Bestselling author Eric Weiner is no genius. He readily concedes that the chances of sudden, Einsteinian brilliance descending upon him are slim. But there's still hope for his young daughter. So he sets off across the globe and back through history to examine how the creative genius flouriches in specific places at specific times, hoping to nourish a culture of creativity in his own home. Along the way, he learns why geniuses thrive in mess and chaos (Beethoven was a total slob), why we often do our best thinking while walking (even if walking on a treadmill), how oysters played a pivotal role in the Scottish Enlightenment, and how the Renaissance may never have happened if not for the plague. With his trademark irreverent and insightful humor, Weiner walks the same paths as the men and women who lfourished in places like ancient Athens, Song Dynasty China, and today's Silicon Valley. With each step, he asks: What was in the air back then, and can we bottle it? Provocative and entertaining, The Geography of Genius is an informed romp through history that will start a national conversation about the importance of nurturing creativity. Weiner shows we need to change the way we think about creative genius--not simply as a matter of genetics or even hard work but, rather, as the fruits of a culture that encourages ingenuity. Genius, he argues, is not a private act but a public committment. As he writes: "If it takes a village to raise a child...it takes a city to raise a genius."