I MAG INE

This isn't a full-on book report, but “Imagine” is worth talking about, and especially worth reading for anyone who loves those 'eureka' moments.
For those of you who have never heard the eureka legend in school, here is a brief version. Some ruler in Greece wanted to know if his crown was made out of lead or gold, but how to measure that? Both metals are heavy, and once formed into a crown the difference in size couldn't be measured. Archimedes, as he sat down in his bath noticed the water level rise and realized how to tell the difference between objects size regardless of their shape. He was so excited by the revelation that he ran naked yelling 'Eureka! Eureka!' which is Greek for, “I'm going to get a big reward for this.”
No really, it means “I've found it.”
I doubt this is a true account, but it does show better than anything how a flash of understanding solves a problem, giving the understander a glorified feeling of discovery. I've had the feeling a few times in my life, and believe me, it is more exciting than realizing you are on a roller coaster ride run by a roustabout who is probably on drugs.
Jonah Lehrer writes about how the imagination is teased into coming up with entirely new solutions or ideas. I know how many people resist reading non-fiction because they got enough of that in school. Make an exception for this book. You might find a way to aim your brain toward an eureka moment.
I haven't, but you might.
Nancy Sherer