The Rise

Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery

By: Sarah Lewis

Narrated by: Sarah Lewis

It is one of the enduring enigmas of the human experience: many of our most iconic, creative endeavors - from Nobel Prize-winning discoveries to entrepreneurial inventions and works in the arts - are not achievements but conversions, corrections after failed attempts.

The gift of failure is a riddle. Like the number zero, it will always be both a void and the start of infinite possibility. The Rise - a soulful celebration of the determination and courage of the human spirit - makes the case that many of our greatest triumphs come from understanding the importance of this mystery.

This exquisite biography of an idea is about the improbable foundations of creative human endeavor. The Rise begins with narratives about figures past and present who range from writers to entrepreneurs; Frederick Douglass, Samuel F. B. Morse, and J. K. Rowling, for example, feature alongside choreographer Paul Taylor, Nobel Prize-winning physicists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, Arctic explorer Ben Saunders, and psychology professor Angela Duckworth.

The Rise explores the inestimable value of often ignored ideas - the power of surrender for fortitude, the criticality of play for innovation, the propulsion of the near win on the road to mastery, and the importance of grit and creative practice. From an uncommonly insightful writer, The Rise is a true masterwork.

©2014 Sarah Lewis (P)2014 Simon & Schuster

Absolutely stunning!

This book is so thoughtful and beautifully written. It will stir the soul of both creatives and philosophers.

Loved It

I needed a dictionary for most of it, but found her insights and definitions of success vs mastery original and informative. This is something I can see my self referencing over and over again.

Excellent, well worth the time!

I work with exceptional children every day. One of the greatest challenges I face in taking them to that elusive "next level" is convincing them that failure is an integral ingredient in any recipe for success.

I particularly enjoyed Lewis's perception as it relates to grit! Grit, or whatever name you give it, is crucial for long term success.

Great book! And again, well worth the time!

Motivational

Great reseach, interviews and storytelling. Well read.

Thoughtful, useful information you can apply. I re-read Chapter 8 three times.

Perfection

I really enjoyed this book. Lewis shares ideas by using the power of story with an element of surprise. Each section is the perfect length and I was so happy to see she narrated it. Her voice is captivating with a flow that just works! Bravo!

Artistic science

This is an inspiring mix of science and art. Sarah brings us the art of story which springs from her scientific endeavor to understand how and why we rise in life. I will listen and read again and again because the story is captivating and the lessons are many. Thank you, Sarah Lewis.

Stellar Storytelling and So Thought Provoking

I am an artist who loves to see activism incorporated into my craft. Often I'm involved in shows that use history, science and elegant storytelling to evoke inner shifts and self reflection as folks leave the theater. And this book does that as well. I have come back a few times to re-read specific sections just to share with other folks or refresh my own thirst and drive to continue to create art. Please do yourself the favor of reading The Rise, it can assist you in any endeavor. Thank you Professor Lewis.

Solid body of work but...

But... What is she talking about? I often feel lost when listening. this book reads like it has been written in the other's voice and the voice of people who think like her. This book feels like a collection of thoughts not a book to challenge and change thinking. I might of just picked up the wrong book!

Good, But Not Great

Ms. Lewis makes a good case for the benefits of the arts in the lives of the artists. However, she doesn't go deeper into examining what impact exposure to art has on its audience. This is an incomplete discussion.

Inspiring and artful

To be honest, I started this book with low expectations. It isn't by a familiar business-book author, I had no peer recommendations, and the subject matter, while right up my alley, is just artsy enough that there was a reasonable likelihood of it being a tangent into la la land. Instead. This is an artful, researched and compelling study of creative excellence, touching on and teasing out many niches of sociological and psychological academia (including emerging work on grit).

I thoroughly enjoyed the book as well as the performance and I strongly recommend to anyone pursuing creative thinking in a more traditional business setting. Also, for those who need a nudge to celebrate failure as a stepping stone to success.