MAY 2023 - AudioFile
This meditation on how to access our creative potential is from an iconoclastic hip-hop music producer known for his ability to bring out the best in the artists he records. It's a highly personal audiobook, one in which the ideas and worldview expressed can't be separated from the author, so it's fitting that his performance was captured close-microphone and sounds intimate. The power in his beautiful baritone voice combined with his dramatic elocution may sound overwrought to some. Nonetheless, his commitment to these ideas is audible. Overall, the presentation works to provide accessible tools for becoming more alive, along with encouraging us all that we can be artists in the way we connect with the world and make choices based on what we draw from it. T.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
11/07/2022
Grammy-winning music producer Rubin debuts with a meditative manual on how to boost one’s creativity. “Your entire life is a form of self-expression,” Rubin contends, applying lessons he’s learned in the recording studio to inject creativity into everyday life. Observing that listeners sometimes require time to come around to a novel new song, Rubin suggests that the “ideas that least match our expectations are the most innovative” and encourages readers to consider “radically new” ideas even if they turn one off at first. A project is only done “when you feel it is,” he posits, entreating readers to seek out the perspectives of others when nearing completion while recognizing that not all feedback will be helpful because innovative work is “likely to alienate as many people as it attracts.” Rubin stresses that readers should find what works for them, as when he urges readers to incorporate into their routines creativity-inducing habits that might include exercise, meditating, or “looking at sunlight before screenlight.” The dispatches read like ancient spiritual texts in their Zen-like wisdom, as when Rubin writes, “Accessing childlike spirit in our art and our lives is worth aspiring to.” Music fans will rejoice. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
A work of transcendent literature, one that suggests the universe still smiles upon us despite all indications to the contrary.” —The Wall Street Journal
"It really feels to me like the rare book that’s evergreen...It’s a book I wish I would have had on my shelf when I was 25. It’s a book I would give to people who are 25. Maybe it will be the ultimate graduation gift." — Steve Levitt, People I (Mostly) Admire
“To Rubin, art is the ultimate form of self-actualization, a noble calling that enriches the soul . . . So, how does an artist move from conception to creation? Rubin methodically lays out the process, offering a mixture of encouragement, inspiration and tips . . . Rubin has written a fascinating book infused with deep thoughts, insight and, yes, lots and lots of creativity.” —Los Angeles Times
"Rick Rubin knows what he’s doing…His book is not just for musicians. It’s for everyone…A very clear and helpful and thoroughly road-tested vision of the stages of creativity."—The Atlantic
“A beautiful rumination on the creative process. Guiding readers through '78 areas of thought,' Rubin shares his outlook on creativity, which in turn reflects the way in which he views the world . . . The book does a remarkable job of explaining these deep, philosophical ideas in a way that’s easy to understand.” —Complex
“The legendary producer of artists from Adele to Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash to Jay-Z, distills the insights of a glittering career to reveal how to get the best out of musicians—and offers useful lessons for the rest of us in the process.” —Financial Times
“A distillation of the wisdom Rubin has accrued over decades of bringing records to fruition...[To] creatives in need of a spur – or anyone in proximity to a client, or loved one, approaching a deadline – The Creative Act has just the right level of confident loftiness to provide succour and useful ways of recontextualising problems.” —The Guardian
“An existential enquiry into the nature of creativity, art and being part of the human race . . . a deep look at the most fundamental of human impulses.” —Big Issue
“This is 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
“In this extraordinary book, Rick beautifully captures the sacred but commonplace practice of creating. I find it so powerful when someone gives voice or form to what we know but perhaps don’t understand. Designers from any discipline will find Rick's words profoundly encouraging and inspiring.” —Jony Ive
“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
“There is perhaps no one better qualified than Rick Rubin to help people tap into their creativity.” –Ryan Holiday
“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
“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
“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
“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; for me, Rick Rubin's attention, consideration, ideas have dug themselves down deep into my consciousness and grown with my work, so that over time, I have found myself in the shelter of a huge resplendent tree, and remembered that it all started with a word or two from a person who really, really listened. May it start something similar in you.” —Kae Tempest
“What makes Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being great (and it IS great) is not so much the content (though that is extraordinary for sure) as Rick’s own personality and his essence as a man and an artist. What I would call the Muse, Rick calls Source. Source in Rick’s view is infinite and constant, a nonstop, 24/7/365 trade wind of ideas and inspiration that flow through all of us—not just artists, not just 'creative' types. Rick’s whole life and philosophy are about opening himself and others (from the Beastie Boys to Run-D.M.C. to LL Cool J to Metallica and a thousand more) to that cosmic radio station. 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—a belief in Source, of that which cannot be known or defined but that we live our lives by, and most importantly, a tremendous respect and honor toward all artists and toward the process and the mystery itself.” —Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art
“Enlightening . . . You can imagine Rubin in the studio gently reassuring an artist of all the insight he shares here.” —Pigeons & Planes
Ryan Holiday
“There is perhaps no one better qualified than Rick Rubin to help people tap into their creativity.
Mike D
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.
Complex
A beautiful rumination on the creative process. Guiding readers through '78 areas of thought,' Rubin shares his outlook on creativity, which in turn reflects the way in which he views the world . . . The book does a remarkable job of explaining these deep, philosophical ideas in a way that’s easy to understand.
