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Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear Kindle Edition
"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 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 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.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherRiverhead Books
- Publication dateSeptember 22, 2015
- File size2529 KB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Praise for Big Magic:
#1 Globe and Mail Bestseller
"Big Magic is a celebration of a creative life…Gilbert’s love of creativity is infectious, and there’s a lot of great advice in this sunny book…Gilbert doesn’t just call for aspiring artists to speak their truth, however daffy that may appear to others; she is showing them how.” —Washington Post
"In [Gilbert’s] first foray into full-on self-help [she] shares intimate glimpses into the life of a world-famous creative, complete with bouts of paralyzing fear and frustration, in an attempt to coax the rest of us into walking through the world just a little bit braver.” —Elle
"The Eat, Pray, Love author demystifies the tricky business of creativity. We’re all ears.” —Cosmopolitan
"Elizabeth Gilbert is my new spirit animal… I have profoundly changed my approach to creating since I read this book." —Huffington Post
"Gilbert leads readers through breaking out of their own creative ruts, finding fulfillment, and facing fear while finding balance between our spiritual and pragmatic beings in her forth coming book. Yes, please.” —Bustle
"Big Magic will resonate with writers and artists who find the process of producing work to be particularly painful…Through anecdotes about her creative failures and resourcefulness, as well as those other artists, Gilbert encourages readers to pursue a creative life ‘that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear." —Daily Beast
"Gilbert demystifies the creative process, examining the practices of great artists to shed light on finding inspiration in the every day.” —Harper’s Bazaar
"Part inspiration, part how-to, it offers up both a philosophy of creativity and advice for living a more creatively fulfilling life.”—Fast Company
“Big Magic tackles the challenges of living the creative life…Reading it is a little like having a coach by your side, cheering on your efforts – whatever they are – candidly and selflessly.” –Christian Science Monitor
"Gilbert [writes] with sincerity and humility about the joy that creativity has given her... If you enjoyed Eat Pray Love, if you are drawn to self-help or inspirational books, or if you just like to bask in another person’s positive glow, you’ll love Big Magic.” –Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Big Magic wants to help its readers live creatively…[Gilbert believes] creativity is inside all of us, it should be expressed, and it is not selfish or crazy or foolish to do so – it is in fact the best way to live a satisfying life...[Big Magic] constitutes good advice…[in a voice that’s] charming, personable, self-aware, jokey, conversational….[and] that Gilbert does so well.” —New York Times Book Review
"A lucid and luminous inquiry into the relationship between human beings and the mysteries of the creative experience… What makes her book so immensely helpful is precisely its lived and living nature…wholly electrifying.” —Brainpickings
"Gilbert tackles heavy, sensitive subject matter but keeps it light, making what's essentially a self-help book feel like a good talk with a friend rather than a sermon." —Associated Press
"Transformative." —Flavorwire
"Gilbert’s trademark warmth and enthusiasm abounds...wise...[and] pointed." —Boston Globe
"Part pat-on-the-back, part slap-in-the-face, [Big Magic is] a permission slip for readers to stop making excuses and get to work… a fresh and modern surprise that fans of her work will relish." —Wichita Eagle
"Funny. Insightful. Honest. Irreverent...But, of course, most of us have read Gilbert before and these qualities find their way into all of her works. The particular form of magic in Big Magic comes in a very unusual wrapping: hope and love...Big Magic read[s] like a devotional. Like a love letter to the earnest artist inside most of our hearts.” —Books and Whatnot
“Distinctly refreshing." —TED Ideas Blog
"Big Magic will leave you feeling inspired to be curious, brave, free, and, most of all, creative.” -Lauren Conrad
"Full of chatty advice, pep talks, amusing and inspiring stories...Gilbert’s idea of living creatively may incorporate touches of magic, but she’s practical in the extreme.” —Miami Herald
"In her signature conversational style, both sassy and serious, Gilbert invokes high- and low-brow cultural references and recommends we channel our inner trickster… [Her] manifesto is a book to read through quickly, and then start again to discover any big magic you may have missed.” – KMUW
"Big Magic ripples with Gilbert’s enthusiasm, choice metaphor, and humor." -LitHub
"Gilbert will completely change the way you think about the creative process.”—IndieNext
"The writing here is so friendly and funny that Gilbert’s perspective on creative living goes down like lemonade in summer." —BookPage
