The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Original price was: $32.00.$16.99Current price is: $16.99.
The #1 New York Times bestseller.
“A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment.” —Anne Lamott
From the legendary music producer, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us.
“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” —Rick Rubin
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn’t, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone’s life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.
The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime’s work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments—and lifetimes—of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.
From the Publisher
Publisher : Penguin Press (January 17, 2023)
Language : English
Hardcover : 432 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593652886
ISBN-13 : 978-0593652886
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 6.31 x 1.31 x 8.81 inches
9 reviews for The Creative Act: A Way of Being
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Original price was: $32.00.$16.99Current price is: $16.99.
Dot D. –
inspirational
I enjoyed reading this book. Lots of food for thought. Encouraging. I’m glad I got to read it! Thank you, Rick Rubin!
Lillian K. –
This is “THAT Book”
You know, those books that you read that you want to buy in bulk and gift to everyone you have ever met – and keep on hand for everyone you will ever meet?This is THAT book for me.I can’t even explain it’s magic or compare it to anything else I’ve ever read. It is by no means a religious book. I would not really classify it as self-help either. It stands alone – unless there is a genre for books that live, breathe, and have a soul. If you have ever wanted to read the Bible (or other holy text) but struggle with the language to get to the underlying message, this could be an alternate option. Thoughtfully and patiently crafted. Simple, sweet, impactful, magical, relatable…just so beautiful in every way.***update*** – after reading several of the less than 5-star reviews I decided to add this since it appears the expectation laid out in the Preface may have been missed by some who cannot seem to appreciate the refreshing simplicity and implied purpose of this text as communicated in the Preface – see photo for Preface screenshot.It FEELS as if this book was intentionally designed to reach as many human minds as possible. This human experience causes us to attach to multiple identities throughout this life – some more permanent than others. I have considered what it might have been like to have this book through every phase of my life so far. When I reflect on all the beliefs that have been rooted, recycled, or replaced, I think I would have cherished this book the most through every major period of growth. Now at age 50, I am regularly challenging my beliefs and biases and I turn to this book frequently for inspiration to that affect. To achieve a work that is easily digestible to every identify and phase of life…that in and of itself must be a daunting task to undertake these days so BRAVO!!!IF you are expecting a book chock full of the authors’ legendary work, this is not that book. Though some of the ideas reference the authors’ experiences with other well-knows, the examples selected are brief and (I feel) carefully curated to support ideas as an example to serve as further clarity and reach every level of comprehension.IF you are looking for a step by step guide on how to…whatever you are into, also NOT that book (see Preface)IF you are looking for a scientific, intellectual, complicated, book full of new ideas to debate with your bourgeoisie friends to see whose most woke (yes I said it)…look elsewhere.BUT…. If you are looking for what seems to be a plea from one human beings’ humble heart to the rest of humanity…THIS is THAT book!
Cody Allen –
The most important question it asks is: Why make art? The answer: To connect.
This book was a wonderful treatise on what it means to be and live as an artist. It is comprised of short chapters, each more a musing than anything certain. As a self-proclaimed artist, many of the ideas proposed were things I had considered before, but they were still refreshing to hear from a living artistic legend like Rick Rubin (co-founder of Def Jam records and winner of eight Grammy awards). As he writes, “artists allow us to see what we are unable to see, but somehow already know.” This is how I felt reading his book!Many of my friends who work traditional jobs, ones with a start time and an end time, sometimes ask me when my weekend is. The thing is, artists don’t really take ‘time off.’ Do we go on vacation? Sure. But we never turn ourselves off from drinking in what life has to offer, for who knows when that next seed of an idea will present itself, one that we must surely plant and nurture. It is the artist’s job to always remain open and ready to receive these seeds.How do we know when a work is finished? Of course, there is no ‘correct’ answer, it is more of a feeling. We work until it is done; sometimes a project requires long grueling hours and sometimes creating is a short and pleasant endeavor. Regardless what medium of art we are crafting in, “the amount of time we put in and the results we get are rarely in balance. A large movement may materialize all at once; other times a tiny detail may take days. And there’s no predicting how much of a role either will play in the final outcome.” As someone who has written music for over a decade, I can attest that this is true.One of the hardest aspects of being an artist is feeling successful. What happens when we publish a book, but fail to get anybody to read it? Or film a movie that nobody watches, or produce a song that nobody hears? Luckily, Rubin has an answer for this quandary of the soul as well, reminding us that “success has nothing to do with variables outside yourself.” Once we have finished with our current work, and are ready to release it to the world, we are successful. It is something that “occurs in the privacy of the soul.”From finding ideas, crafting them, editing them, believing in them, releasing them, getting feedback, all the way to starting again, Rubin’s book touches on every aspect of living the creative life. It is full of wisdom that I will surely revisit in times of need.The most important question it asks is: Why make art?The answer: To connect.
Joe Moss –
A must-read for any Creator
This is an AWESOME book for anybody building, creating, etc.
Mabel –
Motivador e indispensable para creativxs.
proje –
i n s a n o.
Ranen Francis –
Rick rubin takes you to the spiritual side of music. Love the book
abkaraman –
Rick Rubin’in yaraticiligi korukleyen muthis bilgiler verdigi kitabini butun sanat dallari ile ugrasan kisilerin okumasi gerektigini dusunuyorum. Ilk olarak audio book olarak dinledim ve ayrintili okuma yamak icin original kopyasini uygun fiyata amazondan aldim. Tavsiye ederim.
Eleonora Pecopeco –
Anche se è in inglese (ho comprato anche la versione italiana per stare sicuri) è stata una delle letture più emozionanti, complesse ed ispiranti della mia vita. Consigliato a chiunque sente di non potersi chiamare artista ma, in fondo, lo è.