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    Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
    Unavailable
    Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
    Unavailable
    Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
    Audiobook5 hours

    Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

    Published by Penguin Random House Audio

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The instant #1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller

    Named a Hot Fall Read by USA Today, Vanity Fair, Newsday, O Magazine, the Seattle Times, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Mashable, Pop Sugar, and the San Antonio Express-News

    Named a Best Book of the Year by Brainpickings and Book Riot

    "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." -PopSugar

    From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love: 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 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.

    From the Hardcover edition.

    Editor's Note

    Live a freer, happier life…

    “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert wants you to be happy — and in “Big Magic,” she shares ingredients that cook up joy, fulfillment, and a life with less regrets.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 22, 2015
    ISBN9780698410961
    Unavailable
    Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

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    Reviews for Big Magic

    4.5/5

    1,206 ratings103 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Lots of good takeaways from this book. Definitely worth the read, if only to start reflecting on creativity and its presence in your life. But of course, to a fiercely creative soul, it offers encouragement, permission to wonder, and a reframing of the notion of the tortured artist. And so much more...
    • 5/5
      One of my best friends loaned me this book and I kept it far too long and read it twice before giving it back to her.
    • 5/5
      I (sort of) get the backlash about Elizabeth Gilbert and her privilege. But both Eat, Pray, Love and this book found me at just the right times in my life, and the way she writes about creativity and spirituality always makes me feel a bit lighter. I needed this book, because I've started weighing down my creative endeavors with "shoulds." I was making projects and exercises for myself because I should be doing this and that, or I need to be at this level of expertise by this stage of my life. Instead of trudging to (or straight up avoiding) my work out of fear, this book was a life-saving reminder that I do creative things because it brings me joy, and that when I follow threads of curiosity and surrender myself to the present moment, it can be electric. Gilbert mostly talks about writing, but her ideas apply to any art form.
    • 4/5
      Good message, a few too many “dear ones”
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. Parts of it were a little fluffy, but Gilbert would immediately counterbalance herself by exploring the logical aspects of creative living. I loved all of her encouragement to just create and put it out there, because I think creatives need to hear that, instead of think they need to hoard their work and polish it until it is “perfect” to share. But I also really appreciate that Gilbert acknowledged that trying to live creatively is definitely a first world problem, and we are lucky to be able to dedicate ourselves to the craft. This is one I scribbled a lot of quotes from, and one I will more than likely revisit in the future.
    • 3/5
      This was written in a very conversational style that I liked. I enjoyed learning about her life and struggles as a writer. This book seems like a must read for people who want to become a writer. The message I took away from it was if you really want something, you need to work hard and don't let any failures get you down. Keep on trying.
    • 5/5
      Fabulous, and on more than one level. I'd say it's a must read for anyone who is creative in any way, shape or form and who wants to foster their talent. It's also a telling account of the author's creative process. To be read more than once!
    • 4/5
      I've never read Eat, Pray, Love but I don't think that's required here. This is, more or less, Gilbert's take on creativity. I liked a lot of what she had to say in here, especially in terms of how to pursue your projects. Some of it is a tad woo-woo for my tastes, but I admit as unlikely as it seems, I kind of like the notion of ideas being physical things that pester one person only so long before finding someone else. An enjoyable read, with a decent helping of inspiration and encouragement thrown in there.
    • 4/5
      Advice about living and producing creative work. Excellent book that made me laugh. She has a great way of looking at life and encourages hard work and no drama while enjoying it and not taking it too seriously. Loved this book.
    • 5/5
      Lots of good takeaways from this book. Definitely worth the read, if only to start reflecting on creativity and its presence in your life. But of course, to a fiercely creative soul, it offers encouragement, permission to wonder, and a reframing of the notion of the tortured artist. And so much more...
    • 5/5
      May not be for everybody but it was exactly what I needed right now for inspiration & motivation
    • 3/5
      I don't know. There were some motivating stories and ideas, but a great deal of it seemed to be random thoughts. One part definitely rubbed me the wrong way. Gilbert says she wishes that Harper Lee had written more after To Kill a Mockingbird. I do, too! But then she goes on to say she'd have settled for five "cheap and easy books in a row" including "a children's story." Full disclosure. I write for adults but I have also written 15 children's books. There is nothing EASY about it. In many ways, it's much more difficult than writing for adults. That definitely soured the rest of the book for me. However, I do think that those just getting into a creative field will find a bit of inspiration within the pages. Not a total hit, but not a total loss.
    • 5/5
      Elizabeth Gilbert encourages us all to live creatively - to write, to draw, to create something. She separates the idea of creating from the idea of making a living through your art. Instead, she encourages everyone to create for the pure joy of it. There is a little advice about how to live a create life in this book, but even more, this book highlights the pure intrinsic motivation that can be found in creating.
    • 5/5
      Gilbert digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective on creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. 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.
    • 5/5
      Let me just say right up front that I love reading Elizabeth Gilbert's books. She always seems to pour her heart out. She makes me feel unjudged and that is big magic. She always lets you know that it's okay to be you and to settle in and get comfortable with being you. This book is no exception. Lots of great thoughts to take away from it. And bonus if you listen because her voice gives the words a turbo shot of sincerity.
    • 4/5
