzes to find out if I was more right brained or left brained. Three quizzes said I was left brained, one said I was right brained. So when I say I didn't like this book, you can chalk it up to my left-brained narrow-mindedness.

Pink starts out his book with one solid premise: left-brained tech centered jobs are being outsourced overseas and taken over by computers. If you want to succeed, you need to learn how to be more in touch with the right side of your brain. I get the feeling that his target demographic is computer programmers and the upper management of tech companies.

He launched into his arguments by throwing around statistics; such and such million dollars are spent on design, design is important, we live in an age of abundance, so good design is what sells, therefore an MFA is the new MBA. I already started to feel skeptical. If you're a designer, you probably already have a solid background in art. If you are not a designer, learning to draw is not likely to make you into one. Saying that because good design is important, learning art will help you get ahead is like saying that since the best college athletes get full scholarships, if you learn to throw a ball your tuition will be cheaper. It's logic did not convince me.

Much of the other examples seemed too specific to be useful. He talks about how empathy is important to doctors, which is great, if you're a doctor, but most of us aren't. (no advice on how to be less empathic, which is what I want, so I can avoid cringing when people crack their knuckles near me.) He also gives an example of a model highschool, where the kids have an art based curriculum that encourages their creative sides to flourish. Maybe it's just me, but I'm getting a little tired of non-educators talking about "what's wrong with our schools." Again, if you're an educator, this might be useful, but how many of us are?

By part two, I was solidly feeling that I didn't like this book, and I tried to figure out why.

My left brain says that it's because he started out by making an argument (see above), failed to convince me of this argument, and then proceeded to talk about different topics that had little to do with the original argument. My left brain wanted a neat, logical progression from hypothesis to proof, to summary. Not that that's the only kind of book I like. I adored Malcolm Gladwell's books, which did not strive to prove anything, but instead used well-researched essays to elaborate on a theme. Pink's book spends a little time trying (unsuccessfully) to prove his hypothesis, and then devolves into "how to make your life fulfilling." Nothing wrong with a book on how to give your life meaning, but that's not the kind of book it promises to be. It struck me as weird that, at the tail end of a section on using labyrinths as meditiation, he segued directly into "if you can't get in touch with this side of life, you're going to get left behind" jargon. Huh? It's like saying "money isn't important, family is, and people who don't remember that aren't going to earn as much in their paychecks."

My right brain says I just didn't trust the guy's authority. Because I didn't think he proved his first proposition, my mistrust snowballed with every bizarre suggestion he made. He thinks that you should subscribe to good design magazines, and he reads the titles and urls so you can, I dunno, write them down while you're driving or at the gym or wherever you happen to be listening to the audiobook. Does reading design magazines make you a better designer? Or does it just make you into a know-it-all who thinks good design is easy? He suggests you make a journal of good designs, and will "be amazed" at how your own capacity for recognizing good design has improved. Really? Has he tried this? Maybe he has. Maybe he's tried everything he suggests, but I didn't believe it.

His advice struck me a lot like the advice in the book (which he lauds) DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN, which was inflicted on me when I was an art student in high school. Some people love this book, and if you're one of them, good for you. It takes people whose art ability is at a zero, and makes them draw at a five. It also takes people whose art ability is at a seven, and makes them draw at a five. It's like training wheels for a bicycle. If you can't do it at all, it helps you do it a little. If you're trying to shave a few minutes off your 100 mile time, training wheels are a pain in the ass. Maybe that's why I didn't like this book, because I'm left brained in that I'm not late for things, I'm organized, I think logically, I'm verbal. But I also draw, paint, sculpt, create stories, garden, and am more empathic than I would like to be. Maybe his advice seems facile and fatuous because I don't need it. Maybe there are people who need his training wheels, who think that having story parties or laughter clubs or the other odd suggestions are more than just a way to waste time and mark yourself as a weirdo. Maybe you're not expected to actually do them. Maybe they're like Martha Stewart craft suggestions, where the reader and author are indulging in the fantasy that the reader is the kind of person who is willing and able to spend $800 dollars in imported roses and 14 hours to create a wreath to decorate a child's bassinet to make your christening party perfect. Maybe Pink's suggestions are just what they seemed to be: half-assed, un-tested woo-woo ideas that no one, least of all the author, would really try.

