Perhaps the leading choreographer of her generation, Tharp offers a thesis
on creativity that is more complex than its self-help title suggests.
To be sure, an array of prescriptions and exercises should do much to help
those who feel some pent-up inventiveness to find a system for turning idea
into product, whether that be a story, a painting or a song. This free-
wheeling interest across various creative forms is one of the main points
that sets this book apart and leads to its success. The approach may have
been born of the need to reach an audience greater than choreographer
hopefuls, and the diversity of examples (from Maurice Sendak to Beethoven
on one page) frees the student to develop his or her own patterns and habits,
rather than imposing some regimen that works for Tharp. The greatest number
of illustrations, however, come from her experiences. As a result, this
deeply personal book, while not a memoir, reveals much about her own
struggles, goals and achievements. Finally, the book is also a rumination
on the nature of creativity itself, exploring themes of process versus
product, the influences of inspiration and rigorous study, and much more.
It deserves a wide audience among general readers and should not be
relegated to the self-help section of bookstores.

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