So Big Magic was my first introduction to author Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat, Pray, Love* fame), and I may now be hooked. At a friend's suggestion, I listened to Big Magic as an audiobook because Gilbert reads her own works and has a really delightful voice to listen to. I think I could listen to her read the phone book and be enthralled! (When I've mentioned this to anyone else who's listened to her, they agreed immediately; also, one co-worker admitted to buying a copy of this book so she could re-read it as often as she liked, in case you still need convincing about this book in either format.) Anyway, Big Magic is Gilbert's take on the creative process, not just in terms of writing but more generally, and it's surprisingly affirming and unpretentious. Learning figure skating can be a way of living creatively, if you're passionate about it. You don't have to become great, or even good at it, as long as you enjoy it. Gilbert spends a lot of time on the importance of pleasure, particularly spending time de-bunking the trope of the tortured creative genius or the idea that only melancholy can produce great art or other creative endeavors. Whether you're actively looking to increase the amount of creativity in your daily life or just want an interesting (and short) non-fiction book, definitely give Big Magic a try.
*My next post will almost certainly be talking about Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, which I resisted for years because it looked so smug and pretentious, but it was neither and in fact quite enjoyable!
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