Wall Street Journal
A work of transcendent literature, one that suggests the universe still smiles upon us despite all indications to the contrary.”
|Los Angeles Times
To Rubin, art is the ultimate form of self-actualization, a noble calling that enriches the soul . . . So, how does an artist move from conception to creation? Rubin methodically lays out the process, offering a mixture of encouragement, inspiration and tips . . . Rubin has written a fascinating book infused with deep thoughts, insight and, yes, lots and lots of creativity.
Seth Godin
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.
JJ Abrams
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.
author of The War of Art Steven Pressfield
What makes Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being great (and it IS great) is not so much the content (though that is extraordinary for sure) as Rick’s own personality and his essence as a man and an artist. What I would call the Muse, Rick calls Source. Source in Rick’s view is infinite and constant, a nonstop, 24/7/365 trade wind of ideas and inspiration that flow through all of us—not just artists, not just 'creative' types. Rick’s whole life and philosophy are about opening himself and others (from the Beastie Boys to Run-D.M.C. to LL Cool J to Metallica and a thousand more) to that cosmic radio station. 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—a belief in Source, of that which cannot be known or defined but that we live our lives by, and most importantly, a tremendous respect and honor toward all artists and toward the process and the mystery itself.
The Wall Street Journal
A work of transcendent literature, one that suggests the universe still smiles upon us despite all indications to the contrary.
Jony Ive
In this extraordinary book, Rick beautifully captures the sacred but commonplace practice of creating. I find it so powerful when someone gives voice or form to what we know but perhaps don’t understand. Designers from any discipline will find Rick's words profoundly encouraging and inspiring.
The Atlantic
Rick Rubin knows what he’s doing…His book is not just for musicians. It’s for everyone…A very clear and helpful and thoroughly road-tested vision of the stages of creativity.
The Guardian
A distillation of the wisdom Rubin has accrued over decades of bringing records to fruition...[To] creatives in need of a spur – or anyone in proximity to a client, or loved one, approaching a deadline – The Creative Act has just the right level of confident loftiness to provide succour and useful ways of recontextualising problems.
Financial Times
The legendary producer of artists from Adele to Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash to Jay-Z, distills the insights of a glittering career to reveal how to get the best out of musicians—and offers useful lessons for the rest of us in the process.
Big Issue
“An existential enquiry into the nature of creativity, art and being part of the human race . . . a deep look at the most fundamental of human impulses.
Matt Haig
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.
Pigeons & Planes
Enlightening . . . You can imagine Rubin in the studio gently reassuring an artist of all the insight he shares here.
Anne Lamott
This is 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.
People I (Mostly) Admire Steve Levitt
It really feels to me like the rare book that’s evergreen...It’s a book I wish I would have had on my shelf when I was 25. It’s a book I would give to people who are 25. Maybe it will be the ultimate graduation gift.
Kae Tempest
This book is a companion to anyone on the creative path; for me, Rick Rubin's attention, consideration, ideas have dug themselves down deep into my consciousness and grown with my work, so that over time, I have found myself in the shelter of a huge resplendent tree, and remembered that it all started with a word or two from a person who really, really listened. May it start something similar in you.
MAY 2023 - AudioFile
This meditation on how to access our creative potential is from an iconoclastic hip-hop music producer known for his ability to bring out the best in the artists he records. It's a highly personal audiobook, one in which the ideas and worldview expressed can't be separated from the author, so it's fitting that his performance was captured close-microphone and sounds intimate. The power in his beautiful baritone voice combined with his dramatic elocution may sound overwrought to some. Nonetheless, his commitment to these ideas is audible. Overall, the presentation works to provide accessible tools for becoming more alive, along with encouraging us all that we can be artists in the way we connect with the world and make choices based on what we draw from it. T.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-10-07
The renowned music producer offers an apothegmatic study of creativity.
“However you frame yourself as an artist, the frame is too small,” writes Rubin, producer of albums across genres, from rap to metal to country. Rather than issue gnomic instructions in the manner of Brian Eno’s “oblique strategies” set of cards, Rubin, always encouraging, begins by insisting that creativity “is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human.” Though readers may feel slightly cowed next to someone like, say, Paul McCartney, whom the author interviewed at length in a recent Hulu series, Rubin has an apt reply: “You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.” There are ways to position oneself in this creative universe and work to best advantage. The author counsels that it’s never a bad idea to read the very best books, view the very best movies, and study the very best paintings. The only shortcoming in this strategy is that “no one has the same measures of greatness.” Regardless, Rubin urges that the point of art is not to create a product to sell but instead to find a transcendent path to something wonderful within ourselves. “We’re not playing to win,” he writes, “we’re playing to play.” This means getting into child mode and preparing for the possibility that one game might be less fun than another. It also involves getting into the habit of not saying no to oneself or imposing limits just because you haven’t done something. “If there’s a skill or piece of knowledge you need for a particular project, you can do the homework and work toward it over time,” writes the author. “You can train for anything.”
Learn, do, have fun: terrific encouragement for anyone embarking on a creative project, no matter what it might be.