Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York : Warner Books, c2002,
Description
"In this powerful, straight-from-the-hip examination of the internal obstacles to success, bestselling author Steven Pressfield shows readers how to identify, defeat, and unlock the inner barriers to creativity. The War of Art is an inspirational, funny, well-aimed kick in the pants guaranteed to galvanize every would-be artist, visionary, or entrepreneur."--Back cover.
User reviews
LibraryThing member shannonkearns
such an amazing book. recommend it to anyone who is trying to start a new venture or change a habit. amazing.
reread august 2010
reread august 2010
LibraryThing member figre
Here's the sign that a book is not particularly good. You pick it up a month or two after reading it and can't remember a thing about it. You just have the vague impression that you were not impressed. You then open up the pages and think to yourself, "Oh Yeahhhh. This one."
In other words, nope,
The first problem is the structure of the book. In this case, each section/chapter is one, maybe two pages long. And God forbid that any of the pages be full. I must, at this moment, express a prejudice I can never get over. I have a hard time caring about any book (any book that purports to be of a certain substance) in which there are one or more chapters that are half a page (or less) long. There are at least 27 in this 165 page book. (That later number includes title and blank pages.)
Strike one.
On the other hand, it is not hard to understand why so many of the chapters are abbreviated. (Heck, they are all abbreviated. It feels as though the four and a half page Foreword is longer than any of the chapters.) There is so little substance in any of them. Nice thoughts, pretty concepts, perhaps a motivational thought or two – but ultimately substanceless.
Strike two.
And then, the author begins talking about "invisible psychic forces". I do not need a dose of new-age claptrap in my discussions of creativity. The idea of understanding creativity and helping people become more creative is not helped with pseudo-intellectual discussions of "Angels in the Abstract" and semi-serious contemplations about muses. Oh, Pressfield tries to make it concrete, but it doesn't work. And, at that point, the call was...
Strike three. You're out.
With that all being said, I cannot say this book was a complete waste. I am a firm believer that a reader should be able to find something (anything) in every book he or she reads. Some of the discussion about handling creativity as a profession rang true, and I found the section talking about getting past resistance of some use. In fact, I even dog-eared one page.
But one page and a couple of ideas does not a great book make. In fact, in this case, it does not a mediocre book make. If you are looking for platitudes and deep thoughts to kick-start you on and through the road to creativity (and there is nothing wrong with that; we all have our own ways to get past the hurdles), then this is a perfectly fine book. If you are looking for something a little more substantive – a main dish rather than an aperitif – then go elsewhere.
In other words, nope,
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nada, no way, not worth the time.The first problem is the structure of the book. In this case, each section/chapter is one, maybe two pages long. And God forbid that any of the pages be full. I must, at this moment, express a prejudice I can never get over. I have a hard time caring about any book (any book that purports to be of a certain substance) in which there are one or more chapters that are half a page (or less) long. There are at least 27 in this 165 page book. (That later number includes title and blank pages.)
Strike one.
On the other hand, it is not hard to understand why so many of the chapters are abbreviated. (Heck, they are all abbreviated. It feels as though the four and a half page Foreword is longer than any of the chapters.) There is so little substance in any of them. Nice thoughts, pretty concepts, perhaps a motivational thought or two – but ultimately substanceless.
Strike two.
And then, the author begins talking about "invisible psychic forces". I do not need a dose of new-age claptrap in my discussions of creativity. The idea of understanding creativity and helping people become more creative is not helped with pseudo-intellectual discussions of "Angels in the Abstract" and semi-serious contemplations about muses. Oh, Pressfield tries to make it concrete, but it doesn't work. And, at that point, the call was...
Strike three. You're out.
With that all being said, I cannot say this book was a complete waste. I am a firm believer that a reader should be able to find something (anything) in every book he or she reads. Some of the discussion about handling creativity as a profession rang true, and I found the section talking about getting past resistance of some use. In fact, I even dog-eared one page.
But one page and a couple of ideas does not a great book make. In fact, in this case, it does not a mediocre book make. If you are looking for platitudes and deep thoughts to kick-start you on and through the road to creativity (and there is nothing wrong with that; we all have our own ways to get past the hurdles), then this is a perfectly fine book. If you are looking for something a little more substantive – a main dish rather than an aperitif – then go elsewhere.
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LibraryThing member phildec
Easy to read and inspiring book. Tells you that you have to understand and fight your natural resistance to free your creative instincts. Then creation is a demanding professional task that you need to consider as such.
LibraryThing member CliffordAnderson
Neither a full-blown, systematic approach nor a manifesto; more a serialized collection of anecdotes. Poetic and well-crafted. I found it motivating, but don't know if I'll refer back to it much.