"From the deeply self-aware, poetically gifted author of Eat, Pray, Love comes... the best nonfiction book I’ve read in years. For anyone who's ever struggled with feeling worthy to express themselves through art, or been discouraged by the absence of inspiration, I'm not being hyperbolic when I say this book might just change your life.” —Mind Body Green
"Inspirational… Big Magic provides a guidebook for anyone wanting to live a more creative life. You don’t have to be an artist to get value out of this book; it is for anyone who wants to live with more joy, love, happiness, and abundance in their world.”—YAHOO! SHOPPING
"Gilbert, author of the wildly successful memoir “Eat, Pray, Love” and a successful novelist (“The Signature of All Things”) offers her prescriptions for unlocking the creativity within.” —Seattle Times
"Whatever your artistic pursuit, you’ll nod in agreement as Elizabeth Gilbert reflects on the elusive, frustrating and sometimes comically strange process of creativity. Thoughtful and funny, Gilbert makes an excellent case for doing whatever it takes to unlock your inner artist and find more joy in life.” —Woman's Day
"What Gilbert’s offering her fans…[is] permission to be creative…[She] is interested in the importance of creativity for the individual’s soul…When you hear the people who want to create, and the gratitude they feel toward [her], you can’t help feeling that she’s healed them—that she has, in fact, become the kind of guru she once sought.” —The New Yorker, on the "Magic Lessons" podcast series
"The latest from Gilbert is all about you—that’s 268 pages of practical advice for tapping into your own creativity... Consider her your own personal life coach.”—Marie Claire
"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
“Elizabeth Gilbert is an exceptionally gifted author…and this book is remarkable…. It is so densely packed with pearls of wisdom that I read it once for pleasure, and then again to unpack and outline the text just like I used to do in college…A must-read for anyone on the creative spectrum, from those who don’t think there is a creative bone in their body to those who make a living from their artistic expression.” –Yakima Herald
“Reading Big Magic is the next best thing to hiring Elizabeth Gilbert [as your] coach.”—PARNASSUS BOOKS
"A joyful ride through the enigmatic jungle of creative existence… [Big Magic] is not just about the production of artistic works but about building a life that nurtures the creative being in all of us.”—CREATIV Magazine
"Big Magic [is ]… fearless of voice and heart-opening in authenticity; in short, a book worthy of its name." —Literary Inklings
"A conversational, intimate glimpse into Gilbert’s process and philosophy, as personable as a confab over coffee… essential reading for anyone who wants to live a larger life, filled with more ideas, more projects, and more fulfillment…Big Magic is powerful stuff.” –Barnes & Noble Blog
"A book-length meditation on inspiration.” —Newsday
"Whether you long to write the great American novel or you just want to be more present and mindful in your daily life, you can find plenty of inspiration in this self-help tome… … the can-do, optimistic tone makes for an uplifting read.” –All You Magazine
"[Gilbert will] make you feel giddy about creation." –Medium
"Gilbert mines her writer's career to provide unique, inspiring and constructive insights on how to navigate the wild ride that is the creative life... Her charming nuggets are wise, comforting and ultimately encouraging." –About.com
"Gilbert offers helpful suggestions for outwitting writer’s block and perfectionism...and lets a tart sense of humor emerge." -Columbus Dispatch
"Anyone living with some manifestation of writer’s block (or any other artistic variant of such affliction) will find [Gilbert's] sage advice is effectively a worthwhile kick in the butt… Without the smallest hint of narcissism, the mega-bestselling author shares the pinnacles and pitfalls of failure and success and how to wrangle the criticism, inside and out.”—Steamboat Pilot & Today
"Gilbert sweetly yet powerfully nudges readers to release fear, summon courage and allow the ‘strange jewels’ hidden within each of us to emerge and shine. The end result is the ‘big magic’… Engaging storytelling mixed with personal anecdotes and astute insights make Big Magic a rewarding, motivating and delightful read.” —Sucess Magazine
“There's nothing hippie-dippy about Gilbert's raw, honest, and downright hilarious observations of her own creative plight...This isn't a How-To guide for creative living; this is the story of how one woman simply figured things out for herself, and learned how to live in harmony with her own creative soul. All can find a kind of solemn peace and reassurance in her words.” -Everyday eBook
"A transformative nonfiction treatise on creativity…Filled with her signature humor, big-heartedness, wild vulnerability and wisdom, Gilbert delivers a vibrant and inspirational book.” -About Town Magazine
"A booster that will help you out of any rut.” -Kansas City Star
"The author of Eat Pray Love, who has already changed so many lives, now looks to change thinking on creativity." -The New York Daily News
"Worth a read for any artist struggling for some peace and quiet in a head bursting with creativity."
