The 5-Day Course in Thinking

by Edward de Bono

This book offers a series of problems in thinking that require no special knowledge and no mathematics. The problems are designed to let readers find out about their personal style of thinking, its weaknesses and strengths, and the potential methods that they never use. Being right is not always important - an error can lead to the right decision. A copy of the L-game is inserted in each book for use in the section on strategy.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Management, Brain

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Edward de Bono was a Maltese physician, author, inventor, and consultant. He is best known as the originator of the term lateral thinking (structured creativity) and the leading proponent of the deliberate teaching of thinking in schools.

Reviews

[Ali Al-Birminghami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five nice puzzles to get you thinking about thinking.

[Paul Bard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I think the actual game attached to this book is missing from the copy I read, so it seems to simply be a series of abstract explorations rather than a fun game.

I wish I could give this a higher rating.

Essentially it is all about exploration of new ideas and not about exploiting valuable ideas, which, from my pragmatic perspective, was frustrating.

[Michael Wolcott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and helpful read with experiments to showcase how our critical thinking processes develop. A really useful tool for someone to consider how to teach about metacognition and thinking. Excellent resource.

[Steve Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book in the early 70s, and attended a lecture by Edward de Bono 1971 at Maria Grey College of Education. It is probably one of the most significant books I have read, an fundamentally changed my approach to teaching. Thinking is the key to education.

[Thuthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good exercises

[Srinivasan Nanduri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good practical approach to understanding the 3 different thinking styles - insight, sequential and strategic.

[Printed Pages and Coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read in terms of analytical thinking, and reflection on how one thinks.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ FEB 2023

Nice piece in the collection of de Bono's thinking series.

[Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book.

There are many books that will go on talking about thinking and psychology until you feel like banging your head against a wall, but this one brings the problems into the physical world.

I'd wake up in the morning, and over a cup of tea I'd sit playing with glasses and butter-knives (Much as I would in a restaurant) and cackle gleefully when I got things right. And then when someone comes up and asks what you're doing, you don't reply "Playing with knives" you can say "studying my thought process and problem solving abilities... why? Did you think I was just messing around?"

I'd really love a series of books to come out with similar problems. I think they would be great fun for children, and they're certainly more entertaining then Suduko

[Ashutosh Upadhyay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice book. The books helps me to understand my thinking patterns.