The Creative Act: A Way of Being Hardcover – January 17, 2023
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Description
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. Read more
Details
Book Information
- Publisher
- Penguin Press
- Publication date
- January 17, 2023
- Language
- English
- Print length
- 432 pages
- ISBN-10
- 0593652886
- ISBN-13
- 978-0593652886
Physical Details
- Item Weight
- 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions
- 6.3 x 8.82 x 1.26 inches
Frequently asked questions
- What is the book about?
- The book is about creativity and being an artist, offering wisdom from music producer Rick Rubin on how to connect with creativity and transcend self-imposed expectations. It is described as a book on how to be.
- How many pages does the book have?
- The book has 432 pages.
- What is the customer rating?
- The book has a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 11,484 reviews.
Customer reviews
A quiet, powerful guide back to the creative self
Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act isn’t a book you read. It’s a book you breathe with. It meets you in the quiet places — the ones you usually rush past — and reminds you that creativity isn’t something you force. It’s something you tune into. What I love most is how grounded this book is. Rubin offers clarity without pressure, presence without performance, and guidance without ego. Every chapter feels like a single turning of the head toward your true creative rhythm. This book helped me understand my own process in a deeper way. It taught me to trust timing, to listen for what feels alive, and to treat creativity as a way of being instead of a task to complete. It supported both my writing and my leadership, and it never once tried to overwhelm me. If you’re in a season of rebuilding your creative life — or learning to return to yourself after years of noise — this book will feel like a gentle invitation back home. Five stars, easily.
Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act isn’t a book you read. It’s a book you breathe with. It meets you in the quiet places — the ones you usually rush past — and reminds you that creativity isn’t something you force. It’s something you tune into. What I love most is how grounded this book is. Rubin offers clarity without pressure, presence without performance, and guidance without ego. Every chapter feels like a single turning of the head toward your true creative rhythm. This book helped me understand my own process in a deeper way. It taught me to trust timing, to listen for what feels alive, and to treat creativity as a way of being instead of a task to complete. It supported both my writing and my leadership, and it never once tried to overwhelm me. If you’re in a season of rebuilding your creative life — or learning to return to yourself after years of noise — this book will feel like a gentle invitation back home. Five stars, easily.
Surprisingly motivating without being preachy
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin really resonated with me as a graphic designer, marketer, and hobbyist musician. This isn’t a how-to book or a guide filled with tactics. It’s more about mindset and awareness, and how to create space for ideas to show up. The short, reflective chapters make it easy to pick up, put down, and revisit when you need a reset or a new perspective. What I appreciated most is how broadly applicable the ideas are. Whether I’m working on design, marketing strategy, or music, the book encourages you to stay curious, trust your instincts, and remove some of the pressure around “trying” to be creative. It’s less about forcing output and more about being open to the process. It’s calm, thoughtful, and surprisingly motivating without being preachy. If you’re someone who’s always trying to unlock more creativity or reconnect with why you enjoy making things in the first place, this is a great read.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin really resonated with me as a graphic designer, marketer, and hobbyist musician. This isn’t a how-to book or a guide filled with tactics. It’s more about mindset and awareness, and how to create space for ideas to show up. The short, reflective chapters make it easy to pick up, put down, and revisit when you need a reset or a new perspective. What I appreciated most is how broadly applicable the ideas are. Whether I’m working on design, marketing strategy, or music, the book encourages you to stay curious, trust your instincts, and remove some of the pressure around “trying” to be creative. It’s less about forcing output and more about being open to the process. It’s calm, thoughtful, and surprisingly motivating without being preachy. If you’re someone who’s always trying to unlock more creativity or reconnect with why you enjoy making things in the first place, this is a great read.
Wow! A Transformational Philosophy
This book should be a life course for high school and college students. It sure is for this adult. The bite-sized chapters are both rich and concise, the epitome of informational efficiency. And, the messages are all so meaningful and implementable. Now, its up to me to internalize each lesson, live this new way, and change my life for the better.
This book should be a life course for high school and college students. It sure is for this adult. The bite-sized chapters are both rich and concise, the epitome of informational efficiency. And, the messages are all so meaningful and implementable. Now, its up to me to internalize each lesson, live this new way, and change my life for the better.
Un libro para leer con pausa
Muy bueno y amable. Motivante. Un libro para leer con pausa mientras uno encara el proceso creativo. Leerlo todo seguido implica dejar de absorber sabiduría importante. El creador necesitará leerlo por partes mientras trabaja. La lectura completa de un tirón no permite sedimentar todo lo que el libro ofrece.
Muy bueno y amable. Motivante. Un libro para leer con pausa mientras uno encara el proceso creativo. Leerlo todo seguido implica dejar de absorber sabiduría importante. El creador necesitará leerlo por partes mientras trabaja. La lectura completa de un tirón no permite sedimentar todo lo que el libro ofrece.
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