– Bustle, Included in “9 Books To Help You Find Inner Peace”
"Some might call Elizabeth Gilbert by the name Queen Midas … Everything she touches seems to turn to gold. A rare gift, this book acknowledges difficulty, but empowers its readers to transcend it in the name of the beautiful mysteries of existence.” —WNC Woman Magazine
“A magnificent guide to how to be creative…[and] a heartfelt gem… I simultaneously wanted to quickly turn the page to see what was next while savoring the advice on each page… Gilbert is determined to guide you into the light. Go with her.” —Jersey Journal
"Irresistible…If creativity is something you value highly—both in others and as fundamental to your own existence—you should find much to love in Big Magic, whether or not you typically gravitate toward creativity guides.” —Chapter 16
"A non-fiction tour-de force...pragmatic, rational, and wholly convincing." —Reader's Digest UK
"A treasure map to unleash your most creative and expressive life.” –Marie TV
"Big Magic seeks to both inspire you and strip you of any excuse to not pursue your creative interests…[it’s] passionate, down-to-earth and bursting with Gilbert’s obvious love for the subject matter and her readers… a delight to read.” –Pop Mythology
"An empathetic and inspiring guide to mustering the courage to live a creative life. … Nearly anyone who picks up this self-help manual should finish it feeling inspired, even if only to dream of a life without limits.” —Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
"Gilbert serves as an enthusiastic coach for readers who want more out of life. Highly recommended." —Library Journal (starred review)
"Gilbert’s wise and motivating book of encouragement and advice will induce readers not only to follow specific artistic dreams but also to live life more creatively, fully, and contentedly.” – Booklist
"The sincerity, grace, and flashes of humor that characterize [Gilbert’s] writing and insights should appeal to a wider audience…warmly inspirational.” —Kirkus
About the Author
Elizabeth Gilbert is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Magic, Eat Pray Love, and The Signature of All Things, as well as several other internationally bestselling books of fiction and nonfiction. She has been a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. Her latest novel, City of Girls, comes out in June, 2019.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Jack Gilbert was a great poet, but if you’ve never heard of him, don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault. He never much cared about being known. But I knew about him, and I loved him dearly from a respectful distance, so let me tell you about him.
Jack Gilbert was born in Pittsburgh in 1925 and grew up in the midst of that city’s smoke, noise, and industry. He worked in factories and steel mills as a young man, but was called from an early age to write poetry. He answered the call without hesitation. He became a poet the way other men become monks: as a devotional practice, as an act of love, and as a lifelong commitment to the search for grace and transcendence. I think this is probably a very good way to become a poet. Or to become anything, really, that calls to your heart and brings you to life.
Jack could’ve been famous, but he wasn’t into it. He had the talent and the charisma for fame, but he never had the interest. His first collection, published in 1962, won the prestigious Yale Younger Poets prize and was nominated for the Pulitzer. What’s more, he won over audiences as well as critics, which is not an easy feat for a poet in the modern world. There was something about him that drew people in and kept them captivated. He was handsome, passionate, sexy, brilliant on stage. He was a magnet for women and an idol for men. He was photographed for Vogue, looking gorgeous and romantic. People were crazy about him. He could’ve been a rock star.
