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Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World
A stunning and timely creative call-to-arms combining four extraordinary written pieces by Neil Gaiman.
"The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before". (Neil Gaiman)
Drawn from Gaiman's trove of published speeches, poems and creative manifestos, 'ART MATTERS' is an embodiment of this remarkable multimedia artist's vision - an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives.
'ART MATTERS' brings together four of Gaiman's most beloved writings on creativity and artistry:
❖1❖
"CREDO", his remarkably concise and relevant manifesto on free expression, first delivered in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings
❖2❖
"MAKE GOOD ART", his famous 2012 commencement address delivered at the Philadelphia University of the Arts
❖3❖
"MAKING A CHAIR", a poem about the joys of creating something, even when the words won't come
❖4❖
"ON LIBRARIES", an impassioned argument for libraries that illuminates their importance to our future and celebrates how they foster readers and daydreamers.
'ART MATTERS' is a stirring testament to the freedom of ideas that inspire us to make art in the face of adversity and dares us to choose to be bold.
RUNNING TIME ⇰ 49mins.
©2018 Neil Gaiman (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers
"The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before". (Neil Gaiman)
Drawn from Gaiman's trove of published speeches, poems and creative manifestos, 'ART MATTERS' is an embodiment of this remarkable multimedia artist's vision - an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives.
'ART MATTERS' brings together four of Gaiman's most beloved writings on creativity and artistry:
❖1❖
"CREDO", his remarkably concise and relevant manifesto on free expression, first delivered in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings
❖2❖
"MAKE GOOD ART", his famous 2012 commencement address delivered at the Philadelphia University of the Arts
❖3❖
"MAKING A CHAIR", a poem about the joys of creating something, even when the words won't come
❖4❖
"ON LIBRARIES", an impassioned argument for libraries that illuminates their importance to our future and celebrates how they foster readers and daydreamers.
'ART MATTERS' is a stirring testament to the freedom of ideas that inspire us to make art in the face of adversity and dares us to choose to be bold.
RUNNING TIME ⇰ 49mins.
©2018 Neil Gaiman (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers
101 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,687 reviews
October 28, 2018
The answer is not 42 after all. The answer to life, the universe and everything is:
MAKE GOOD ART.
Which of course may well be what Douglas Adams did, hitchhiking his way through the universe in a bombastic show of creative power. So 42 and "MAKE GOOD ART" could be seen as synonyms.
A mutated boa constrictor is harming you? Time for making good art.
This collection of passionate essays by Neil Gaiman and outrageously funny drawings by Chris Riddell will be my "Annoy-Everyone-Until -They-Read-It"-treat for this season. I knew it before I received my own copy, and I made sure to have a stack of five ready to spread the message quickly. I will most definitely read it with my classes, and two of my children already stole copies of their own from my shrinking stack.
WHY does it matters so much to me?
Because it is funny, to the point, gets a message (or two or three or four) across? Because it makes perfect use of my two favourite ways of communication: drawing and text? Because it reaches the heart without ever preaching? Because it sums up the issues we deal with every day in our era of digital addiction, and it makes a case for embracing the adventure of novelties without ditching the good old company of books - making a case for BOTHNESS, rather than WORLD BOOK DOOMSDAY? Because it contains a credo for freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of argument, while completely, unambiguously denouncing any violence? We may all ignore or argue against other people's stupidity, but we may never ever hurt or kill those who call us out on our own weirder thoughts. If all kept to the diversity without violence credo, the world would be an adventure that you could actually survive for a while.
I LOVE this book to bits for its stance on libraries and librarians. And I am biased of course, spending most of my childhood in libraries in a variety of ever changing small towns, and then morphing into one of those strange powerful beings between the shelves and behind the desk myself. School librarians around the world should read this NOW. It is encouraging, heartwarming, and necessary.
I love it because it offers a hilarious take on how not to write if you happen to have a box with a chair-yet-to-be-constructed at home, and how that strange set of skills can be turned into humour and art as well.
I love it for the passage where Gaiman describes his time as a young man, trying to succeed in freelance. Chronologically challenged! The best joke ever. Read the book to find out. It would be worth it for that alone.
Without further ado: ART MATTERS. READ IT! And then make a drawing or write a poem or a song about it. Spread the gospel and let others argue with you. Argue back. It is our right to think and express thoughts in art.
MAKE GOOD ART.
Which of course may well be what Douglas Adams did, hitchhiking his way through the universe in a bombastic show of creative power. So 42 and "MAKE GOOD ART" could be seen as synonyms.
A mutated boa constrictor is harming you? Time for making good art.
This collection of passionate essays by Neil Gaiman and outrageously funny drawings by Chris Riddell will be my "Annoy-Everyone-Until -They-Read-It"-treat for this season. I knew it before I received my own copy, and I made sure to have a stack of five ready to spread the message quickly. I will most definitely read it with my classes, and two of my children already stole copies of their own from my shrinking stack.
WHY does it matters so much to me?
Because it is funny, to the point, gets a message (or two or three or four) across? Because it makes perfect use of my two favourite ways of communication: drawing and text? Because it reaches the heart without ever preaching? Because it sums up the issues we deal with every day in our era of digital addiction, and it makes a case for embracing the adventure of novelties without ditching the good old company of books - making a case for BOTHNESS, rather than WORLD BOOK DOOMSDAY? Because it contains a credo for freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of argument, while completely, unambiguously denouncing any violence? We may all ignore or argue against other people's stupidity, but we may never ever hurt or kill those who call us out on our own weirder thoughts. If all kept to the diversity without violence credo, the world would be an adventure that you could actually survive for a while.
I LOVE this book to bits for its stance on libraries and librarians. And I am biased of course, spending most of my childhood in libraries in a variety of ever changing small towns, and then morphing into one of those strange powerful beings between the shelves and behind the desk myself. School librarians around the world should read this NOW. It is encouraging, heartwarming, and necessary.
I love it because it offers a hilarious take on how not to write if you happen to have a box with a chair-yet-to-be-constructed at home, and how that strange set of skills can be turned into humour and art as well.
I love it for the passage where Gaiman describes his time as a young man, trying to succeed in freelance. Chronologically challenged! The best joke ever. Read the book to find out. It would be worth it for that alone.
Without further ado: ART MATTERS. READ IT! And then make a drawing or write a poem or a song about it. Spread the gospel and let others argue with you. Argue back. It is our right to think and express thoughts in art.
June 8, 2022
Oh my goodness, I L💜VE this book! I read it on the work commute home the day I bought it, and am SO impressed with it. It's one of those books that makes you believe that good things can happen.
Imagine a world devoid of beauty. Without colour. No artworks to adorn walls or office desks. No words of wisdom to inspire or incite. Imagine a world without books!
Art matters because it soothes the soul, keeps the blood pumping through our veins, makes us think. It connects us.
Didn’t someone once say “The pen is mightier than the sword.”?
Wise words from Neil Gaiman wonderfully accompanied by fab illustrations from Chris Riddell. A match made in heaven!
This book reminds us to not forget to dream. And to be creative. And to keep creating. Every day.
I cannot gush enough about this one. This book made my head spin and had me grinning more widely than the Cheshire Cat.
