52 Projects: Random Acts of Everyday Creativity

Having long been one to always have a creative project or two going on the side, I was glad to find 52 Projects: Random Acts of Everyday Creativity, by Jeffrey Yamaguchi. At only 175 5x7 pages, this book makes a quick read, or even better, a handy addition to a growing library on creativity.

The author begins the book with an explanation of 52 Projects itself. It actually started as a website as Yamaguchi chronicled new project ideas as they were created. He also spends a fair amount of time talking about what value he gains from creating projects. While they are all valid reasons to create, I found them to be less life-changing than I believe the author would hope.

The meat of the book is composed of the 52 Projects themselves. As one who colors outside the lines, I love the fact that there are suggestions for variations on many of the projects, and that Yamaguchi stresses the importance of creating something of your very own. The back of the book contains a link where folks can send in their own projects for possible inclusion on the www.whatsyourproject.com website.

I have long thought that stories are the language through which we relate to each other, and you will find encouragement for that here as well. Likewise, there is excellent counsel on photographs, the importance of capturing our lives, and compelling arguments against hiding the fruit of our labors in storage bins. Good ideas abound on making time for project-making and how to squander less time, thus granting more time for said projects.

Yamaguchi ends the book with a list of fifty-two sources for creativity, and encourages the reader to make his or her own list. I’ve already started mine. What’s on yours?