LibraryThing member dbookbinder
Pressfield's concise assault on Resistance and his distinction between the professional and the amateur helped me break through some substantial blocks along the way to creating my book 'Paths to Wholeness.' Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member ACGalaga
I rarely read 'self help' books, but this was a gem. I'm glad he decided to write it as a self help book rather than going with the trend of the times and writing a philosophical fiction.
Maybe it's time I read it again.
Maybe it's time I read it again.
LibraryThing member chriszodrow
Main theme: Don't make excuses, get to work. Profound, subtle, robust? Hardly. Comparing this to Tzu is like comparing my desk-lamp to the sun. Please.
LibraryThing member Brothajohn
REgardless of your profession or belief, this book is an absolute must-read for all human beings. As necessary as food. Cited by David Allen no less (of GTD fame) as book that really "got it right"(para).
LibraryThing member Iralell
For anyone who can't seem to sit down and write that novel, start that business, stick to the exercise plan, this book will be the last you'll ever need.
LibraryThing member weedge507
A Great book...very inspirational. definitely made me want to go out and paint more.
LibraryThing member reddnas1
A great book for writers and other artists. Helps explain writer's block and how to stop it.
LibraryThing member bordercollie
Dove-tailing nicely with Eckhart Tolle's works, this little gem about Ego's Resistance to the creative process is informative and inspirational. He also talks about hierarchical and territorial aims; the first is to impress others, the second is what we would do if we were the only person on earth.
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A definite keeper to be read again and again. Show Less
LibraryThing member shanglee
it's been a while since i read a book over and over again. yes, it talks about resistance. Yes, it talks about procrastination. Yes, it talks about how you should overcome it. What I like most about the book is the way the author open my eyes to recognise what's right in front of me all along. To
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recognise resistance and to recognise my relationship with it. To recognise my relationship with my art. To recognise that whatever we do, it is good to know that we are simultaneously our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. a book concisely written with plenty of sub-meanings. great book. Show Less
LibraryThing member eeknight
Great book for authors, or anyone in a creative field, who need a kick in the butt. Written in tiny, almost aphorism length vignettes. Pressfield subscribes to the "get your rear in the chair and inspiration will come" school, one I largely agree with.
LibraryThing member stacy_chambers
Nike made a lot more money with its "Just Do It" campaign, but Pressfield says it much better. He doesn't bullshit about how hard it is to overcome resistance to any endeavor—whether it's making art or starting a workout program. Overcoming our own self-sabotaging tendencies is hard, and it's a
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battle we have to fight anew every day. Show Less
LibraryThing member DanStratton
I have heard good things about The War of Art for many years. Several of my friends sing its praises. It had been on my list for a long time. Finally, after nearly a decade, the time was right. I needed to read it this week. Had I read it when I first heard of it, it may not have had the same
Steven Pressfield is the author of bestseller novels, including The Legend of Bagger Vance. He departs from his normal fiction to write this small book on winning the inner creative war. He discusses how he came to break from his "normal" career and embark on his journey to create novels. However, the book is much more than that story. It is how to break free and have the courage to create.
Pressfield begins by naing the force that keeps us from starting something creative - Resistance. It is the force that causes us to doubt and put off what we long to do. It feeds on fear and magnifies it to crippling heights. Resistance, in literary circles, can be known as writer's block. In others, it is procrastination. It is most happy when we do things that are not creative. In short, often one page mini-essays, he defines Resistance in detail so we can recognize it out our life.
In the second section of the book, Pressfield describes way to combat Resistance. He calls this "turning professional." He talks about the discipline of creating art. He details his habits in how he lives each day, structured and rigid so as to provide space for his muse to direct his writing. He discusses how the amateur will write when the feeling strikes. The professional treats it as a regular habit, beginning at the same time each day, much as the rest of us start our jobs. He describes the attributes of the professional, such as seeking order, demystifying process, acting in the face of fear and not taking failure and success personally. Again, the format is in short essays.
The final section is about going beyond Resistance, examining where art comes from. Pressfield admits he is a spiritual man, firmly believing in angels and muses. He believes God puts us on Earth to be creative, not drones. Therefore, to fulfill our destiny, we must learn to create, take off the blinders on our souls and invoke angels and muses to aid us.
I understand the concept of Resistance. It keeps me from writing here as often as I desire. I have many creative ideas circling inside my head, eager for space to land and take root. Resistance keeps me from letting these ideas out to the light. Doubts, fears, poor choices and other excuses have bottled me up for years. As I read this book, I found the naming and descriptions helped me relax and gain confidence in myself. I haven't fully overcome Resistance yet, but I have been breaking down the walls I have built over the decades. It isn't easy to overcome the habits I have built.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you have feelings of creativity that are being suppressed for whatever the reason. Pressfield kindly doesn't condemn, but shows the way - the way to win the War of Art.