If you haven’t already read this, you simply must add it to your TBR list. At the top. Do it now.
Beautiful book Mr Gaiman and Mr Ridell. Bravo.
WORDS: Neil Gaiman
ILLUSTRATIONS: Chris Ridell
✩✩✩ ”I had no idea. I still don’t. And where would be the fun in making something you knew was going to work?” ✩✩✩
PS: I also read it on the morning work commute the very next day & it’s just as inspiring. Love, love, love.
Imagine a world devoid of beauty. Without colour. No artworks to adorn walls or office desks. No words of wisdom to inspire or incite. Imagine a world without books!
Art matters because it soothes the soul, keeps the blood pumping through our veins, makes us think. It connects us.
Didn’t someone once say “The pen is mightier than the sword.”?
Wise words from Neil Gaiman wonderfully accompanied by fab illustrations from Chris Riddell. A match made in heaven!
This book reminds us to not forget to dream. And to be creative. And to keep creating. Every day.
I cannot gush enough about this one. This book made my head spin and had me grinning more widely than the Cheshire Cat.
If you haven’t already read this, you simply must add it to your TBR list. At the top. Do it now.
Beautiful book Mr Gaiman and Mr Ridell. Bravo.
WORDS: Neil Gaiman
ILLUSTRATIONS: Chris Ridell
✩✩✩ ”I had no idea. I still don’t. And where would be the fun in making something you knew was going to work?” ✩✩✩
PS: I also read it on the morning work commute the very next day & it’s just as inspiring. Love, love, love.
September 15, 2018
"Make good art. I’m serious."
This is a collection of four essays, each forceful and energetic, that directly address why it is so important to read and write and, more importantly, they impress upon you why children should be doing it too.
This is not new material but has instead been published in various magazines and online publications, some of them even appeared in The View From the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction.
The essays are as followed:
1. Credo
2. Why Our Future Depends on Libraries, Reading and Daydreaming
3. Making a Chair (more of a poem really.)
4. Make Good Art
So you may have read these before, as I have; however, that being said, I’m not overly disappointed that there’s nothing new here beyond the illustrations. These pieces speak to each other and form a persuasive argument about the importance of art, regardless of the particular medium, and establish why it’s so important for society.
We need people who understand the world and can empathise with situations different to our own, we need leaders and individuals who can look past their own personal experience and act accordingly. We need literate people. We need people who can imagine a better world than the one we have so they can work towards building it (or at the very least representing it.) All in all, the world needs more readers, writers and artists. And Gaiman establishes it so convincingly here (not that many people who would pick a book up like this need convincing.)
“We need to teach our children to read. And to enjoy reading. We need libraries. We need books.”
I have so much respect for Gaiman and his work. As all writers do, he wrote stories to make money though he also did it because it was his passion. At the young age of fifteen he knew it was his calling and he worked towards his goals until he achieved success and fame (then he carried on writing some more!) Beyond that though, he has got so many children into reading with his work. Just look at his sales figures. Granted many of his readers are adults, but he has opened the literary doorways for many with his creative and intelligent writing.
Because of the sheer volume of quality work he has produced, the variety of it and the innovative nature of his original ideas, I think he deserves the noble prize for literature. I’m almost certain that this year he will win it. He has been shortlisted, and from the four candidates chosen, it seems to be a two horse race between Gaiman and Murakami (Guardian article.) Both are fantastic writers, though I think Gaiman has a slight edge because he can write in very different ways where Murakami has found his niche and dominates it.
Could 2018 be Gaiman’s year? If I were a betting man, I’d put money down that it is. (What a victory that would be for the world of fantasy literature.)
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Insta | Academia
This is a collection of four essays, each forceful and energetic, that directly address why it is so important to read and write and, more importantly, they impress upon you why children should be doing it too.
This is not new material but has instead been published in various magazines and online publications, some of them even appeared in The View From the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction.
The essays are as followed:
1. Credo
2. Why Our Future Depends on Libraries, Reading and Daydreaming
3. Making a Chair (more of a poem really.)
4. Make Good Art
So you may have read these before, as I have; however, that being said, I’m not overly disappointed that there’s nothing new here beyond the illustrations. These pieces speak to each other and form a persuasive argument about the importance of art, regardless of the particular medium, and establish why it’s so important for society.
We need people who understand the world and can empathise with situations different to our own, we need leaders and individuals who can look past their own personal experience and act accordingly. We need literate people. We need people who can imagine a better world than the one we have so they can work towards building it (or at the very least representing it.) All in all, the world needs more readers, writers and artists. And Gaiman establishes it so convincingly here (not that many people who would pick a book up like this need convincing.)
“We need to teach our children to read. And to enjoy reading. We need libraries. We need books.”
I have so much respect for Gaiman and his work. As all writers do, he wrote stories to make money though he also did it because it was his passion. At the young age of fifteen he knew it was his calling and he worked towards his goals until he achieved success and fame (then he carried on writing some more!) Beyond that though, he has got so many children into reading with his work. Just look at his sales figures. Granted many of his readers are adults, but he has opened the literary doorways for many with his creative and intelligent writing.
Because of the sheer volume of quality work he has produced, the variety of it and the innovative nature of his original ideas, I think he deserves the noble prize for literature. I’m almost certain that this year he will win it. He has been shortlisted, and from the four candidates chosen, it seems to be a two horse race between Gaiman and Murakami (Guardian article.) Both are fantastic writers, though I think Gaiman has a slight edge because he can write in very different ways where Murakami has found his niche and dominates it.
Could 2018 be Gaiman’s year? If I were a betting man, I’d put money down that it is. (What a victory that would be for the world of fantasy literature.)
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Insta | Academia
September 4, 2018
I needed this. Also Chris Riddell could stab me with a pencil and I'd thank him.
December 22, 2018
When I walk down a street I take often, I don’t need telling where the hump is or where the manhole splays. But even so, on days the street light doesn’t work, I feel a pinch; as if the little streak of light was a guide and despite being on a street I was well acquainted with, I need occasional help, a spurt of inspiration, a wise prelude.
‘Art Matters’ is that little streak of light.
Gaiman has long been an author who unspools the complex doings of my mind and weaves them back together in simple but profound sentences. He has seldom deployed complex levers to put across the point; I think his propensity to remain a child forbids him to do so. And in this delightful partnership with Chris Riddell, he once again comes closer to my world and whispers truths I had always known but wasn’t privy to their clear outlining.
Why should I let ideas thrive? What values must I impart freedom with? Why do I need fiction? Why should I support my local library? Do I lose out on the race of creating art if I don’t know the rules? Why do I create art? When should I create art? Why imitation is not all that bad? Why creating a good work is the most important thing in the scheme of writing and selling books?
Read it today. And tomorrow. And whenever you feel the lights flickering on the street of life you are walking on.
--
Also on my blog.
‘Art Matters’ is that little streak of light.
Gaiman has long been an author who unspools the complex doings of my mind and weaves them back together in simple but profound sentences. He has seldom deployed complex levers to put across the point; I think his propensity to remain a child forbids him to do so. And in this delightful partnership with Chris Riddell, he once again comes closer to my world and whispers truths I had always known but wasn’t privy to their clear outlining.
