The Creative Act
Rick Rubin
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.
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Listen to a clip from the GRAMMY® nominated audiobook.
Reviews
“A work of transcendent literature, one that suggests the universe still smiles upon us despite all indications to the contrary.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Rick Rubin is the definition of a creative genius and he has put his wisdom in one place and it is possibly the most inspiring book on creativity I have ever read. The Creative Act is up there with Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Stephen King's On Writing . . . The advice in here is brilliant . . . For those wanting to feel some new life and confidence in their creative bones, this book is a godsend.” —Matt Haig
“Extraordinary . . . Rick beautifully captures the sacred but commonplace practice of creating.” —Jony Ive
“A gorgeous, delicious and wildly practical interrogation of the creative process. A master of his craft, Rubin supplies rich insights, sound advice, helpful suggestions and supreme comfort to anyone living to create, or endeavoring to live creatively.” —JJ Abrams
“A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist…A stunning accomplishment.” —Anne Lamott
“Rick Rubin created genres. He is like Oppenheimer; a destroyer and creator of worlds, a true genius. Read this fantastic book The Creative Act: A Way of Being.” —Russell Brand
“I am reading Rick’s book and truly loving it. I want my kids to read it, want everyone to read it. It is a manual for creativity and creative thinking. A reference book for now and will continue to be of service in the future.” —Mike D
“You'll probably read this extraordinary book four times. The first time, you'll gobble it up. The second time, you'll savour it. The third time, you'll take notes in the margins. But the fourth time, the fourth time it will be part of you as you create the work you were ready to ship.” —Seth Godin
“This book is a companion to anyone on the creative path.” —Kae Tempest
“The Creative Act comes from the pure dojo of Rick Rubin’s heart. A lot of the book is technical, there’s tons of practical wisdom and nuts-and-bolts throughout, but the essence of the work is love.” —Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art
Meet the Author
Photo: © Muriel Hurtado Herrera
