Improv Wisdom, by Patricia Ryan Madson, is one of my favorite books on the use of improv for non-performance. The book focuses not on the act of improv, but on the life lessons learned from the art and the change it can effect. To me, it answers the question for performers and non-performers alike, “why improvise?”
From the category archives:
Recommended Reading
The book Iconoclast by Gregory Berns takes a look at the creative process from a neurological perspective. Using recent advances in neuroscience, Berns disproves previous assumptions about creativity and describes ways that we can all learn to think differently. A great book both in terms of content and style of writing, definitely worth the read for anyone looking to be more creative in their work.
Buy Now | Creativity and Improv (A look at the adaptation by FastCompany)
In the book Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out, improv guru Mick Napier explains how to build an improv scene from the inside out. And while the book is a must-read for improviser, there are also a lot of valuable lessons that can be applied in business and life.
Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, is the first fiction book on the list and it is a good one. I recommend it for a few reasons: 1) It’s a great story with compelling characters, 2) It’s a graphic novel which is a different medium than most books (and something we could all learn from–imagine a training guide in this format), and 3) There are a number of valuable lessons hidden in the fascinating story. I will make a bit of a disclaimer in that this book is not for children and contains some adult language and situations