Why should I let ideas thrive? What values must I impart freedom with? Why do I need fiction? Why should I support my local library? Do I lose out on the race of creating art if I don’t know the rules? Why do I create art? When should I create art? Why imitation is not all that bad? Why creating a good work is the most important thing in the scheme of writing and selling books?
I believe that ideas do not have to be correct to exist. I believe you have every right to be perfectly certain that images of God or Prophet of Human that you revere are sacred, and undefilable, just as I have the right to be certain of the sacredness of speech, and of the sanctity of the right to mock, comment, to argue and to utter.I found these fabulous answers and more (read snippets on Coraline and Stephen King's advice to Gaiman) in the gorgeous pages of this petite book; pencil sketches by Riddell accentuated their meanings, giving the whole idea a reverberation of perennial kind.
People who cannot understand each other cannot exchange ideas, cannot communicate.
A Library is a place of safety, a haven from the world. It is a place with Librarians in it.
When you start out on a career in the arts, you have no idea what you are doing. This is great. People who know what they are doing know the rules, and know what is possible and impossible. You do not and you should not.
I decided that I would do my best in future not to write books just for the money. If you didn’t get the money, then you didn’t have anything, If I did work I was proud of, and I didn’t get the money, at least I’d have the work.
Read it today. And tomorrow. And whenever you feel the lights flickering on the street of life you are walking on.
--
Also on my blog.
November 29, 2023
تحديث 29/11/2023
أبي الحبيب الذي أظهرتُ في هذه المراجعة جزءًا واحدًا من فضله عليّ، وأمسكت عندي تسعةً وتسعين جزءًا، أسلم روحه الطاهرة بين يدي بالأمس.
ادعو له بالرحمة والمغفرة.
المراجعة:
عندما سُألت لماذا تُحبُ الشتاء لهذا الحد، ذكرتُ المطر وغياب الحر والدفء الذي يُمكّنني من الانتصار المتعمد على البرد، لكن الإجابة لم تكن مكتملة بحيث تقنعني.
كنتُ طفلًا لا ينام بدون حدوتة، وأبي الحنون حكّاء بارع، يضعني في السرير ويحكي لي حتى أنام.
ومُنذ وَعيتُ وهو يقرأ لي، قرأ لي كل شيء تقريبًا، بنظام بسيط ولكن فعّال؛ يقرأ الفقرة ثم يفسّرها، يخبرني عن معاني الكلمات وما يستشكل عليّ من مفاهيم وتراكيب، يُبسّط الأمر حتى يستوعبه الطفل الذي كنته، وحتى الأمس القريب كان يُفسّر لي الفُصحى لأنه اعتاد أن يفعل، كأني ما كبرتُ أبدًا.
مع ذلك لم يعاملني أبدًا كطفل، ولم يمنع عني صنفًا من الأدب، قرأ لي قصصًا من الأدب العالمي ومن ألف ليلة وليلة (المنقّحة بالطبع)، قرأ لي عن الحب والحرب والدين والخرافة. وعن العلم والطب والفضاء والتأليف والتفسير وعلم الحديث.
أخذ بيدي إلى عوالم أسطورية لا أحصيها، ولا أستطيع اليوم أن أدلف إلى أي منها إلا وطيفه معي، باعتباره أهم أبطالها، والخبير بكل شبرٍ فيها.
ورغم حبي الفطري للحكايات، لم تكن القراءة ما جذبني ساعتها، بل ذلك الشغف الذي أدّى به الحَكي، وسعادة أن يُشركني أبي الذي أُجلّه في أمر يحبه.
من وقتها تعلمت أن القراءة تساوي المتعة، وأن أبي يعرف كل شيء.
لذا فحتى بعدما غدوتُ شحطًا وولت أمسيات ال��راءة الجماعية، ظللتُ آخذ كتابي وأقرأ بجانبه، أسأله عن معاني الكلمات بدلًا من سؤال المعجم، ولم يخذلني قط، كأنه يعرف كل شيء فعلًا!
عندما ذهبتُ إلى معرض الكتاب للمرة الأولى، اشتريتُ كل ما وجدته م�� الكتب التي أخبرني عنها. سبعة مجلدات على الأقل لم أقرأ منهم إلا واحدًا حتى اليوم، بينما قرأهم جميعًا بنهَم مثير.
لم يقرأهم لي، لكنه قرأهم معي، كنا نجلس سويًا كُلٌ في كتابه ونق��أ لساعات، أشاركه ما يثير فضولي ويحكي لي التاريخ من جانبه كأذكى ما يكون.
في البداية اعتقدتُ أنني ربما معجب به كونه أبي، أو لأنه من جعل مغامرة عقلي الأولى غنية وخصبة ومليئة بالخيال العبقري، لكن مع التوغل في القراءة أيقنت كم هو بارع، كان ينقل جميع الحكايات بتصرّف مُبهِر، ولو خُيّرت الآن بينه وبين شهرزاد لاخترته مستحقًا، غير منحاز.
أنا مدين لهذا الرجل بكل شيء، بوجودي كله.
أحبُ القراءة لأنه يحبها، وربما أقرأ كثيرًا لأنه كان دائمًا يخبرني عن عدد الكتب التي قرأها ابن حجر، قبل الشروع في تأليف فتح الباري الذي يرتاح أحد مجلداته على صدره.
لذا عندما أجد نيل جايمان يحث على ضرورة القراءة للطفل لينمو أكثر ذكاءً وأقل إجرامًا، وكيف يُعلّم الخيال صاحبه التقمص العاطفي والاستمرار رغم الألم؛ أفكّر تلقائيًا في ليالي الشتاء الباردة التي جعلها أبي دافئة بجمعنا حوله بعد صلاة العشاء تحت بطانية واحدة وفي يده كتاب.
يأتي صوته الساحر كحكّاء أسطوري أحن ما يميزه أن بإمكاني الالتصاق به، إضافة لمعرفته بكل الأساطير وامتلاكه كل مفاتيح العوالم السحرية، وقدرته على بث الحياة في كل كلمة، حتى أن القصص التي لا أحبها، تتحول معه لحكايات أتلهف وراء تفاصيلها.
لذلك تحديدًا أحُب الشتاء، لأن أبي كان يجعل لياليه الطويلة تستحق أن تُعاش، حتى أنني تمنيتُ بصدق كل ليلة أن "أمانة عليك يا ليل طوّل وهات العُمر من الأول."
أعترف أنني لم أكن معجبًا بالحكايات قدر إعجابي به، وربما أقرأ حتى الآن لأنني أحبه وأقلّده، فما كانت القراءة لتكون بكل هذه المتعة لو لم يكن هو من أخذ بيدي إلى عوالمها.
هذا الكتاب يحثك نصفه الأول على استهلاك الأدب ويؤكد عليك نصفه الثاني أن تصنع فنًا جيّدًا، أيًا كان نوعه، ومهما كانت حالتك أو شعورك؛ اِبدع سواء أصابك الألم أو غمرتك السعادة، ابدع في الرخاء والعُسر، في الصحة والسقم، في الأمن والخوف وفي كل وقت وحين.
