The instant #1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller“A must read for anyone hoping to live a creative life… I dare you not to be inspired to be brave, to be free, and to be curious.” —PopSugarFrom the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love and City of Girls: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you’ve dreamed of. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from … life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
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This book is a true inspiration! Elizabeth Gilbert’s funny recollections, honest advice, and genuine enthusiasm for pursuing creativity will leave you bursting with ideas and the passion to chase your dreams.
Big Magic can also be titled The Book of Big Thinking. I found I could not blow through this book (although rather short) because it really needed to be digested on piece at a time.
To say this book was inspirational would be one-dimensional. This book is not only opens your mind to the idea of living ideas but it also un-anchors many of the self-made barriers to following your ideas.
I’m a visual artist and writer but this book will appeal to anyone…the creative, the engineer, the leader…anyone who wants to expand their way of thinking and following ideas.
I love this book so so so much! I have the audiobook, and I’ve listened to it at least 10 times. Anytime I start to feel rudderless or like I’m not sure what to do next, I listen to it, and I get back on track. A must read for all creative types.
I definitely enjoyed this book. Even though it was a quick read, I think most of the beneficial material probably could have been condensed to a couple of pages … still, having the time to reflect upon and reinforce those incredibly valuable thoughts will probably make them stay with me much longer than if I had just read the most salient points.
I see myself returning to this book multiple times in future to reread the passages I highlighted. If so, I think my creative life will be more freeing, less full of fear and angst, and who knows, I may never have writer’s block again!
Worth the read if you’re a creative soul who at times struggles with loving your art and sticking with it during the times it doesn’t seem to love you.
This is my go-to book when I need motivational reinforcements. If you are a creator in any art form, this is the cure to your self-doubt. I love Elizabeth Gilbert and her points infused with little anecdotes makes this a must-have.
A great meditation on the creative life. I listened to this as an audio book, and when I finished, I went back to the start and listened to it again.
Love Elizabeth Gilbert and this book especially. It sits on my bedside table so I can pick it up and re-read whenever I need a boost of creative inspiration.
She writes very short, punchy chapters on her views of creativity, which are often quite different from the traditional. She expresses herself quite clearly, often with several short chapters of elaboration and examples.
Beautifully written and enjoyable to read. The author points out many “life lessons” that seem obvious but are often unappreciated. A lot of very good food for thought.
Powerful, inspiring book about living your best creative life.
Big Magic is for anyone who loves to create and dares to do it no matter what anyone else says. Gilbert’s take on creativity is absolutely inspiring.
I listened to this book because i, like half the world, had read Eat, Pray, Love and enjoyed it and i got a special price on this book. Holy COW! It blew me away. Truly, if you are in the tiniest way creative, or would like to unleash a bit of creativity, this is the book. Gilbert takes away the shoulds and lets you touch the soul of why we create. It’s hard to describe. Unpreachy, totally inspiring, funny, fabulous! Read it.
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I’ve always thought of myself as a “transcriber” rather than a writer. Now I understand more clearly the strange, mystical, mysterious world of Big Magic..
I enjoyed reading this book. I tend to read more fiction than non-fiction but I found this to be an easy read and a good read for anyone in a creative profession. The author makes an important point — create for yourself without expecting success. Your reward is in the act of creation. If you are struggling with feelings of inadequacy or wondering why you do what you do as an artist, then this is a great read to provide perspective.
EVERY. WRITER. SHOULD. READ. THIS. BOOK. Yes, it’s that good. I think anyone with an ounce of creativity within their soul will find this book inspiring. Elizabeth Gilbert has an amazing ability to express so clearly what’s in the hearts of her readers. And it was comforting to have a successful writer say that it’s okay to write for the pure joy of writing. Trust me. You need this book in your life. You won’t regret it.
Great book to inspire a creative life (and on sale this week!).
I’ve read other Elizabeth Gilbert books, but this one is my favorite. Written in a breezy, positive style, it’s a book about creativity not just for artists, but for anyone wanting to live a richer life.
What I love about this book is how Gilbert makes creativity seem downright magical. She believes that creative ideas are all around us, practically ready to be plucked out of the air. She also turns a lot of the usual artistic advice on its head. She suggests creatives don’t quit their day job. She wants people to try stuff, even if they’re just mediocre. She wants you to go ice-skating, even if you haven’t been in twenty years.
All in all, Big Magic is a book that advocates taking a playful approach to bringing creativity into your life. Whether or not you believe there’s any real magic behind it, it might just make you a tiny bit of a believer after reading.
I talked about this book quite a bit on my podcast (http://www.buzzsprout.com/189674) as I listened to it over the course of a week or so. Listeners there know that I waxed and waned on liking it. I very much enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert’s narration. I didn’t love the ways she condescended to genre writing, and I didn’t always connect with her perspective on inspiration. However, in the weeks since I finished, I keep coming back to some of the ideas she explored. She really got me thinking about my own creative process in very productive ways. So, ultimately, I do recommend this book. Worth the while, for sure.
(Few of the tags work for nonfiction, alas!)
I am currently listening to this book and I am happy for the companionship that it is giving me while I drive around each day. As an author, I am happy someone recommended it to me, because it is a tool that all creative types should have in their toolshed.
As an author, I can tell you that Elizabeth Gilbert doesn’t need my help selling her books. But man, this one will stick with you if you need a solid and loving kick in the butt to go after your goals, whatever they are. This is a particularly great book for writers like myself to get inspired (or re-inspired) to get back to work doing what we love. Quick read, highly recommended.