Fire in the Crucible: The Self-Creation of Creativity and Genius

Briggs writes: "In the pages that follow we will discover the curious fact that geniuses are not born, nor are they made. We may all have in us intuitions and perceptions that could take us to the deepest place that genius inhabits. But can we access these intuitions? And how? The study of genius may tell us."

The book is in three parts, and Briggs uses alchemy as an analogue for the creative process. In the first part he describes the creative vision and speculates on its origin. The important role of subtle nuances is emphasized. In the second part, "Distilling Agents," he examines various aspects of talent in geniuses, including absorption. The last part, "The Great Work" (or opus), provides an overview of "the process that takes place as the Great Work in all its senses evolves for creators" (p. 251), with the emphasis on unfolding.