الفن قادر على إنقاذك من قسوة الحياة وقسوتك الذاتية، فهل تهتم بإنقاذ نفسك؟
هذا الكتاب يعانق الفنان بداخل كل واحد منا، لكن به عيبٌ خطير هو أنه ينتهي سريعا، وهي أزمة حقيقية لدرجة أن هذه النجمة ناقصة لأنني وجدته أقصر من اللازم.
February 14, 2019
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have created a manifesto for readers, librarians and content creators. This little book celebrates everything having to do with reading, freedom of information and ideas, and how to start creating the life of your dreams, even if you don't know where to start.
"The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before."
I feel like this should be required reading — especially the parts about how to respond to intellectual disagreements. I think Gaiman penned these words after the bombing at Charlie Hebdo, and they still ring true.
"I believe I have the right to think and say the wrong things. I believe your remedy for that should be to argue with me or to ignore me. And that I should have the same remedy for the wrong things that I believe you think."
And, of course, I was partial to all of the praise directed towards librarians and libraries, having been a librarian once myself. Sometimes people ask me if I ever think libraries will be closed because "they're just a building with books" or "they're a waste of taxpayer money".
This is how I wished I had replied: "Libraries are about freedom. Freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communication. They are about education, about entertainment, about making safe spaces and about access to information." How could that ever possibly go out of style?
Gaiman also gives attention to the bookworms of the world. We make it a better place through our reading and daydreaming and daydreaming about reading. Also, our epic library patronage is a good thing.
"We have an obligation to read for pleasure. If others see us reading, we show that reading is a good thing. We have an obligation to support libraries, to protest the closure of libraries. If you do not value libraries you are silencing the voices of the past and you are damaging the future."
Gaiman shares a bit about how he became the universally beloved author he is today. Step one, you've just got to get started.
"If you have an idea of what you want to make, what you were put here to do, then just go and do that and that's much harder than it sounds and, sometimes in the end, so much easier than you might imagine."
He confesses that he lied on early resumes to get his foot in the door. But, after his later success, he went back and worked at all of the places he had claimed before. That way, he didn't see himself as lying but as "chronologically challenged." I loved that.
Gaiman also has some interesting views about no-start dreamers. He says the saddest thing to him are friends that say they're too committed to follow their dreams. There's bills to pay, mortgages and families to support and they can't take the dive to do whatever it is they've always dreamed of doing.
He said he dodged that particular roadblock by skipping a well-paying job or two early in his career, so that he didn't get too comfortable doing something other than writing. I thought that was an interesting strategy. Creating is about having the courage to just do it, no matter what and not stopping until you're doing it.
"Somebody on the internet thinks what you do is stupid or evil or it's all been done before? Make good art."
The good news is there are more platforms than ever before to get your creations in front of the people who will care about them.
"The gatekeepers are leaving their gates. You can be as creative as you need to be to get your work seen. YouTube and the web (and whatever comes after YouTube and the web) can give you more people watching than television ever did. The old rules are crumbling and nobody knows what the new rules are. So make up your own rules."
My own life right now points to the truth of that. I left a guaranteed paycheck and employer provided health care to write for my husband's YouTube channel. We're not only succeeding but we're having a lot of fun doing it.
Thank you, Gaiman and Riddell for this beautiful book. I hope it encourages creators everywhere to take the leap.
"The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before."
I feel like this should be required reading — especially the parts about how to respond to intellectual disagreements. I think Gaiman penned these words after the bombing at Charlie Hebdo, and they still ring true.
"I believe I have the right to think and say the wrong things. I believe your remedy for that should be to argue with me or to ignore me. And that I should have the same remedy for the wrong things that I believe you think."
And, of course, I was partial to all of the praise directed towards librarians and libraries, having been a librarian once myself. Sometimes people ask me if I ever think libraries will be closed because "they're just a building with books" or "they're a waste of taxpayer money".
This is how I wished I had replied: "Libraries are about freedom. Freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communication. They are about education, about entertainment, about making safe spaces and about access to information." How could that ever possibly go out of style?
Gaiman also gives attention to the bookworms of the world. We make it a better place through our reading and daydreaming and daydreaming about reading. Also, our epic library patronage is a good thing.
"We have an obligation to read for pleasure. If others see us reading, we show that reading is a good thing. We have an obligation to support libraries, to protest the closure of libraries. If you do not value libraries you are silencing the voices of the past and you are damaging the future."
Gaiman shares a bit about how he became the universally beloved author he is today. Step one, you've just got to get started.
"If you have an idea of what you want to make, what you were put here to do, then just go and do that and that's much harder than it sounds and, sometimes in the end, so much easier than you might imagine."
He confesses that he lied on early resumes to get his foot in the door. But, after his later success, he went back and worked at all of the places he had claimed before. That way, he didn't see himself as lying but as "chronologically challenged." I loved that.
Gaiman also has some interesting views about no-start dreamers. He says the saddest thing to him are friends that say they're too committed to follow their dreams. There's bills to pay, mortgages and families to support and they can't take the dive to do whatever it is they've always dreamed of doing.
He said he dodged that particular roadblock by skipping a well-paying job or two early in his career, so that he didn't get too comfortable doing something other than writing. I thought that was an interesting strategy. Creating is about having the courage to just do it, no matter what and not stopping until you're doing it.
"Somebody on the internet thinks what you do is stupid or evil or it's all been done before? Make good art."
The good news is there are more platforms than ever before to get your creations in front of the people who will care about them.
"The gatekeepers are leaving their gates. You can be as creative as you need to be to get your work seen. YouTube and the web (and whatever comes after YouTube and the web) can give you more people watching than television ever did. The old rules are crumbling and nobody knows what the new rules are. So make up your own rules."
My own life right now points to the truth of that. I left a guaranteed paycheck and employer provided health care to write for my husband's YouTube channel. We're not only succeeding but we're having a lot of fun doing it.
Thank you, Gaiman and Riddell for this beautiful book. I hope it encourages creators everywhere to take the leap.
July 3, 2024
I often wish I had chosen a more artistic job, be all officially moody, but eventually churn out masterpiece after masterpiece. Of course, I'm then reminded that my literature grades were average at best, not to mention my parents' views on non-tech jobs (waves in street cleaning). But reading Neil Gaiman's relentless optimism and ambition to follow his dreams kinda made me ashamed I didn't even attempt to try harder.
That being said, the letter spacing could use some work. A lot of times I missed the end of a sentence, wondering why a phrase was so bloody long. Alternately, maybe less text per page would have also made things more.
Score: 4/5 stars
The message is neither new or groundbreaking, but the illustrations create a different appeal for them. Suffice to say, I need to save some money so I can get Chris Riddell to illustrate all my reviews. See, without the images, this book's content wouldn't have sounded half as effective, and I wouldn't really have cared too much about it.
That being said, the letter spacing could use some work. A lot of times I missed the end of a sentence, wondering why a phrase was so bloody long. Alternately, maybe less text per page would have also made things more.
Score: 4/5 stars
The message is neither new or groundbreaking, but the illustrations create a different appeal for them. Suffice to say, I need to save some money so I can get Chris Riddell to illustrate all my reviews. See, without the images, this book's content wouldn't have sounded half as effective, and I wouldn't really have cared too much about it.
