The Innovator's Cookbook: Essentials for Inventing What Is Next

by Steven Johnson

From bestselling author and Internet pioneer Steven Johnson, an essential book for anyone interested in the key texts on the topic from a wide range of fields as well as interviews with successful, real-world innovators, prefaced with an original essay from Johnson that draws upon his own experiences as an entrepreneur and author. In The Innovator's Cookbook , Johnson compiles the best and most influential foundational texts and essays from field leaders including Stewart Brand, Clayton Christensen, Richard Florida, Teresa Amabile, Peter Drucker, Amar Bhide, and many more. New conversations on innovation from Ray Ozzie (former chief software architect at Microsoft), Beth Noveck, Jon Schnur, Katie Salen, Tom Kelley, and Brian Eno are included. Innovation is today’s buzzword for a reason. The need to push forward, find new paths and new ideas in an ever-evolving world, is a vital part of business, of education, of politics, of our daily lives. Building on the success of Johnson's Where Good Ideas Come From -- one of the most acclaimed business books of 2010 -- The Innovator's Cookbook makes a major new contribution to this vital conversation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology, Business, Entrepreneurship, Science, Psychology, Historical

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2011

About the author

Steven Johnson is the bestselling author of twelve books, including Enemy of All Mankind, Farsighted, Wonderland, How We Got to Now, Where Good Ideas Come From, The Invention of Air, The Ghost Map, and Everything Bad Is Good for You.
He's the host of the podcast American Innovations, and the host and co-creator of the PBS and BBC series How We Got to Now. Johnson lives in Marin County, California, and Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and three sons.

Reviews

[Ronnie McGhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a little secret. I love listen in the background when experts in a particular field discuss their trade. I relish hearing writers discuss plot construction, astronomers discussing theories of time and space, candidates talking about political economics, or doctors discussing new medical procedures. It was for this reason that I eagerly awaited reading, The Innovator’s Cookbook: Essentials for Inventing What Is Next.

Steven Johnson presides as editor and contributor to an array of nine essays and six interviews in his latest book reviewing the underlying principles of creativity and innovation as well as the changes in business models and societal responses that ensue.

Generally speaking, the essays are presented in easily understood terms, thankfully avoiding unnecessary jargon beginning to creep into the lexicon of Innovation Theory. A high point in the book is the essay regarding customers as innovators by Stefan Thomke and Eric von Hippel. This chapter presents cutting-edge discussion about new approaches to incorporating customer feedback (often instantaneously) to develop custom products. This chapter is a must for any student currently enrolled in a BA or MBA program. A low point in the book is the essay by Jon Seely Brown and John Hagel III titled, Innovation Blowback. The authors seemed marveled by the successful business model of communist China and proffer the term ‘disruptive innovation’ in an apparent wink-and-a-nod to slave labor, copyright and patent theft, and unparalleled environmental poisoning. Possibly in the next edition, Steven Johnson might follow up with an essay titled, Moral Issues of Innovation.

The crown jewels of the book are no doubt the interviews of innovators who have changed the course of progress in their respective fields. I have now read each of them twice so as imprint them into my personal patterns of thinking. If the book contained only them, it would still be worth the read.

The Innovator’s Cookbook fulfilled very expectation of what should be found when the stone of creativity is overturned and the rich soil underneath examined in detail. It is the type of book you wished you had read in High School or at the latest, in undergraduate school – regardless of your major. Like me, if those early years have passed, then think about recommending this enlightening read to a youngster you wish to inspire to stretch their creative thought processes to the limit.

Received through goodreads.com giveaways program.

*Donated to Darton College, Albany Georgia upon completion*

[Arjun · Rating 3 out of 5]

While its not truly a Steven Johnson book, it has some interesting insights. Its a breakdown of creativity, and has short essay/chapters written by various creativity experts (Teresa Amabile, Clayton Christensen, Richard Florida, etc). I thought it served as a nice overview, and I recommend it to anyone who's looking for a short review of any of those authors. This lead me to Teresa Amabile's new book, The Progress Principle.

[Gary Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

44th book read in 2014.

Number 356 out of 387 on my all time book list.

Follow the link below to see my video review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAkou...

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically, a collection of innovation-themed essays. All good stuff.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of essays on innovation and creative practice. It does feel dated, which is understandable considering how much has changed in the last decade+. I think the strongest sections delved into the relationship between innovation and types of space or environment - cities features that attractive creative types, office layouts/designs that squelch innovation, etc.