Or that could be my cynical left-brain talking.

Pink has read a lot of good books; I know, because I've read a lot of the same ones he's read. But he seems like he's used high quality ingredients to come up with a mediocre dish. He had the ingredients for a "how to find meaning through beauty and spirituality" and instead tried to make it a business guide on how not to be unemployed when computers or Indians do your job. I recommend this for people who want to peruse a bibilography for better books to read.

A note on the audioversion. Pink read this himself. He's not a trained speaker, and there were parts where his speech slowed down to the point of sounding stilted, but that didn't really get in the way. I liked that when he did quotes, he started out by changing his cadence just enough to let you know that there was a different speaker, but then he went back to a normal speaking tone. I thought he missed a wonderful opportunity, during one section when he was talking about Mahler and Beethoven, to include a clip of music. It would have added a lot more than the insipid intro music did. I got really irritated with his insistence on reading out urls. I especially disliked that he felt he had to read "DOUBLE YOU DOUBLE YOU DOUBLE YOU" before every one. Does anyone even need that anymore?
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Mar 10, 2012 Michael Tuggle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: writing-creativity

Daniel Pink's book is required reading for anyone creative. His contention is that while creative people have been somewhat marginalized in the past, that in the very near future, they will be the ones who drive growth in our country and who will be valued and rewarded. There are great videos on YouTube of him delivering this material as well. Well worth the read.

(From B&N)
Overview
The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storyteller...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Deb rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*A Little Left and A Lot of Right*

Welcome to A Whole New Mind--both the title of this book and a spot-on description of Pink's brilliant talent to conceptualize, capture, and convey the shift from the left-brain-led Information Age to the right-brain-nurtured Conceptual Age. Pink clearly traces how the three A's of Asia, Abundance, and Automation have made the coveted left-brain careers of yester-decade increasingly replaceable. On the other hand--or side of the brain--the right-brain specialit...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I assumed from the title that I wouldn't learn much from this book.
Wrong! It is about right brain- left brain thinking, which isn't new,
but it goes beyond the differences to link them to socio-economic trends and insights that are very interesting. And it points the reader in many new directions to explore and think about. It is big picture and practical at the same time.
Having said that, I found that I skimmed a lot of it. Didn't feel the need to further understand how empathy can help a doct...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My friend Susan suggested I read this book when I told her about my new approach to teaching left-brain subjects like math. I hypothesized that the reason why students struggle with left-brain subjects is because they are right-brain thinkers. Thus my 10 years in the arts world should help when I teach math -- i.e. try to use metaphors, analogies, pictures, etc rather than the flow-chart, logical approach that brilliant left-brainers are used to.

The problem is that the left-brain subject teacher...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Sean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: psychology, business

Like your brain, Pink's very readable book has two distinct parts (but the similarity ends there). Part one briefly introduces the different functions of the left and right brain hemispheres, and why, rather than needing to "be right-brained", we need instead to become more wholistic in drawing on both our left (linear, logical, sequential, analytical) and right (artistic, intuitive, big-picture) brains. There's a little bit of the science and he then goes on to discuss three major forces that a...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: clowncollege, read2011

This was extremely readable, verging on simplistic. Fine points about what really matters in our lives and times, and Pink delivers on his "whole brain" philosophy in his writing style, marrying aspects of narrative, humor, empathy etc with relatively thorough science. Not sure there's really anything revolutionary, but it's a good enough place as any to start the conversation about building a meaningful career. (This is the first assignment for one of my core library class and is being used as...more

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About Daniel H. Pink

Daniel H. Pink is the author of a trio of provocative, bestselling books on the changing world of work: A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, and Free Agent Nation. His next book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, will be published in 2010.

Dan's articles on business and technology appear in many publications, including The...more

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Books by Daniel H. Pink

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need

Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself

The Seven Dirty Words of the Free Agent Workforce

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Quotes from A Whole New Mind: Why ...

“I say, 'Get me some poets as managers.' Poets are our original systems thinkers. They contemplate the world in which we live and feel obligated to interpret, and give expression to it in a way that makes the reader understand how that world runs. Poets, those unheralded systems thinkers, are our true digital thinkers. It is from their midst that I believe we will draw tomorrow's new business leaders."

--Sidney Harman, CEO Multimillionaire of a stereo components company” — 4 people liked it

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