September 10, 2019
Half illustrations, half art-on-art, this little gem of a book is just about perfect for anyone who appreciates art and/or makes it. :)
I won't say the advice is new but it is very emphatic and heartfelt, so you're not hearing any complaints from this corner.
Best advice ever? Have fun. Next best advice? Make good art. Or maybe I have those two reversed. Doesn't matter. It's all good advice.
And above all, when everything goes wrong, STILL make good art.
Why? Because it helps you through the hard times. And sometimes that's all you've got. I get that. A lot.
I do believe I'll be revisiting this book again. Maybe a lot. It's heartening. :)
I won't say the advice is new but it is very emphatic and heartfelt, so you're not hearing any complaints from this corner.
Best advice ever? Have fun. Next best advice? Make good art. Or maybe I have those two reversed. Doesn't matter. It's all good advice.
And above all, when everything goes wrong, STILL make good art.
Why? Because it helps you through the hard times. And sometimes that's all you've got. I get that. A lot.
I do believe I'll be revisiting this book again. Maybe a lot. It's heartening. :)
December 16, 2019
4.5 stars. What a gem! Neil Gaiman with the artwork of Chris Riddell promotes reading, writing, libraries, literacy, art, and creativity with lots of advice. Read. Create. Imagine. “Ideas spring up where you do not expect them, like weeds, and are as difficult to control. I believe that repressing ideas spreads ideas.” Let ideas bloom. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and has a right to disagree, rage, and argue. Don’t censor. Ideas are words and drawings. Reading is important as well as the preservation of our libraries. “Everything changes when we read.” Teach children the pleasure of reading. There are no bad books for children. Libraries foster freedom, reading, ideas, communication, education, entertainment, safety, and information access.
“Fiction builds empathy. Fiction is something you build from twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks, and you, and you alone, using your imagination, create a world, and people being someone else, and when you return to your own world, you’re going to be slightly changed.”
No matter your discipline, you have the ability to create good art despite the insanity of your circumstances. “But the one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.” Nothing is impossible. Test the boundaries. Be thick skinned. You will learn as much from your failures as your successes. Stop worrying and enjoy the ride. Learn to say no. You will not have time for everything. Focus on what is important.
As a freelancer, you need two out of three to work - good work, easy to get along with, or deliver work timely.
An ideal short go-to book for the creative in writing, art, or whatever your discipline.
“Fiction builds empathy. Fiction is something you build from twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks, and you, and you alone, using your imagination, create a world, and people being someone else, and when you return to your own world, you’re going to be slightly changed.”
No matter your discipline, you have the ability to create good art despite the insanity of your circumstances. “But the one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.” Nothing is impossible. Test the boundaries. Be thick skinned. You will learn as much from your failures as your successes. Stop worrying and enjoy the ride. Learn to say no. You will not have time for everything. Focus on what is important.
As a freelancer, you need two out of three to work - good work, easy to get along with, or deliver work timely.
An ideal short go-to book for the creative in writing, art, or whatever your discipline.
May 1, 2021
Шож, тепер у мене є книжечка, яку можна прикладати до ран, психологічних травм, нечитуна, неписуна, янездаруна та інших цікавих мисленнєвих процесів.
Як подумати, "Мистецтво має значення" - це щось середнє між TED-мотивахою та тематичною проповіддю, щедро оздоблене олівцевими начерками Кріса Рідделла. Все дуже просто, все дуже банально, все дуже передбачувано, все... правдиве і, холєра ясна, працює, як це взагалі часто з очевидностями й трапляється. В цих кількох текстах Ґейман просто розповідає, чому це важливо: читати, мріяти, творити, не боятися. І цілить саме в те місце, що стискається в моменти: "Я не зможу", "Та фігня якась виходить!", "А ти для цього не задоросла?", "Тю, ти так ніколи грошей не заробиш", "Так ніхто не робить", "А, може, не варто?", "Нащо тобі треба?" - тисячі їх, цих дошкульних, чесних і незрідка - цілковито справедливих - внутрішніх і зовнішніх питань. От тільки відповідь на них одна. Ота, найпростіша. "Спробуй. Гірше не стане". Воно, канєш, і так пробуємо потихесеньку, але не зайве тримати під рукою приємне нагадування, що отак і треба.
PS: все, що стосується фрилансерської праці - це крик опосума. Дистильований, настояний, валить з ніг з першої краплі.
Як подумати, "Мистецтво має значення" - це щось середнє між TED-мотивахою та тематичною проповіддю, щедро оздоблене олівцевими начерками Кріса Рідделла. Все дуже просто, все дуже банально, все дуже передбачувано, все... правдиве і, холєра ясна, працює, як це взагалі часто з очевидностями й трапляється. В цих кількох текстах Ґейман просто розповідає, чому це важливо: читати, мріяти, творити, не боятися. І цілить саме в те місце, що стискається в моменти: "Я не зможу", "Та фігня якась виходить!", "А ти для цього не задоросла?", "Тю, ти так ніколи грошей не заробиш", "Так ніхто не робить", "А, може, не варто?", "Нащо тобі треба?" - тисячі їх, цих дошкульних, чесних і незрідка - цілковито справедливих - внутрішніх і зовнішніх питань. От тільки відповідь на них одна. Ота, найпростіша. "Спробуй. Гірше не стане". Воно, канєш, і так пробуємо потихесеньку, але не зайве тримати під рукою приємне нагадування, що отак і треба.
PS: все, що стосується фрилансерської праці - це крик опосума. Дистильований, настояний, валить з ніг з першої краплі.
March 29, 2021
What an inspiring read!!!
In this lovely little book Neil Gaiman tells us why art matters, why reading is important, and why you should "make good art!"
This is a must read, especially for the moments when you feel unmotivated or uninspired!
It's a treasure when an artist (of any creative form) gives you their advice. That's exactly what Neil Gaiman does, and that's exactly what this book is, a treasure!
In this lovely little book Neil Gaiman tells us why art matters, why reading is important, and why you should "make good art!"
This is a must read, especially for the moments when you feel unmotivated or uninspired!
It's a treasure when an artist (of any creative form) gives you their advice. That's exactly what Neil Gaiman does, and that's exactly what this book is, a treasure!
November 25, 2018
Neil Gaiman once said that 'the world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before'. This little book is the embodiment of that vision.
(from the blurp)
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have teamed up a number of times before and make a great team. Both wholly embrace enthusiastic fans, fan art, any art, as well as charities. Therefore, they created this little book in which Chris Riddell illustrates speeches, poems, manifestos and comments by Neil Gaiman about the importance of libraries, literacy, being creative, books in the digital age and much more.
Personally, I like to look at professional illustrations but also some fan art. There are many very talented people out there and they should be encouraged to do what makes them happy. We can't all become famous, most can't even live off their craft but that is never a reason not to try at least. Because as a reader and person who loves looking at art, it's never a waste of time and I do indeed feel more upbeat and positive about the world afterwards or even during the experience. And when you look at the history of now famous people, they all struggled and failed in the beginning but persevered.
