The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act is a must read for every artist and student of the arts at all levels. While Rubin’s reputation as a record producer certainly precedes him (and readers will find this an interesting biographical document on one of our most prolific producers), he is also skilled in formulating an actionable, flexible model, one that artists can slot easily into their schedules. Writing in a loose prose style that occasionally slips into verse, Rubin effectively uses poetic tools both to compress his message and gesture to a larger metaphysical argument. The result is immediately gratifying and will be useful to artists in any medium.