The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Rick Rubin, accomplished music producer, could have written a memoir, including salacious celebrity stories and industry insider tales. Instead, he wrote a book about creativity — a collection of ideas and smattering of thoughts about what creativity is and how the channel it. Inside, it contains no celebrity references, no famous names. It's written almost like a Psalms, but also contains practical advice. And it's good.

In many ways, it's another telling of Big Magic; offering a perspective where creativity exists in the universe, and we tune into it. This metaphor is not offered as "truth"—necessarily—but as a useful model. Rubin opens with a disclaimer that none of the book is necessarily true, but reflects his expertise and experience working with artists. In fact, for me, at times it felt like a better Big Magic, which was surprising, since Elizabeth Gilbert's version was so meaningful to me.

(If you need more convincing, this review is more in depth, and is wonderful.)