Ignore the nay-sayers and MAKE GOOD ART (the word "good", here, means meaningful if even only to you).
Here are some of the pages with messages that especially resonated with me:
P.S.: I LOVE the book = sharks statement by Douglas Adams!
(from the blurp)
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have teamed up a number of times before and make a great team. Both wholly embrace enthusiastic fans, fan art, any art, as well as charities. Therefore, they created this little book in which Chris Riddell illustrates speeches, poems, manifestos and comments by Neil Gaiman about the importance of libraries, literacy, being creative, books in the digital age and much more.
Personally, I like to look at professional illustrations but also some fan art. There are many very talented people out there and they should be encouraged to do what makes them happy. We can't all become famous, most can't even live off their craft but that is never a reason not to try at least. Because as a reader and person who loves looking at art, it's never a waste of time and I do indeed feel more upbeat and positive about the world afterwards or even during the experience. And when you look at the history of now famous people, they all struggled and failed in the beginning but persevered.
Ignore the nay-sayers and MAKE GOOD ART (the word "good", here, means meaningful if even only to you).
Here are some of the pages with messages that especially resonated with me:
P.S.: I LOVE the book = sharks statement by Douglas Adams!
January 22, 2019
I've still not really enjoyed anything by Neil Gaiman, and I still feel bad about that, because everyone who's anything like me regards Gaiman as one of the literary greats of our time, maybe even of all time. I feel like someday I'll connect with something by Gaiman; I really want to, but so far, I haven't.
Anyway, reading Art Matters felt to me a little bit like reading a long greeting card from Gaiman. What it says is generally true, but pithy and not particularly original or inspiring. As a creative, artsy person who is feeling in some ways stagnant and stuck in mid-life, I didn't get any help from this book.
I checked this out from the library, so it didn't cost me anything. The back cover says the retail price is $19.99. The book takes about 7 minutes to read.
Anyway, reading Art Matters felt to me a little bit like reading a long greeting card from Gaiman. What it says is generally true, but pithy and not particularly original or inspiring. As a creative, artsy person who is feeling in some ways stagnant and stuck in mid-life, I didn't get any help from this book.
I checked this out from the library, so it didn't cost me anything. The back cover says the retail price is $19.99. The book takes about 7 minutes to read.
December 10, 2018
"Be bold. Be rebellious. Choose Art. It matters.”
To many, this tiny book is going to seem very expensive for what it is. I can understand that. On the other hand, I totally buy what Gaiman and Riddell proposed to do, defend the Arts and Freedom of Speech in this crazy world of ours!
The book itself has a simplicity, both in words and drawing style, that can attract Everyone. In that light it reminded me of how Fairy Tales (the original ones from oral tradition) were aimed for everyone too, from young to old. Will it change people’s beliefs and perceptions? Not sure but I do hope so.
Finally, I remember when Gaiman wrote an article in the newspapers defending our closing Libraries, their importance and role in our societies (present and future), as well as that of Fiction. Do read that too - parts were used in this book - and it is pretty enlightening (https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...).
An extract (but I could really use the whole article!): Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you’ve never been. Once you’ve visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. Discontent is a good thing: discontented people can modify and improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different.
To many, this tiny book is going to seem very expensive for what it is. I can understand that. On the other hand, I totally buy what Gaiman and Riddell proposed to do, defend the Arts and Freedom of Speech in this crazy world of ours!
The book itself has a simplicity, both in words and drawing style, that can attract Everyone. In that light it reminded me of how Fairy Tales (the original ones from oral tradition) were aimed for everyone too, from young to old. Will it change people’s beliefs and perceptions? Not sure but I do hope so.
Finally, I remember when Gaiman wrote an article in the newspapers defending our closing Libraries, their importance and role in our societies (present and future), as well as that of Fiction. Do read that too - parts were used in this book - and it is pretty enlightening (https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...).
An extract (but I could really use the whole article!): Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you’ve never been. Once you’ve visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. Discontent is a good thing: discontented people can modify and improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different.
December 28, 2018
A hard one to rate -- for the most part I really liked Gaiman's words but the drawings turned me off. There's one that struck me as really Islamaphobic right near the beginning, and that kind of ruined the rest for me. If it had been just that one drawing that looked bad, I might've been able to set my reaction to that one aside. If other drawings had depicted folks who seemed Muslim or at least of many different backgrounds in as celebratory a way as all the other white folks represented here, I think I could've let it go. But no, pretty much all the other people drawn in the book are very mainstream-looking white people.
So the book overall seemed to only celebrate a certain kind of person and perpetuate the idea that these are the people who create Art. I don't think that was Gaiman's intention in his writing, but it was very much the impression it gave when paired with these drawings. I'm disappointed that he didn't seem to realize that or it didn't bother him.
Overall, a 4 for the writing, but a 1 for the drawings. Since they kept me from enjoying if overall, I'm averaging that down to a 2.
So the book overall seemed to only celebrate a certain kind of person and perpetuate the idea that these are the people who create Art. I don't think that was Gaiman's intention in his writing, but it was very much the impression it gave when paired with these drawings. I'm disappointed that he didn't seem to realize that or it didn't bother him.
Overall, a 4 for the writing, but a 1 for the drawings. Since they kept me from enjoying if overall, I'm averaging that down to a 2.
September 7, 2018
якщо взяти вже не раз публіковані хороші (і мотиваційні) тексти геймана про мистецтво й доповнити їх упізнаваними (і гарними) ілюстраціями кріса рідделла, вийде наперед знайома книжка, яку все-таки хочеться знов погортати. а потім ще. тим більше, що прогортати її всю можна хвилин за двадцять. корисна штука на випадок, якщо радість від того, що робиш, десь загубиться.
утім, раз я вже про відчуття радості, від книжки складається враження, що двоє дуже талановитих і загалом класнючих чоловіків сиділи собі в кнайпі, з великим задоволенням черкали на серветочках, а потім це так і видали. що, звісно, не проблема саме в собі, але все-таки.
утім, раз я вже про відчуття радості, від книжки складається враження, що двоє дуже талановитих і загалом класнючих чоловіків сиділи собі в кнайпі, з великим задоволенням черкали на серветочках, а потім це так і видали. що, звісно, не проблема саме в собі, але все-таки.
January 6, 2019
I chose to read a long with the printed book, while listening to the audiobook version and found that the audiobook is expanded, especially in the section titled, "Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming." So, I recommend you listen to the audio version to hear in full all that Gaiman has to say and the printed book to also appreciate Riddell's illustrations.
My favorite quotes:
"Libraries are places to go to find information."
Paraphrased: Libraries are places of equal access to information for all, including free internet and help with navigating the internet.
"Libraries really are the gates to the future."
My favorite quotes:
"Libraries are places to go to find information."
Paraphrased: Libraries are places of equal access to information for all, including free internet and help with navigating the internet.
"Libraries really are the gates to the future."
February 24, 2022
Gaiman says, "Make Good Art. I'm serious."
I say, "Read more Gaiman. I'm serious."
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This is a cute little book with Neil Gaiman's advice on reading, writing, following your dreams, importance of libraries and librarians, why kids should read, and respecting art, and the illustrator's endeavor into transforming those pieces into sketches.
