Extraordinary Minds: Portraits of 4 Exceptional Individuals and an Examination of Our Own Extraordinariness

Howard Gardner, as a professor of education at Harvard, and adjunct professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, is well equipped to analyze the minds of extraordinary people. In this work Gardner explores the lives, backgrounds, and traits of Wolfgang Mozart, Virginia Wolf, Sigmund Freud, and Mahatma Gandhi. After ten years of study, he concluded (p.xi) that there are four distinct varieties of extraordinary minds: 1). The Master. 2). The Maker. 3). The Introspector. 4). The Influencer. A Master (Mozart) is an individual (p.11) who gains complete mastery over one or more domains of accomplishment. This occurs with established practice. The Maker (Freud) is typically not satisfied (p.78) by a life working alongside others at the forefront of his domain, and moves regularly in new directions; confronting challenges that are invisible to, or resisted by others. The Introspector (Wolf, p. 96) must master a domain of communication- a public symbol system. Usually this is the written word, but there are also introspective dancers and painters. Wolf created a new domain; the Experimental Novel. The Influencer (Gandhi, p.111) often challenges authority and takes risks to achieve their goals. They create powerful stories and engage the minds and spirits of followers, and are thus able to convert power into influence. Gardner asserts that if we are to have a world civilization that strives toward fairness and peacefulness, we must understand as much as possible about individuals of unusual promise and achievement. For it is through this understanding, that insights will come to unite talent and a sense of responsibility. This is a very thought-provoking, interesting book, which seeks to inspire us to reach our own highest level of extraordinariness, and to use that achievement for the collective good. Gardner asserts that much of the good and bad in the world has been a result of the thoughts and actions of a few extraordinary individuals. I learned a lot about what makes a person a leader and an icon. Excellent and highly recommended reading by a brilliant researcher.

I first read this book in 1998 or 1999, and since have lost my copy, but I remember enjoying every page of it. I also remember identifying myself as a "Freud" - creating a new domain. Would recommend this to anyone who is interested in clarifying and expanding their consciousness, educational realm, and creating a rich learning context.

Howard Gardner gives us an excellent and accessible introduction to his work with this book. Though small, it contains several gems for those of us who would like to emulate the lives and practices of extraordinary individuals.

I am continually amazed at how Gardner always puts out original and thought-provoking books. This is such a great book for anyone who wants to know what makes leaders and creators extraordinary. Gardner discovers that most great people are not great in many areas, but know their skills and have worked hard to develop those skills way beyond their contemporaries. Those who enjoy this book would also enjoy Creating Minds and Leading Minds (my favorite Gardner book). Like this one, they are packed full of useful information on great men and women.

This book pulls together Gardner's cognitive theory on extraordinary individuals and leaders. He refines his framework for the study of extraordinary individuals of the 20th century by identfying four forms: the master, maker, introspector, and influencer. It builds upon elements from Creating Minds and Leading Minds. The one individual that ties all three books together is the life of Gandhi. A very interesting, fast read for those in leadership positions.