Keep Creativity Coming: Big Magic

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Riverhead, 2015

*ARC provided by the publisher - thank you! This in no way impacted my opinions of this book.*

Creativity can be a fickle thing. On the one hand, people can appreciate amazing things when they see them. Works of art. Powerful stories. Music that can move the soul. However, they can be less appreciative of the work that goes into creating such works, and, therefore, the people who aim to do the creating. It can be as daunting as it is liberating to live a creative life.

But never fear because Liz Gilbert is here. Best known for her memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert's latest book explores the nature of creativity: Where does it come from? How does it shape us? How can we harness it (if we can at all)? And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Gilbert has clearly put a lot of thought into this topic - she's done two TED talks on the subject. This book is a unique blend of nonfiction in that it is part opinions, part theories, part anecdotal, and part motivational. Her voice is clear and authentic. She shares from her many and varied experiences from throughout her own creative life, and it was refreshing to have an author, who despite having just poured herself into a book, is the first to admit that she doesn't know everything, that she could be completely wrong. But that's exactly why she brings in the opinions and experiences of so many other people - she very consciously tries to cover as many of the bases as she can.

As someone who likes to consider herself a creative person, or at least aiming to live a creative life, I found this book to be great. I'm currently in between projects and exploring a handful of different creative outlets, searching the one that fits me in this moment. As a result, this was a case of reading the right book at the right time. I'm still exploring my options, but I'm so much happier in my uncertainty. So, thanks Liz. Keep doing what you're doing, and I'll keep trying what I'm trying.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Elizabeth Gilbert's Website
Elizabeth Gilbert on Twitter

I'm Still Here!

Hello! Readers! Are you still there?

I know, I know. I've been bad about updating. REALLY BAD. I've been so bad, I haven't even posting links to my many video reviews that I've done over the past few months.

To say life has been a whirlwind lately has been an understatement. I got a new job at a new school, and my library life has to come before the blog. However, I'm still reading and I still have lots of thoughts about what I'm reading, I promise. It's just that with work and life happening, the blog has slid further and further down the to-do list.

But I'm working on it. It's coming back up.

So, dear readers, if you're still with me, I appreciate it. Bear with me as I get reorganized and start with more semi-regular posting and reviews (baby steps). In the mean time, please check out my account on Goodreads to see what I've been reading (for some reason I was much better about posting mini-reviews there this summer) and head over to my YouTube channel to see and hear my thoughts.

YOU ROCK!

-monica