Dear Readers,

This year, my summer reading list focuses on creativity. Instead of exploring art in a literal way - how to quilt, how to paint - why not look into upping your creative quotient for use 9 to 5? My reading recommendations focus on books that focus on how to think creatively and put breakthroughs to work. As you can see from the quote above, lifted from a corporate Web site, creativity is a sought-after trait in today's job market. Business expert Charles Landry explains why: "Creativity is one of the last remaining legal ways to gain an unfair advantage over the competition."

Tapping into your unique insights will make your workdays more enjoyable and it may be precisely what your manager wants to see. If not, you might consider moving to a place that values creativity, for those are the organizations more likely to survive and thrive in the future.

"Five Minds of the Future" by Howard Gardner (Harvard Business School Press, 2007)

Harvard education professor Howard Gardner is best known for his theories about how we learn. In his latest book, he focuses on five cognitive abilities that he believes have recently emerged as essential to success: mastery of a major school of thought or a professional craft; the ability to integrate ideas from different disciplines; the ability to uncover and clarify new problems and phenomena; appreciation for differences among people; and fulfillment of one's civic responsibilities.

Probably the most useful and easy-to-digest part of the book is the beginning of the last chapter, where Gardner gives examples of how the five minds might be applied to work. The Respectful Mind, which is focused around appreciating difference, leads to "working effectively with peers, supervisors, employees, irrespective of their backgrounds and status."

"Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life" by Shakti Gawain (Nataraj Publishing, 2002)

First published more than 30 years ago, this book still is a big seller. Gawain, who draws on Eastern philosophy and Western psychology, defines creative visualization as "the techniques of using your imagination to create what you want in life." She notes that everyone uses their natural power of imagination, but that some people spend more time imagining difficulties and limitations rather than "what you truly want - love, fulfillment... rewarding work."

"A Whole New Mind: Why the Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future" by Daniel H. Pink (Riverhead Books, 2005)

Pink, a former speechwriter for Al Gore, points out that "we are moving from an economy and a society built on the logical, linear, computer-like capabilities of the Information Age to an economy and a society built on the inventive, empathetic, big-picture capabilities of what's rising in its place, the Conceptual Age." This book is a guide to thriving in this new age by focusing on six new senses: design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. While Pink wrote this book during a time of abundance, which means that in the current economy it's a little dated, the emphasis on crossing disciplinary boundaries, the need for humor and the search for meaning are all still highly relevant.

This summer, enjoy a little sand, sun and scintillation.