I thought of doing a picture review so readers get a hint of what to expect from this tiny little enchanter of a book. Obviously, these are pieces that stuck with me. The book's got a lot more to learn and imbibe. Here goes:
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Go, get your copy now. You won't regret it.
I say, "Read more Gaiman. I'm serious."
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This is a cute little book with Neil Gaiman's advice on reading, writing, following your dreams, importance of libraries and librarians, why kids should read, and respecting art, and the illustrator's endeavor into transforming those pieces into sketches.
I thought of doing a picture review so readers get a hint of what to expect from this tiny little enchanter of a book. Obviously, these are pieces that stuck with me. The book's got a lot more to learn and imbibe. Here goes:
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Go, get your copy now. You won't regret it.
November 28, 2018
A reprint of an essay that I believe I previously read in The View from the Cheap Seats.
September 3, 2018
A very quick read (I just read this in work, don't tell anyone) featuring some of Neil Gaiman's wisest words paired with Chris Riddell's fantastic illustrations. Neil's advice basically boils down to 'do the thing that only you can do, and do it well' and it's a wonderful read. Buy one for everyone you know.
(He also loves libraries and librarians, and they're cousins to bookstores. So I feel like he loves us too.)
I don't know that it's an issue for anybody but me, but it's true that nothing I did where the only reason for doing it was the money was ever worth it, except as bitter experience. Usually I didn't wind up getting the money, either.
The things I did because I was excited, and wanted to see them exist in reality, have never let me down, and I've never regretted the time I spent on any of them.
... ... ...
Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong.
And when things get tough, this is what you should do...
MAKE GOOD ART.
I'm serious.
(He also loves libraries and librarians, and they're cousins to bookstores. So I feel like he loves us too.)
I don't know that it's an issue for anybody but me, but it's true that nothing I did where the only reason for doing it was the money was ever worth it, except as bitter experience. Usually I didn't wind up getting the money, either.
The things I did because I was excited, and wanted to see them exist in reality, have never let me down, and I've never regretted the time I spent on any of them.
... ... ...
Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong.
And when things get tough, this is what you should do...
MAKE GOOD ART.
I'm serious.
October 17, 2018
Come ON people !
Star Rating: 1,000,000 (5) STARS!
ART MATTERS
Because Your Imagination Can Change The World
“I suggest that reading fiction, reading for pleasure, is one of the most important things one can do.”
I want to shout my love for and the the importance of this book from the rooftops. This book is everything .
Please if you do read this based upon on my review I’d really love to hear/ see your feedback. I’m just blown away.
PLEASE if you love books read this. If you are an author READ THIS. If you write or make art of any kind READ THIS. If you value physical books & their importance READ THIS. If you understand or just love libraries & know how special Librarians are... READ THIS.
EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK. Neil Gaiman is just... he’s Neil Gaiman. He’s my favorite author. This book fits so much value & perfection into so many little pages. I’m serious, read this ; you will thank me later.
Plus... come on the art of the amazing Chris Riddell??
Star Rating: 1,000,000 (5) STARS!
ART MATTERS
Because Your Imagination Can Change The World
“I suggest that reading fiction, reading for pleasure, is one of the most important things one can do.”
I want to shout my love for and the the importance of this book from the rooftops. This book is everything .
Please if you do read this based upon on my review I’d really love to hear/ see your feedback. I’m just blown away.
PLEASE if you love books read this. If you are an author READ THIS. If you write or make art of any kind READ THIS. If you value physical books & their importance READ THIS. If you understand or just love libraries & know how special Librarians are... READ THIS.
EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK. Neil Gaiman is just... he’s Neil Gaiman. He’s my favorite author. This book fits so much value & perfection into so many little pages. I’m serious, read this ; you will thank me later.
Plus... come on the art of the amazing Chris Riddell??
July 1, 2020
Είναι τρομερός τύπος ο θείος Neil, το έχω ξαναγράψει πολλές φορές, μία από τις ευτυχέστερες αναγνωστικές συγκυρίες της ζωής μου ήταν η απρόσμενη κουτουλιά με το Sandman, το καλύτερο, σημαντικότερο και πληρέστερο κομικ όλων των εποχών (άποψήμουπάντα και ήρεματολέω) οπότε ναι, ΚΑΙ στο λιλιπούτειο Art Matters, μία συλλογή motivational κειμένων του διακοσμημένων με περίτεχνα ασπρόμαυρα σκίτσα παιδιών που απολαμβάνουν το διάβασμα και δεν παύουν να αναζητούν νους κόσμους μέσα από την τέχνη και τη δημιουργικότητα, η μαγεία και η αστερόσκονη του μυαλού του Gaiman παραμένει εκεί, ακέραια και εμφατικά παρούσα σε κάθε του σελίδα.
Είναι βέβαια πολύ μικρό σε όγκο, από τα βιβλία fillers που διαβάζεις ανάμεσα σε άλλα μεγαλύτερα ή και πιο πολύπλοκα κείμενα, παρόλα αυτά εξυπηρετεί απόλυτα το στόχο και το σκοπό του, και περνάει το ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡΙΣΤΙΚΟ μήνυμα που θα βρείς χαραγμένο σε όλα τα βιβλία του:
Όταν δεν βρίσκεις πόρτα για να περάσεις στο επόμενο δωμάτιο, βγάλε από την τσέπη σου ενα μαρκαδόρο, ζωγράφισε μία και γύρνα το πόμολο μέχρι να ακούσεις το κλικ.
Είναι βέβαια πολύ μικρό σε όγκο, από τα βιβλία fillers που διαβάζεις ανάμεσα σε άλλα μεγαλύτερα ή και πιο πολύπλοκα κείμενα, παρόλα αυτά εξυπηρετεί απόλυτα το στόχο και το σκοπό του, και περνάει το ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡΙΣΤΙΚΟ μήνυμα που θα βρείς χαραγμένο σε όλα τα βιβλία του:
Όταν δεν βρίσκεις πόρτα για να περάσεις στο επόμενο δωμάτιο, βγάλε από την τσέπη σου ενα μαρκαδόρο, ζωγράφισε μία και γύρνα το πόμολο μέχρι να ακούσεις το κλικ.
Read
December 25, 2021Such an inspiring, energetic collection of essays. I read them all aloud, smiling, in hardly half an hour. Neil Gaiman is the man! I wish there were more people in the world like him.
Literacy is SO important. My parents aren't very well-educated, and while I wouldn't call them oppressive, they don't understand the vitality of reading for me. It feel refreshing to hear from someone who seems to gauge your every vein.
Writing advice (one even from Stephen King!), life advice, general guidance, uplifting messages — the ultimate pushover you need!
Chris Riddell's drawings are easy on the eyes. This thing is just wrapped in positive vibes.
I want to make art now!
Literacy is SO important. My parents aren't very well-educated, and while I wouldn't call them oppressive, they don't understand the vitality of reading for me. It feel refreshing to hear from someone who seems to gauge your every vein.
Writing advice (one even from Stephen King!), life advice, general guidance, uplifting messages — the ultimate pushover you need!
