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Tomes And Textiles's Reviews > The Creative Act: A Way of Being
The Creative Act: A Way of Being
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by
Rick Rubin stans, let's fight. What was the purpose of this book? Is Rick trying to start a cult and recruit new followers?
The Creative Act was line after line after line of superficial inspirational quotes written by Rubin that were interspersed with *checks notes* inspirational quotes written by others. It's not to say that there weren't really beautiful and inspirational things said, it's that they were said in a vacuum with no reason to exist except that it's author is really famous and given the room to espouse inspirational advice.
For someone with such vastly artistic output across literal decades and genres, this book was hollow and insufferably pretentious. The emotional distance of his written advice greatly differed from the description of his process on .
I expected more than just a cash grab.
PS--for those who listen on audio: 1.) it's narrated by Rick and 2.) the cult reference above has to do with the chiming bell at every pause in the audiobook.
The Creative Act was line after line after line of superficial inspirational quotes written by Rubin that were interspersed with *checks notes* inspirational quotes written by others. It's not to say that there weren't really beautiful and inspirational things said, it's that they were said in a vacuum with no reason to exist except that it's author is really famous and given the room to espouse inspirational advice.
For someone with such vastly artistic output across literal decades and genres, this book was hollow and insufferably pretentious. The emotional distance of his written advice greatly differed from the description of his process on .
I expected more than just a cash grab.
PS--for those who listen on audio: 1.) it's narrated by Rick and 2.) the cult reference above has to do with the chiming bell at every pause in the audiobook.
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Finished Reading
Finished Reading
February 8, 2023
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I hardly think someone who is one of the most successful music producers in recent decades needs a book for a cash grab.
If you are a creative in any way shape or form, have a process, have had creative success or struggles, this book is pure wisdom and insight, if you are not, this book might not be for you. Cary on. ✌�
I agree with this immensely. I am a practice creative. My job and life are both intertwined in the creative field + I love Rick Rubin and think he’s an important facet to so much of the current creative canon. Still, I agree that this book was hollow and a bit of a letdown, especially coming from someone I enjoy as much as Rubin. Lots of beautiful thinking, but also a lot of repetitive ideas from other creators like Liz Gilbert’s Big Magic.
“Let’s kiss, not fight.� I enjoyed this book, but I think Rick addressed the problem highlighted in some of these comments in the very first line of the book. The prologue starting with the line “Nothing in this book is known to be true� some ideas may resonate, others may not� use what’s helpful. Let go of the rest. He starts with that and yet some are missing that by the end where it is even more obvious that the whole thing is just a thought exercise. Not to be taken as seriously as some are. Granted there was some cliched stuff, there were also some really great points made and an encouragement to think about things in a different way. I appreciated it and would recommend. ❤️
Nope, don’t agree. Every page resonated for me.
this book sucked. i recommend 12 Notes by Quincy Jones
I enjoyed the book. It seemed like the book was more about the reader than the author. I appreciated that there were 78 thoughts and each of those thoughts was distilled into a short chapter. From there, the reader was free to expand on it in their own way. Or reject it if it wasn’t right for them. I didn’t agree with some of what he said, but I appreciated the perspective anyway. I thought it was nice there weren’t endorsements slapped all over the back and inside covers like a real cash grab would have had.
To inspire creativity, which is what happened with me
I had no idea this book was so polarizing. I don't know what folks who disliked the book were expecting but I connected easily to the ideas. As a long time creative, I was familiar with and often felt validated by the insights. I think this is a great book. Clearly not for everyone, but for me, it really got me thinking.
Amazing how triggering this book is when it’s not what the reader “expected�.
Your comment is quite cynical towards someone who just wanted to find inner peace, produce some chill beats, and share his thoughts with the world.