It is Friday!! Hooray! We made it! For the past week I have been battling the stomach flu and I have to admit that I won that battle! Kaitlin 1 Stomach Flu 0. Even though it was a long week and I spend the majority of it asleep, reading or watching Jessica Jones, being sick allowed me to spend some time reading what I wanted to read. If you are a book blogger, bookstagramer or book tuber, you know that the fair majority of your content is books that are often sent to you to read for review. To be honest, 90% of what I talk about on this blog is about books that have been sent to me, where as when I first started this fantastic journey 100% of what I talked about where books that I purchased myself. So much as changed in the past 5 years! I would never take for granted the incredible opportunity I get to work with talented authors and publishing houses to read books and sharing them with you all, however I do miss getting a chance to review and read things I have picked out myself. With this in mind, I decided that I would begin to add books that I wanted to read into the mix of books I was reading for review.
I have really been into reading books about creativity and writing lately since I felt as if my creativity well is drying up, which happens when you are doing multiple creative things at once. I needed something that would keep the my creative mind moving and active, without burning out. So it would seem that I went into a book buying rampage (sorry bank account), it was lovely to actually research and dive into an area I am eager to learn in, while expanding my mind and broading my reading horizons. I managed to pick up 3 books recently to help promote the creativity in my life. I know this does not seem like a lot of books but if you saw the amount of reading I have to review, you would limit yourself a little too. In no particular order, here is mini book haul for you:
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: Written by the author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth dives into the idea of what is it is like to be creative and overcoming out fears of doing something creative and failing. It is pretty good so far.. some of the concepts are a bit odd but there are some principles and practices that are really great!
Wired to Create by Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman: Written from the perspective of neuroscience, it is a look of how the creative brain works and what in our brains cause us to be creative individuals. This looks super nerdy, which is why I picked it up. Its combining science and creativity together, its the left and right brain working together in a book. I love it! Excited to read this!
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon; I was recommended this book by someone on our create team at church. He knew I was struggling a bit with my own creativity so he suggested I give this book a try. It is the idea that nothing is original anymore, and that taking other’s idea and putting your own voice and adaptation on it makes you creative. It doesn’t seem like a difficult read so should finish this one pretty quickly.
However while researching I have added two to my TBR List that I want to read in the next few months:
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: It is labeled as ” the spiritual path to higher creativity”. Not sure if this is a Religious type of book but my friend recommended it and it looks really fascinating.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: I think this is a book where it looks at art as a form of warfare and how art throughout history has molded and shaped thoughts and society. Maybe? Anyways, another recommendation from a creative friend. My friends know me really well that they should always find a book to help me in any situation.
That is it for this wee rant, catch up, and book haul on a lovely Friday aftenoon! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! What are you into at this moment? What are your reading plans this weekend? I hope to get a chance to go outside and do a little hiking, and of course get some reading done. Yay for the weekend!
Buy any of the books on Amazon:
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Happy Reading!
A Comfy Chair in the Corner 
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