Instead, he disappeared. He didn’t want to be distractedby too much commotion. Later in life he reported that he had found his fame boring—not because it was immoral or corrupting, but simply because it was exactly the same thing every day. He was looking for something richer, more textured, more varied. So he dropped out. He went to live in Europe and stayed there for twenty years. He lived for a while in Italy, a while in Denmark, but mostly he lived in a shepherd’s hut on a mountaintop in Greece. There, he contemplated the eternal mysteries, watched the light change, and wrote his poems in private. He had his love stories, his obstacles, his victories. He was happy. He got by somehow, making a living here and there. He needed little. He allowed his name to be forgotten.
After two decades, Jack Gilbert resurfaced and publishedanother collection of poems. Again, the literary world fellin love with him. Again, he could have been famous. Again,he disappeared—this time for a decade. This would be hispattern always: isolation, followed by the publication ofsomething sublime, followed by more isolation. He was likea rare orchid, with blooms separated by many years. Henever promoted himself in the least. (In one of the few interviewshe ever gave, Gilbert was asked how he thoughthis detachment from the publishing world had affected hiscareer. He laughed and said, “I suppose it’s been fatal.”)
The only reason I ever heard of Jack Gilbert was that, quite late in his life, he returned to America and—for motives I will never know—took a temporary teaching position in the creative writing department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The following year, 2005, it happened that I took exactly the same job. (Around campus,they started jokingly calling the position “the Gilbert Chair.”) I found Jack Gilbert’s books in my office—the office that had once been his. It was almost like the room was still warm from his presence. I read his poems and was overcome by their grandeur, and by how much his writing reminded me of Whitman. (“We must risk delight,” he wrote. “We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world.”)
He and I had the same surname, we’d held the same job, we had inhabited the same office, we had taught many ofthe same students, and now I was in love with his words; naturally enough, I became deeply curious about him. I asked around: Who was Jack Gilbert?
Students told me he was the most extraordinary man they’d ever encountered. He had seemed not quite of this world, they said. He seemed to live in a state of uninterrupted marvel, and he encouraged them to do the same. He didn’t so much teach them how to write poetry, they said, but why: because of delight. Because of stubborn gladness. He told them that they must live their most creative lives as a means of fighting back against the ruthless furnace of this world.
Most of all, though, he asked his students to be brave. Without bravery, he instructed, they would never be able to realize the vaulting scope of their own capacities. Without bravery, they would never know the world as richly as it longs to be known. Without bravery, their lives would remain small—far smaller than they probably wanted their lives to be.
I never met Jack Gilbert myself, and now he is gone—he passed away in 2012. I probably could’ve made it a personal mission to seek him out and meet him while he was living, but I never really wanted to. (Experience has taught me to be careful of meeting my heroes in person; it can be terribly disappointing.) Anyway, I quite liked the way he lived inside my imagination as a massive and powerful presence, built out of his poems and the stories I’d heard about him. So I decided to know him only that way—through my imagination. And that’s where he remains for me to this day: still alive inside me, completely internalized, almost as though I dreamed him up.
But I will never forget what the real Jack Gilbert told somebody else—an actual flesh-and-blood person, a shy University of Tennessee student. This young woman recounted to me that one afternoon, after his poetry class, Jack had taken her aside. He complimented her work, then asked what she wanted to do with her life. Hesitantly, she admitted that perhaps she wanted to be a writer.
He smiled at the girl with infinite compassion and asked, “Do you have the courage? Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.”
So this, I believe, is the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?
Look, I don’t know what’s hidden within you. I have no way of knowing such a thing. You yourself may barely know, although I suspect you’ve caught glimpses. I don’t know your capacities, your aspirations, your longings, your secret talents. But surely something wonderful is sheltered inside you. I say this with all confidence, because I happen to believe we are all walking repositories of buried treasure.I believe this is one of the oldest and most generous tricks the universe plays on us human beings, both for its own amusement and for ours: The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.
