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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I found this book to be quite inspiring and thought provoking. I love the idea that creativity loves you and that much of what goes into being a creative person lives within many paradoxes. Gilbert's positive and honest outlooks on the creative life are helpful for those who are struggling to find their footing.
This is a semi-helpful book. I rated it 3/5 because there are still some good points and for the thought that Elizabeth Gilbert wanted to something well but actually... didn't.
Let's be honest, I think every artist has its way to live its own creativity, and of course it needs a hard work and a minimum of trust. But we can't be trustful everyday in what we're doing, there will always be moments of doubts and in my opinion, that's what make artists who they are. What is the point of this book if it's to say to "follow our dreams" in the first part than to later say "this may never happen to you like it did to me, don't quit your day job blablabla" ? "Big Magic" was more telling about how she lives her own creativity, how she writes her books than to encouraging young artists. And also she thing that she sees creatvity as something magical let the reader think that she's part from a cult (okay i may exaggerate). This is a book full of contradiction, full of selfishness and it is probably not intentional, like I said she wanted to do it well but for me it failed in many points. If it helped young/debutants artists in research of their abilities then that's good for them, as a reader/aspiring writer I closed this book with the thought that it didn't change my idea of art. I expected the book to be neutral.
There are still good points though, first of all what she said about perfectionnism, about the fears, the perseverance and the fact we don't need any permission to do what we want to do. But that are obvious things, we don't work in a single finger snap (well, when i see some published books (not gonna quote them *cough*) it seems like so). The first part of the book was inspiring and interesting if in the second part she wasn't saying the entire opposite, and that was disappointed. There was so much potetial but she lost herself by most of the time quoting her famous author friends and was always boasting her success. That's the opposite of helpful in my opinion.
In conclusion, she wasn't joking when she said "she wrote the book for herself", but anyway in this case the title of the book must be changed.
Let's be honest, I think every artist has its way to live its own creativity, and of course it needs a hard work and a minimum of trust. But we can't be trustful everyday in what we're doing, there will always be moments of doubts and in my opinion, that's what make artists who they are. What is the point of this book if it's to say to "follow our dreams" in the first part than to later say "this may never happen to you like it did to me, don't quit your day job blablabla" ? "Big Magic" was more telling about how she lives her own creativity, how she writes her books than to encouraging young artists. And also she thing that she sees creatvity as something magical let the reader think that she's part from a cult (okay i may exaggerate). This is a book full of contradiction, full of selfishness and it is probably not intentional, like I said she wanted to do it well but for me it failed in many points. If it helped young/debutants artists in research of their abilities then that's good for them, as a reader/aspiring writer I closed this book with the thought that it didn't change my idea of art. I expected the book to be neutral.
There are still good points though, first of all what she said about perfectionnism, about the fears, the perseverance and the fact we don't need any permission to do what we want to do. But that are obvious things, we don't work in a single finger snap (well, when i see some published books (not gonna quote them *cough*) it seems like so). The first part of the book was inspiring and interesting if in the second part she wasn't saying the entire opposite, and that was disappointed. There was so much potetial but she lost herself by most of the time quoting her famous author friends and was always boasting her success. That's the opposite of helpful in my opinion.
In conclusion, she wasn't joking when she said "she wrote the book for herself", but anyway in this case the title of the book must be changed.
inspiring
medium-paced
a little too woo woo at times (but to be fair it is called big MAGIC) but offered some really great insight about the value of doing art for the sake of doing art and not for external validation
It was a lot of scattered ideas, although the tone was hopeful and to not give up on your dreams, be creative and let creativity into your life, which is lovely but; to me, my summarization did the trick, there doesn’t need to be a whole book about it.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Highly recommend to anyone with a creative bone in their body (and according to this book, that’s everyone).
This was an easy read, but enjoyable. Nothing revelatory, but it was very encouraging
I started reading this a few years ago and found it slightly uninteresting and couldn't wait to finish it to be honest. I picked it up today as I don't like to leave a book half read and I did find the end of it more interesting and I gained some insight. What stuck with me most is when Elizabeth talks about curiostity.
I wasn't a huge fan of Eat Pray Love, so was pleasantly surprised by this book on living a creative life. Much wisdom and down to earth advice even for those of us who aren't living a particularly creative life ourselves.