[Marcus Goncalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book comprises of series of key essays, interviews, and insights from leading thinkers on innovation, including Drucker, Florida, Ozzie and Eno. While overall a good read, aiming to provide a foundational text on innovation by now it is a bit old (2011). I guess I fought it too late.

[Correen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnson has been working on this topic for several years. This book includes some new information and a reorganization of older writings.

[சுயேபெர் SuJéBṚ Joshy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to get the basics of innovative mind. The interviews are relevant.

[Justin Fanelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Underrated, finishes strong

[Bryce DeFigueiredo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting essays, but not one of the top books I'd recommend.

[Ralph Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was insightful. There were moments when I couldn't follow what the chapter was explaining but I still got a bit of notes that is useful.

[Florin Pitea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite interesting. Recommended.

[Lee Penney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This ‘cookbook’ gathers together a series of essays and interviews around the subject of innovation, from leaders in the field (so it says).

It was another book that turned into a war of attrition, each chapter a battle on the road to finishing it. It did spark some thoughts, but largely I just found myself tuning out of sections, forcing me to go back and re-read them, sometimes multiple times.

To call it a cookbook is a bit misleading, this isn’t a series of instructions about how to innovate or improve innovation, but rather a collection of unrelated essays that happen to share a theme.

The dry writing was generally unengaging and uninspiring, with little to back up the assertions being made. If that wasn’t enough, this is really aimed at corporate leaders who want to try and create an environment of innovation within their company. It has very little aimed a personal level. It’s all about what you should do to encourage others, not what I can do to innovate.

The one area where it saves itself is the interviews with actual people, although some of those seem so high up the chain as to be talking big ideas rather than personal processes.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, maybe give it a go, if you want to learn more about innovation, steer clear, because the most innovative part is the cover.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Highly uneven as one would expect from a pretty random set of essays and interviews. The field of innovation is, almost tautologically, rapidly changing. It is difficult if not impossible to create a timeless recipe for creativity. Many parts of the book were dated by the time it was published, and that was not too long ago. The best essays are by the big idea people like Brand, Drucker and Noveck. Yet it is the small idea people who make incremental changes on a daily basis who are perhaps the most effective innovators. There is a paradox in the way that innovators find it difficult to describe what makes a successful creative process. I wouldn't say that the book was a complete waste of time, but I found it lacking in the way that so many business self-help books are these days.

[Chris Salzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected. I read it because of a video showing how they did the shoot for the cover and it hooked me. The book itself though...it's a collection of essays that I think are geared towards people who are on the fence about whether or not innovation is a worthwhile thing. Some practical advice on how to create space for innovation to flourish, but for the most part it's a lot of stuff I feel like I already knew--or at least assumed.

[Kellyann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the essays were focused on business and innovation as it relates to products, so I found my attention wavering as I tried to make useful connections to my own work in my mind. A few essays were spot on appropriate, though, and after reading with my morning tea before work, I found myself referring during the day to what i had read that morning several times.

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find this to be much of a cookbook. Not enough ideas on how to innovate. I also found that the various articles that make up the chapters of this book are from several different time periods, which made sections of the book outdated.

Far better to read The Innovator's Dilemma, which really outlines the problems that most success businesses run into.

[Vernon Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the other reviewers that this is simply an edited collection of other works, some of them quite old. What I really was looking for was more commentary from the author. I think it could have been so much more as a true recipe book with a formula for success. Still, well worth the read.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up thinking it was referring to experimenting in the kitchen, but just kept reading b/c it was easy to read and interesting! Several short perspectives on thinking or managing or encouraging innovation.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hodgepodge of essays vaguely held together by the word "innovation." Not up to Johnson's usual standards. I learned a bit from a few of the essays, and didn't mind any of it, but was fairly disappointed.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays edited by Steven Johnson. While I enjoyed and profited from some of the articles (esp. the essay by Teresa Amabile), I found some of the other essays uninteresting or too business specific to be of interest to me.

[Krystyna]

Won 9/1/11!

[Carmen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Won this book on Goodreads. Was too boring to complete.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mix of interviews and guest essays on how to be innovative. Several pieces were dedicated to IDEO, whose books I find more helpful. Still a nice resource of short pieces on how to be innovative.

[Ig-88 · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Allisonperkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

very hit and miss collection of essays and interviews. Overall nothing new under the sun (and can we stop referencing Dr. Florida's work?)

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essays about Innovation. Interesting perspectives. Calling it a 'cookbook' is a bit misleading - expected it to be more methodological.

[Trever · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the stories could have been better. Overall disappointed with what the book could have been.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the essays are absolutely transformative. Others, meh.

[Zeh Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interest collection of essays of varying quality and verbosity.