The hunt to uncover those jewels—that’s creative living.
The courage to go on that hunt in the first place—that’s what separates a mundane existence from a more enchanted one.
The often surprising results of that hunt—that’s what I call Big Magic.
Product details
- ASIN : B00S52M350
- Publisher : Riverhead Books (September 22, 2015)
- Publication date : September 22, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 2529 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 288 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #30,101 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #9 in Creativity Self-Help
- #42 in Spiritual Growth Self-Help
- #83 in Creativity (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author
Elizabeth Gilbert is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love, as well as the short story collection, Pilgrims—a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, and winner of the 1999 John C. Zacharis First Book Award from Ploughshares. A Pushcart Prize winner and National Magazine Award-nominated journalist, she works as writer-at-large for GQ. Her journalism has been published in Harper's Bazaar, Spin, and The New York Times Magazine, and her stories have appeared in Esquire, Story, and the Paris Review.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book inspiring and insightful. They describe it as easy to read, concise, and well-written. The book empowers creative individuals with its humor, authenticity, and lightheartedness. Readers appreciate the author's genuine approach and honesty. Overall, they consider the book excellent and positive, worth reading again.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book inspiring and motivating. It opens their eyes to the creative process and refreshes their insight about life. The lessons are powerful and relatable, and the analogies are great. Readers say the book is a great motivator and will inspire anyone who picks it up to read.
"...The lessons are so powerful and relatable that if one were to learn this much about their creative life in a year of therapy, they could consider it..." Read more
"...or allowing creativity to flow within me and Big Magic opened my eyes to the creative process (or at least the author's creative process) of writing...." Read more
"...Yet right on the heels of Gilbert's playful but spiritually-meaningful revelry comes a healthy dose of cynicism...." Read more
"...grad-school and this book ended up being so much more than a sorce of inspiration I can mention in my manuscript...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and reference. They appreciate the concise yet blunt wisdom for those who create. The writing is well-written and insightful, making it a great book for new writers. Readers feel the author speaks volumes through her writing and learn so much about life.
"...Written in easy to digest, bite-size chapters, readers will feel as if they’re chatting over a glass of wine with their amusing and insightful bestie..." Read more
"...This is how much I adore the author. I feel that she speaks volumes to me through her writing and have learned so much about life and myself from..." Read more
"...And sometimes, you get that strike of inspiration and the words flow and everything is unicorns and ponies and you hit that high that you’ve been..." Read more
"...was the last time she’d felt truly light, joyous, and— yes— creative in her own skin."..." Read more
Customers praise the book for its creativity. They find it helpful for their writing and art quests. The author provides honest advice about being creative, and her authentic expressions are original.
"...that no creation is entirely original and yet authentic expressions are always original, and the ultimate paradox: that our creative expression..." Read more
"...Creativity is for everyone. Anyone can be an artist, but not everyone should make it a career...." Read more
"...Elizabeth Gilbert is nothing if not interesting and creative...." Read more
"...I love LOVE the way she gives all permission to pursue their art - even if it's awful, even if it's ugly and far from the high 'standard' they may..." Read more
Customers find the book lighthearted and entertaining. They appreciate the author's witty writing style and upbeat tone.
"...will feel as if they’re chatting over a glass of wine with their amusing and insightful bestie, Liz, as she masterfully weaves together numerous..." Read more
"...I loved the sense of play she's brought to her vision of creativity...." Read more
"...Elizabeth actually puts it, it's her take on living a creative and joyful life...." Read more
"...and Elizabeth Gilbert demystifies the process with joy, empathy and wit...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's authenticity and honesty. They find the approach calming and honest, with real truths. The book provides validation and refreshes their insight about life. It gives them tremendous confidence to continue projects with joy.
