A professor of psychology at Harvard, Ellen J. Langer describes in this book seven myths or mindsets which "stifle our creativity, silence our questions and diminish our self-esteem." They include practice makes perfect, rote memorization, delaying gratification, and clinging to the idea of right answers. These misconceptions hobble both our formal and informal learning projects at home, in schools, at offices, and even on playing fields. As an antidote, Langer presents the lineaments of mindful learning which include the ability to notice new things, to fashion new categories, to welcome fresh perspectives, and to reframe information. Instead of top-down or bottom-up learning, the author advocates "sideways learning." Here is an approach that puts the accent on novelty, different contexts, multiple perspectives, and attention to the present moment. All of these are really aspects of creativity. Langer also shows how our society must rethink both aging and memory loss and the so-called problem of attention deficit. In the spirit of her bestselling book Mindfulness, this volume is both cogent and profound.