In this book, first published in 2000, Tony Buzan writes that we all have ten different kinds of intelligence. This book is an amazing reference if for no other reason than to get the reader to thinking about all the ways we think. Great possibilities exist for personal growth by strengthening the areas we are good at and exercising in those areas we have mainly ignored or even been unaware of.
The chapter for each intelligence contains several sections.
1. A brief but comprehensive definition of the intelligence.
2. A statement of the benefits to be gained from the study of this specific intelligence.
3. An example of an individual who is outstanding in this.
4. A section with proofs that you are really smarter than you think.
5. Case studies of more individuals as examples and role models.
6. Brain Workouts. Nothing is free, exercises to make you stronger.
7. The end of each chapter contains tests and questionnaires. Test yourself, see how you compare to the experts, and maybe learn a few new ways to think.
Here are the 10 types of intelligence with my brief summary of each. You may not agree with the choice of 10 as the right number but the ones chosen are certainly worthy of thought in many ways.
1. Creative. This is your ability to come up with new ideas. To be flexible, find new ways to use old ideas. The stars here are those who can come up with rapid fire new solutions.
2. Personal. The star here is a person who knows himself. He is self aware and uses this knowledge for self fulfillment.
3. Social. The star here is able to interact in a productive and meaningful way with other human beings. This is about personal relationships.
4. Spiritual. This is about the really big picture. Use you intelligence for more than selfish interests.
5. Physical. This person is aware of an in harmony with their physical self. This person is physically fit, coordinated, and probably an athlete, artist, surgeon, etc.
6. Sensual. Use your five senses and intuition to live fully. The human body, properly used, is an incredible complete organism capable of doing many things better than all the inventions of man.
7. Sexual. At its most basic, the drive to survive, to procreate, to continue the human race.
8. Numerical. The ability to manipulate the language of numbers. This should be a simple thing because many of us only have to worry about ten symbols, zero through nine. Some of us only worry about zeroes and ones.
9. Spatial. This is the ability to see the relationships of shapes to each other and to the space where they exist.
10. Verbal. Verbal intelligence is just a little more complex than numerical. We manipulate 26 characters to define thoughts and communicate them to ourselves and others.
This book is highly recommended as an introduction of many ways to look at and think about your world. Being a Buzan book, the reader also gets the bonus of images of several complex, colorful mind maps.
