It’s been a while since we’ve talked about it here, but a few years ago we were the subject of intense scrutiny by our friend Joshua Wolf Shenk, a nonfiction writer who has devoted the past few years of his life to researching and writing a book about collaboration.
Back when the book was in its very preliminary stages, Josh tested his theories in a four-part series about Robbi’s and my collaboration on Slate.com.
Now, four years later, the book is done and due out August 5.
It’s called Powers of Two: Finding the Essence of Innovation in Creative Pairs. You should get this book, not only because it is a fascinating and ground-breaking exploration of the collaborative dynamic, but also because Robbi and I are included. We have not yet read the finished version, but apparently we play a supporting role to such other, slightly better known duos as Paul McCartney and John Lennon, Marie and Pierre Curie, and Vincent and Theo Van Gogh.
The book is kind of a big deal. So much so that it was excerpted for the cover story of last month’s Atlantic.
As the release date approaches, various folks in the media are reading the book and either reviewing it or writing smart things about it. Just yesterday on Inc.com, writer Ilan Mochari posted an article about a pair of collaborative co-founders named Renee Robbie and Giorgia Rossi. After introducing their story and describing their tendency to buoy one another emotionally, he jumped into discussion of Josh’s book and made specific reference to the “symbiotic emotional management” of the “Behr-Swanson” relationship,” which is, apparently “archetypal of how healthy creative pairs often help each other through role playing and turn-taking.”
In simpler terms, Robbi and I almost never get depressed or demoralized at the same time. We take turns crashing, and when either one of us is having a bad day, the other, almost reflexively, steps in and picks the sad one up. It’s an incredibly useful (and seemingly intuitive) aspect of our relationship and partnership. And now it is being discussed by writers and scholars we don’t even know.
The fun thing about being included in someone’s book is getting to read a smart and scholarly breakdown of one’s inner mechanisms. Which is to say, Thanks, Josh.
Here’s the article. It’s pretty interesting, and not just because our names are in it.
And here’s the link to Powers of Two.
Yesterday NPR did a short interview with Shenk. It was great, but they unfortunately didn’t talk about you. I predict a best seller!
Steve,
I’m a bit uncomfortable with your prediction of best-seller status coming right on the heels of mentioning that Robbi and I were not mentioned in the interview.
Matthew
So which of you is John and who is Paul? Obviously, Iggy is Ringo.
Wow. I read the Slate article. Instead of wondering how we feel, I (the representative of all the quiet readers of your blog) wonder, how do you feel about the article.
That’s a lot of “personal you” to put out there in exchange for one journalist’s inquiry into creativity and collaboration.
Speak now. More slowly so those of us seated in the back rows can hear.
Hello hermansherman,
Thanks for taking the time to read the article. Yes, being a part of Josh’s research required a tremendous amount of honesty and resolve. But it was worth it for the chance to have one’s creative process examined by such an amazing mind. What’s interesting is how much our lives have evolved in the past 5 years or so since that experience. Many of the answers would no longer be the same. So it’s also a tremendous document of a time and a place in our lives. We’re looking forward to seeing the book. I suspect we might even learn something about ourselves…
Amy. I am Paul and Robbi is John. She’s also Yoko.
Matthew
FIE! I’M TOTALLY PAUL! JOHN SOUNDS LIKE A REAL PAIN IN THE ASS!!
Like I said, Robbi is John.
And Yoko.