
The #1 New York Times bestseller.
“A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment.” —Anne Lamott
From the legendary music producer, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us.
“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” —Rick Rubin
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn’t, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone’s life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.
The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime’s work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments—and lifetimes—of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.
From the Publisher




Publisher : Penguin Press
Publication date : January 17, 2023
Language : English
Print length : 432 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593652886
ISBN-13 : 978-0593652886
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 6.34 x 1.3 x 8.77 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Popular Psychology Creativity & Genius #2 in Creativity (Books) #6 in Personal Transformation Self-Help
Customer Reviews: 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (10,524) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
13 reviews for The Creative Act: A Way of Being
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Original price was: $32.00.$16.99Current price is: $16.99.


CJD –
Love this book. Unique & complex topics explained beautifully & simply
This book is filled with so much digestible, bite-sized information about creativity in art, business, or whatever you are pursuing.I highly recommend it. What a fun read.The author has the unique skill to explain extraordinarily complex terms in very simple language.I learned so much from this book.Highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Nikolai –
The most insightful book on art creation
Rick Rubin knows how to create art. He also knows how others create art, in this case it’s even more important – his observations lead to very deep and profound conclusions on what does it mean being and artist and how do you approach making great art. A must read.
Kana –
A beautiful book inside and out
The Creative Act is easy to read without being dumbed down like so many books these days. It is beautifully written and serves as ongoing inspiration. The chapters are shorter so I literally leave it out and read a chapter whenever I want to feel inspired. It doesn’t hurt that it’s aesthetically pleasing as well so looks great on any coffee table.
T. Fargo –
The Creative Act; A Wonderful Book!
One of the best books I’ve ever read! Very inspirational and uplifting! Easy to read and gives you confidence and reminders to just be yourself while expressing creativity. I’ll read this again and again…
Justin Morrison –
An Open Mind, Guys.
I’m a lifelong musician, composer, creative, performer, etc. This book has always been recommended to me by colleagues, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree with many of the common points that came up in the majority of reviews, and I’ll discuss them here:1. Perfect Coffee Table Book: Yes, this is a wonderful application. It’s an easy book to pick up, put down, and resume later. The chapters are short and are packed full of simple, quiet advice that you can consider and ponder throughout your day.2. It’s “the book”: This one depends where you are on your creative journey. I believe that I will read this book again, probably several times, in the future. There is a ton of excellent advise and wisdom in there, and reading through it quickly causes a lot of information to be passed over. It should be digested and internalized slowly. Most of the wisdom was old information that I’ve heard from teachers, colleagues, friends, or through personal musical discovery and experience. However, it’s invaluable to have these shared experiences collected in one place. If you are just starting out on your creative journey or don’t currently consider yourself a creative person, I expect that you’ll actually learn a lot from this book.3. The prose meanders. Yes, it does. I think you could largely read the chapters out of order and it wouldn’t matter. That’s okay – as Rick writes, language is an imperfect filter. Much of what he shares is a different viewpoint or expression of the same idea, so one chapter may be passed over while another may unlock something important in you. The whole book works together to instill growth, confidence, and creative openness – the colorful prose is a necessary feature.This is a book about growth that instills growth. It’s going to take time to marinate and be useful to your creative process. I will say that reading Rick’s knowledge has helped me find ways to streamline my personal writing process, trust the art, and better navigate roadblocks like doubt and lost direction. I’ve rated it four stars for its nature – it is not a solution, but a tool. A reference. I’ll use this book when I’m stuck in my creating. Maybe it will help, maybe it won’t, but something in it will help move the creative flow eventually.It’s also necessary to address several popular reviews that mention, and in some cases fixate, on religion. This is not a sacred text or religious doctrine. It is a way of structuring your life and workflow to increase and invite creative moments and creative energy to help you achieve your goals and be more creative. I can’t speak for Rick, but if you’re viewing everything he writes through a strict religious lens, you’re missing the entire point. It is frequently emphasized how important it is to have, nurture, and cultivate an open mind. To see and experience the world though many lenses and experiences. To explore diversity, open thought, and the self. To listen, observe, and connect with the world around us. Practicing these methods is necessary for encouraging creaticity. Reading this book through an extraordinarily narrow lens may help a little, but the majority of the contents will be misconstrued. There are a couple key chapters about that. 😉
MichSSF –
Great book!
Easy to read and very insightful. It’s an eloquent reminder that creativity starts with awareness, truth, and trust in the process… with more intention and calm. Less chasing trends, more creating what resonates. Quiet, wise, and grounding—this one stays on my desk.
vincent jordan –
Beyond creative, it’s self realization on steroids
What can be said about Rick Rubin that hasn’t been said already? Not a damn thing. In this life the average everyday person may encounter genius once or twice at the most, Rick Rubin is one of my encounters with true genius. Great read and useful almost as a reference guide at times!
It’sChriss –
This book is a hidden gem.
This is an awesome book! I love it so much that I bough an extra copy to give away. Very easy and relaxin gread filled with gems. If you are an artist or creator you will love the fresh approach that the author takes. I also love the insights and aciton steps he offers… all besides the wonderul storeis he tells. It’s worth a read at least once a year.
Ranen Francis –
Rick rubin takes you to the spiritual side of music. Love the book
Pablo Fontes –
best book I have ever read.
Ürün teslim edilmedi –
Ürün istediğim gibi geldi
Christine Frohner –
Sehr inspirierende Gedankenanstöße für KünstlerInnen. Die Kapitel sind relativ kurz und in die Abläufe verschiedener kreativer Prozesse gegliedert. Ich bin Designerin und greife immer wieder auf das Buch zurück!Ist zusätzlich auch noch ein super schönes Coffee Table Book und ein tolles Geschenk.
Eleonora Pecopeco –
Anche se è in inglese (ho comprato anche la versione italiana per stare sicuri) è stata una delle letture più emozionanti, complesse ed ispiranti della mia vita. Consigliato a chiunque sente di non potersi chiamare artista ma, in fondo, lo è.