"...ingredients: courage, enchantment, permission, persistence, and trust...." Read more
"...Trust the words. Trust the Magic. (Totally didn't mean to sound like a cultist there.) &#..." Read more
"...into six parts: Fear, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust and Divinity...." Read more
"...message down to the simplest, most basic, most common sense, most irrefutable level: how to abolish creative blocks for dummies. I GOT IT!..." Read more
Customers find the book inspiring and positive. They say it's a wonderful, insightful work worth reading over and over. The author effectively conveys the message that we can all tap into big magic and that we are capable of great things.
"...Time and again, she effectively and effortlessly silences our inner critic on such universal experiences as: worrying about what others think of us..." Read more
"...Big Magic was working Big Time and I am thankful that I listened! Thank you Ms. Gilbert for writing Big Magic!" Read more
"...Gilbert really hits the nail on the head, addressing every single one of my hold-ups when it comes to Creating...." Read more
"This was the kickoff title to our family yoga studio (Garden of Zen Yoga Studio‘s) first ever book club, Roots to Stars!..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's pacing. They find it compelling and succinct, explaining creativity and living an authentic life. The book is refreshingly reinforcing, keeping readers turning the pages and encouraging them to stay active.
"...Enjoy what you do. Stay active. Don't stop making things. Don't let inertia rob you of the precious time we have in this Earth...." Read more
"...The stories are written in a way that keeps you turning the page. Even the personal anecdotes about the author are interesting." Read more
"...I found it refreshingly reinforcing to know the degree to which doubts and creativity-killing fear are universal regardless of how successful one is...." Read more
"Book club read. Okay not a gripping read but one you should go through with a yellow marker to keep some wise or inspiring ideas!" Read more
Customers find the book lacks substance and inspiration. They describe it as shallow, lacking deep insights, and boring at times.
"...One of the parts that annoyed me was that the chapters started weird and a few of them started with the word “also” making a point to start a new..." Read more
"...The book is anything but magic, let alone "Big" magic...." Read more
"...of Gilbert's playful but spiritually-meaningful revelry comes a healthy dose of cynicism...." Read more
"...I'm having some difficulty finishing the book. It's not a novel, it's not a self help book; I guess I'm a one or the other kind of girl...." Read more
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Your 101 manual for Creative Living
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2021“Are you considering being a creative person? Too late, you already are one,” Gilbert asserts. In Big Magic, living a creative life means living a life driven by curiosity over fear and this life is accessible to all who seek it. She breaks down creativity into five essential ingredients: courage, enchantment, permission, persistence, and trust. Whether readers believe in a magical world or not, her description of ideas, why they choose us, and when and why they leave is inspiring to no end and her roadmap through the twists, turns, and potential pitfalls of creativity are applicable to all who dare to venture on their own creative journey.
Gilbert tackles our biggest creative fears and inner demons head-on with delicious humor, wit, and grace. She allows fear a spacious spot in the car on our creative road trip, but never allows it to give us directions and certainly not take the driver’s seat. Time and again, she effectively and effortlessly silences our inner critic on such universal experiences as: worrying about what others think of us and our creations, bowing to perfectionism instead of completion, evaluating our art as low or high, as brilliant or a disaster, the struggle to declare ourselves worthy of living a creative life, the desire to be fearless or passionate when all we need is courage and curiosity, and much more. She also explores various paradoxes of creativity: the desire for permission and the fact that we never needed it to begin with, that creativity takes persistent hard work on our part and also moments of divine inspiration that come from something else entirely, that no creation is entirely original and yet authentic expressions are always original, and the ultimate paradox: that our creative expression must be the most important thing in the world and it also must not matter at all.
Written in easy to digest, bite-size chapters, readers will feel as if they’re chatting over a glass of wine with their amusing and insightful bestie, Liz, as she masterfully weaves together numerous stories from her personal and professional life with hard-earned creative wisdom, always with an endearing self-awareness that at times borders on self-deprecation, and with a charm that is nearly flirtatious. The lessons are so powerful and relatable that if one were to learn this much about their creative life in a year of therapy, they could consider it a great investment. Big Magic ultimately provides readers with the necessary courage and inspiration to live bigger, happier, and more interesting lives, coaxing out of us our own unique hidden treasures.