Chris Riddell's drawings are easy on the eyes. This thing is just wrapped in positive vibes.
I want to make art now!
June 8, 2024
أجمل مما أعتقدت، ألطف مما أعتقدت، أعمق مما أعتقدت، عندي تحفظ وحيد على فكرة من أفكاره، لكن غير ذلك فهو كتاب ممتع وملهم وسيثير فيك الحمية لأنّ تبتكر فناً رائعاً.
July 2, 2020
3.5 stars for the content
5 stars for the art .
Totalling upto 4
Loved many of the snippets of advice ( advice doesn't seem right , but I don't know what else to name it..
Oh
Got it
Pearls of wisdom )
Loved most pearls of wisdom , but some made me uncomfortable as I felt I wasn't upto it.
For example , if I follow my heart , I will resign from my job and just read and eat and sleep... And after sometime may feel lethargic and bored. I envied Gaimann and Riddell for they ended up doing what they love. I can envy them because I don't know of their struggles , if they had any ..
Don't know why I am rambling instead of reviewing , but I find it a cute book which I would definitely gift my artist niece some day or the other .
Read this as part of a teams challenge . Initially had no plans for reading , but somehow I found myself involved with the book.
Thank you Richa , for the suggestion .
5 stars for the art .
Totalling upto 4
Loved many of the snippets of advice ( advice doesn't seem right , but I don't know what else to name it..
Oh
Got it
Pearls of wisdom )
Loved most pearls of wisdom , but some made me uncomfortable as I felt I wasn't upto it.
For example , if I follow my heart , I will resign from my job and just read and eat and sleep... And after sometime may feel lethargic and bored. I envied Gaimann and Riddell for they ended up doing what they love. I can envy them because I don't know of their struggles , if they had any ..
Don't know why I am rambling instead of reviewing , but I find it a cute book which I would definitely gift my artist niece some day or the other .
Read this as part of a teams challenge . Initially had no plans for reading , but somehow I found myself involved with the book.
Thank you Richa , for the suggestion .
February 10, 2022
7 out of 10
This is a super-short inspirational book by Neil Gaiman, with some sound advice and some decent passages. The part that I found most inspiring about the book is the importance of libraries, and I completely agree with his sentiment. There's also the Make Good Art speech included, which I've heard a couple of dozen times, but it is still a good speech. The ending with descriptions on how to make a chair was interesting as well.
Decent little book. Surprisingly quick read, but provides a decent amount of content. Not a whole a gob of cohesion throughout the parts of the book, but none of the sentiments were bad at all. Illustrations are good as well, (but I read the audio-book version, so I had to google some of the illustrations).
This is a super-short inspirational book by Neil Gaiman, with some sound advice and some decent passages. The part that I found most inspiring about the book is the importance of libraries, and I completely agree with his sentiment. There's also the Make Good Art speech included, which I've heard a couple of dozen times, but it is still a good speech. The ending with descriptions on how to make a chair was interesting as well.
Decent little book. Surprisingly quick read, but provides a decent amount of content. Not a whole a gob of cohesion throughout the parts of the book, but none of the sentiments were bad at all. Illustrations are good as well, (but I read the audio-book version, so I had to google some of the illustrations).
July 17, 2019
An upbeat call to arms - for libraries and reading (and empathy) and writing and experimenting and trying (and failing) and going your own way and not being bound by others' rules and expectations.... All assembled in a nice (slender) little volume of previously published Gaiman-wisdom, neatly packaged, and nicely illustrated. If you've read The View From the Cheap Seats, you won't find much new in here, other than some creative and accessible and free-spirited presentation and packaging, and that's OK. If you've got collection of Gaiman stuff, I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to include this....
January 16, 2021
Brilliant, deep and wise - Neil Gaiman is a heartwarming and incredible as always!
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“Светът винаги изглежда по-ярък, когато току-що си направил нещо, което до този момент го е нямало.”
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“Вярвам, че да се убие една идея, е трудно, защото идеите са невидими и зразни и бързо отлитат.”
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“Прозата изгражда емпатия.”
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“Правете добро изкуство. Сериозно ви го казвам.”
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А аз съвсем сериозно ви казвам, че това е най-сладурската книжка, която прочетох тази година. Направо ми стопли душата с всяка една своя дума. Нийл Геймън сякаш е прочел мислите ми (и тези на милионите книголюбци по света) и е написал с много ентусиазъм защо литературата е важна за нас. Знаете ли защо е важна? Защото с детските приказки се научаваме на чест, достойнство, щедрост и смелост. Защото книгите ни помагат да опознаем света, но ни помагат и да избягаме от него, когато имаме нужда. Книгите бутват по едно рамо, когато ни се плаче или е време за лягане и искаме нещо приятно и сгряващо. Прозата никога няма да изчезне - без нея оставаме без храна за душата и въображението си.
Четете, пишете, творете и винаги правете най-доброто изкуство, на което сте способни!
.
“Светът винаги изглежда по-ярък, когато току-що си направил нещо, което до този момент го е нямало.”
.
“Вярвам, че да се убие една идея, е трудно, защото идеите са невидими и зразни и бързо отлитат.”
.
“Прозата изгражда емпатия.”
.
“Правете добро изкуство. Сериозно ви го казвам.”
.
А аз съвсем сериозно ви казвам, че това е най-сладурската книжка, която прочетох тази година. Направо ми стопли душата с всяка една своя дума. Нийл Геймън сякаш е прочел мислите ми (и тези на милионите книголюбци по света) и е написал с много ентусиазъм защо литературата е важна за нас. Знаете ли защо е важна? Защото с детските приказки се научаваме на чест, достойнство, щедрост и смелост. Защото книгите ни помагат да опознаем света, но ни помагат и да избягаме от него, когато имаме нужда. Книгите бутват по едно рамо, когато ни се плаче или е време за лягане и искаме нещо приятно и сгряващо. Прозата никога няма да изчезне - без нея оставаме без храна за душата и въображението си.
Четете, пишете, творете и винаги правете най-доброто изкуство, на което сте способни!
July 2, 2020
I mistook this book for a Children's illustrated book. No, it's not. It's a hugely motivational book for Artists, Musicians, Writers or anyone in creative fields
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Art Matters, as the name suggests is Neil Gaiman's plea to all the Artists to not give up and continue doing what YOU love doing.
The book is in form of sketches by Chris Riddell and they are a treat to watch! The main agenda of the book is to insist the creative folks on creating content and reading more books.
The final part is very inspiring where Neil tells his own story, his goals, his mistakes and how to avoid making them.
It's a beautiful book and should not be missed
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I'd recommend this book to: All the creative folks aspiring to be Content creators! This will surely give you a good boost!
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Art Matters, as the name suggests is Neil Gaiman's plea to all the Artists to not give up and continue doing what YOU love doing.
The book is in form of sketches by Chris Riddell and they are a treat to watch! The main agenda of the book is to insist the creative folks on creating content and reading more books.
The final part is very inspiring where Neil tells his own story, his goals, his mistakes and how to avoid making them.
It's a beautiful book and should not be missed
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I'd recommend this book to: All the creative folks aspiring to be Content creators! This will surely give you a good boost!
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