      I am tossing about whether to give the book three stars, or four. 3.5 is what I would possibly give On the whole, it is a good book, with lots of practical wisdom packed inside. It took me going through one third of the book before it started to appeal to me. There are times when I wonder if she is for real, and at other times, I stumble upon something very helpfulFor me, there is this unevenness about the book, which made it a bit of a challenging read. Yet, there is enough in it for me to say that this is a good book.
    • 5/5
      I don't think I can write a review that will do this justice but it just seemed to be exactly what I needed to hear right now. Parts of the book are really about creative living (i.e. living as a creator of things, aka, as an artist) whereas in many instances this book could have the word "creative" omitted from its subtitle as it is simply about living without fear. Or perhaps not strictly without fear as is explained from the get-go: fear is there; we acknowledge its presence and let it come for the ride but we do not let it drive or even twiddle or fiddle with any knobs. Simply wonderful!
    • 5/5
      This is hands-down my favorite writing craft book! It's marvelous and, yes, magical. Gilbert not only provides deep insight into being an author, but into being any creative, too.She packs it with anecdotes, thoughts and mindsets to try out. It's not your usual writing craft book... It's more about creativity itself, how to find it and most of all: how to embrace it with all your might!I swear to God and Nature I will forever recommend it to other creatives.P.S.: I lent it to my mom and it's genuinely helping her in getting a prototype ready for her business she wishes to launch. :) Isn't that amazing?! This has to be the best example of how this book, Big Magic, is tapping deep into our potential and changing our way of thinking for the best.I would genuinely give this book six stars and more (if not ten!), but we'll have to make do with five.Seriously, if you're a creative (or have any idea of anything to make), read this!
    • 4/5
      A wonderfully direct and accessible book about putting aside fear and "just doing it" in creative practice. It deals with fear, disbelief, lack of trust and all the usual hampering things...
    • 5/5
      This is what I needed to read right now. That my creativity is a legitimate aspect of me that I need to indulge and that maybe it will lead to fame and fortune but maybe it won't and either way it should be indulged and that without it I'm cheating myself. It also reminds me that most of the problems exist between keyboard and chair. This was the hug and kick in the pants I needed and while it may not be for everyone it did speak to me.Yes, much of what is said is said elsewhere and sometimes that elsewhere may resonate better with other people but this resonated with me, I listened to the podcast and well and it is a good supplement to the book. Yes she name-drops, but yes she knows some famous people, and some of the stories wouldn't have as much mental impact to many people if they were from no-name people. Yes, some of what she says is eye-wateringly obvious but sometimes you need to hear someone else tell you these things to make them sink in and she writes in a very chatty way, almost as if she's talking to you.And yes, some of her ideas, like the idea that inspiration wanders around looking for someone, is questionable, but it's a harmless belief.It was what I needed to read.
    • 5/5
      This is Gilbert at her best. It is a brilliant work describing the creative process with tips and techniques used by her and other creative types throughout history. She tells a couple of very memorable stories drawn from her life as a writer.
    • 4/5
      Big Magic will slay every silly illusion you have about creativity and well done, I say....It's about time creativity was looked at clearly and boldly instead of from bowed eyes, lying prone at its feet.
    • 4/5
      This is a positively inspiring book that I enjoyed reading.One key takeaway for me was that it is important not to expect your craft/art to financially support you. This is too big of a burden and will kill your creativity like nothing else. So whatever your artform may be do it because you love it and do it with passion, but don't expect a financial payoff from it.
    • 4/5
      I dog-eared A LOT of pages in this book. As a writer, I found the advice very on-point. There weren't any grand, new ideas in this book, but it was a great refresher and reminder of why I write. I'm sure it would be relevant to others in the arts, too.
    • 5/5
      Elizabeth Gilbert is an interesting writer with lots of personality and opinions. She had huge and early international success with the book Eat, Pray, Love. She had such a tremendous following with this book that she was almost in the "guru" category! Would it be impolite of me to say that I was not a fan! She writes fiction (novels, short stories) and non fiction. I loved her book The Signature of all Things, a novel. In this book, Big Magic Gilbert is in the boxing ring with "non creativity" as her opponent. She is punching all the way for "creativity" and puts up some very good aruguments. The book is written in quite a chatty way but does tune you into her points of view which, when the book is finished, makes you a convert. Okay now what area will I choose to bloom in? Help Liz!I liked this book!
    • 4/5
      I'm sort of torn on this book. I'm not really a conventionally creative person, so bits of it made me feel inspired to pursue creativity and creative living. But the other part of me felt put off by the repetition of the main points over and over using different buzz words. Gilbert's writing is catchy and flows quite well, but it feels forced at times too. It's almost as if she just kept writing to fill a requisite number of pages, and not so much to get key points across. Maybe I just have a love-hate with this one. Either way, parts of it were absolutely inspirational and made this reader feel like she had a cheerleader rooting on her creative side. And parts of it, I skimmed because of the whole repetition thing.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely wild about this book. Liz Gilbert speaks on creativity and on life and on creating, engaging in, or connecting with "big magic" in your life. Big magic occurs when we dedicate ourselves to our creativity without expectation - to create for the sake of creation and nothing else. Chock full of wisdom, her words rang absolutely true for me.
    • 2/5
      Thin substance in this read. It could have been much more meaningful is she would have really talked about creative living rather than her own progression as a writer. The writing was fine in this "writing memoir." I was just hoping for more.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely amazing piece of work.. Liz have gave me a totally different view of what is the true meaning of what "Creativity" is! I used to think that I'm never a creative person but she has changed my perception about myself! Thank you!
    • 4/5
      Elizabeth Gilbert did wonderful job both as a writer and the narrator. The book gives a very constructive perspective of creativity, contrary to traditionally believed. I like her version of creativity.