The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea

A timely and provocative interrogation of the myth of genius, exploring the surprising inventions, inspirations, and distortions that elevate some lives to greatness and not others

One can tell what a society values by who it labels "genius." One can also tell who it excludes, who it enables, and what it is prepared to tolerate. In The Genius Myth, journalist Helen Lewis unearths how this one word has shaped, and distorted, ideas of success and achievement.

Lewis argues that the modern idea of genius—a single preternaturally gifted individual, usually white and male, exempt from social niceties and sometimes even the law—has run its course. Braiding deep research with her signature wit and lightness, Lewis dissects past and present models of genius in the West, and reveals a far deeper and more interesting picture of human creativity than conventional wisdom allows. She uncovers a battalion of overlooked wives and collaborators. She asks whether most inventions are inevitable. She wonders whether the Beatles would succeed today. And she confronts the vexing puzzle of Elon Musk, the tech disrupter who fancies himself an Übermensch.

Smart, funny, and provocative, The Genius Myth will challenge readers' assumptions about creativity, productivity, and innovation—and forever alter their mental image of the so-called genius.