-- Lisa Blair, MA
- Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2015Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert was not exactly what I was expecting when I purchased the Kindle version on the day of its release.
I have been a huge fan of Ms. Gilbert since Eat, Pray, Love and have devoured all of her books up to and including The Signature of All Things that I purchased a signed copy of. This is how much I adore the author. I feel that she speaks volumes to me through her writing and have learned so much about life and myself from her words.
When I started reading Big Magic, I was excited after waiting for months following all of the hype on her Facebook page and website. I was thrilled to get it on the day of its release.
After the first few pages, though, I was disenchanted and rather disappointed. I am not sure why, but the words in the first chapters did not immediately resonate with me and I, hesitantly and unceremoniously, returned the book for a refund. I know, I know, this is a sin and unheard of for a true fan of this wonderful author to return her book.
Then something MAGICAL happened. Seriously, folks, I cannot make this stuff up ...
Amazon normally removes the title and its contents from my device when I return an e-book. When I went to sync my Kindle application, Big Magic was still on it. My conscience (or something bigger than myself?) kept prompting me to read the book and give it one more chance. I kept telling myself that it just wasn't going to get better and to not bother...
After a few days, I relented to this continually nagging voice and started reading the book where I had left off a few days earlier. Mind you, I had already received a refund on the book and certainly was going to have Amazon manually remove it from my digital orders if I still could not get into the book with giving it a second look.
I kept reading past the first few chapters and before I knew it, I had read over half of the book - ingesting every word, every sentence and every paragraph. I lost some sleep last night reading it into the wee hours of the morning. After reading over half the book and realizing that Amazon was not auto-magically removing it from my device, I went back and re-purchased the book. Because, 1) that was absolutely the right thing to do - to pay for a book that I was, indeed, reading and 2) since I am an author as well, I know how difficult it is to release a book and get returns and/or negative reviews when you work your heart out on a new release - so repurchasing it was a no-brainer for me.
I am a person who has a difficult time with being creative or allowing creativity to flow within me and Big Magic opened my eyes to the creative process (or at least the author's creative process) of writing. I struggle with giving myself permission to take the time to write and also with giving myself permission to fail.
The chapter on perfectionism is a gold-mine of information and truly spoke directly to me. The other analogies and lessons in the book are geared towards writers, artists and the like, but can easily be applied to any occupation in life. The key is to apply these principles in everything that you attempt in life and watch the results turn into positive experiences.
The biggest realization from the book is that all of us are creators or makers, no matter what our occupations are and we need to own whatever it is in life that makes us who we are. I see now how this makes a difference in my own life.
I have to whole-heartedly say that I was completely WRONG about the book after reading the first few pages and am so glad that the Universe tugged at me to try the book again. I am happy that I did go back a second time as the words finally resonated with me even after my initial resistance to them.
Big Magic was working Big Time and I am thankful that I listened! Thank you Ms. Gilbert for writing Big Magic!
Top reviews from other countries
- Desiree DupuisReviewed in Canada on September 1, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars So GOOD! A must read for every creative person/artist
I can't get enough of Liz Gilbert, this book was so fun to read, inspiring and empowering!
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Marcos TorresReviewed in Mexico on August 8, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars buen libro
muy buen libro por si no sabes que hacer con tu vida o si estás pensando cambiar de profesión
- NoonReviewed in Saudi Arabia on January 4, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Magical
Lovey, fun, enjoyable, relatable. Giggles, amazement, hope.
Love the book for anyone looking for the magic of creation they once had.
A book to read over and over and over again.
Thank you Liz :)
- Yasmin AtkinsonReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome
This is a fantastic book for the creative life I keep giving them away to friends and having to order more it's an absolute must read to achieve some sort of balance in your life as a creative
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JBReviewed in the Netherlands on November 4, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars lees dit
inspirerend