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impact on my life.Steven Pressfield is the author of bestseller novels, including The Legend of Bagger Vance. He departs from his normal fiction to write this small book on winning the inner creative war. He discusses how he came to break from his "normal" career and embark on his journey to create novels. However, the book is much more than that story. It is how to break free and have the courage to create.
Pressfield begins by naing the force that keeps us from starting something creative - Resistance. It is the force that causes us to doubt and put off what we long to do. It feeds on fear and magnifies it to crippling heights. Resistance, in literary circles, can be known as writer's block. In others, it is procrastination. It is most happy when we do things that are not creative. In short, often one page mini-essays, he defines Resistance in detail so we can recognize it out our life.
In the second section of the book, Pressfield describes way to combat Resistance. He calls this "turning professional." He talks about the discipline of creating art. He details his habits in how he lives each day, structured and rigid so as to provide space for his muse to direct his writing. He discusses how the amateur will write when the feeling strikes. The professional treats it as a regular habit, beginning at the same time each day, much as the rest of us start our jobs. He describes the attributes of the professional, such as seeking order, demystifying process, acting in the face of fear and not taking failure and success personally. Again, the format is in short essays.
The final section is about going beyond Resistance, examining where art comes from. Pressfield admits he is a spiritual man, firmly believing in angels and muses. He believes God puts us on Earth to be creative, not drones. Therefore, to fulfill our destiny, we must learn to create, take off the blinders on our souls and invoke angels and muses to aid us.
I understand the concept of Resistance. It keeps me from writing here as often as I desire. I have many creative ideas circling inside my head, eager for space to land and take root. Resistance keeps me from letting these ideas out to the light. Doubts, fears, poor choices and other excuses have bottled me up for years. As I read this book, I found the naming and descriptions helped me relax and gain confidence in myself. I haven't fully overcome Resistance yet, but I have been breaking down the walls I have built over the decades. It isn't easy to overcome the habits I have built.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you have feelings of creativity that are being suppressed for whatever the reason. Pressfield kindly doesn't condemn, but shows the way - the way to win the War of Art.
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LibraryThing member TimFerris
I needed to get the hardback, which came to me from England. I had lent out the paperback and never gotten it back. The person to whom I lent it is still using it and quotes from it occasionally on Facebook, and I don't have the heart to repossess something that someone's enjoying.
LibraryThing member deldevries
The beginning of the book is outstanding. I think it trails off a bit after the first third. But it was worth a reread a couple of years later.
LibraryThing member JaneSteen
Where I got the book: I won a bunch of stuff from a blog a couple of years back and this was in it.
If you're a writer, you probably know just how problematical it is to stick your backside in a chair and write. Other creative endeavors are dogged by the same undermining factors of fear and
Pressfield was in that difficult place, he says, when he finally decided to get serious. He shares his thoughts about Resistance and how to overcome it in 160 or so pages which mostly contain just one paragraph, sometimes even just two or three lines. You could, I suppose, use the rest of the page to add your own notes, but if you're looking for a whole bunch of words to inspire you, you're not going to be happy about the amount of blank space.
On the other hand, there are nuggets. I like the idea of the forces stacked against the writer being summed up in the word Resistance. Pressfield covers the symptoms of Resistance, spends some time analyzing what professionals do to overcome Resistance, and then meanders to rather a mish-mashy, New Agey finish by talking about angels, Kabbalah, the Muse and so on. Once we start straying into people's personal philosophy of life, you usually lose me.
I probably wouldn't recommend this as a buy, but if your library has it, go ahead. I've seen worse books about getting going with writing.
If you're a writer, you probably know just how problematical it is to stick your backside in a chair and write. Other creative endeavors are dogged by the same undermining factors of fear and
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avoidance, which Pressfield calls Resistance. I picked up this book because like many writers, I'm struggling to become the writer I want to be. Not in terms of writing quality, although that's always important and no good writer ever stops thinking about HOW they write; but in terms of being consistent, persistent, professional and organized about my work.Pressfield was in that difficult place, he says, when he finally decided to get serious. He shares his thoughts about Resistance and how to overcome it in 160 or so pages which mostly contain just one paragraph, sometimes even just two or three lines. You could, I suppose, use the rest of the page to add your own notes, but if you're looking for a whole bunch of words to inspire you, you're not going to be happy about the amount of blank space.
On the other hand, there are nuggets. I like the idea of the forces stacked against the writer being summed up in the word Resistance. Pressfield covers the symptoms of Resistance, spends some time analyzing what professionals do to overcome Resistance, and then meanders to rather a mish-mashy, New Agey finish by talking about angels, Kabbalah, the Muse and so on. Once we start straying into people's personal philosophy of life, you usually lose me.
I probably wouldn't recommend this as a buy, but if your library has it, go ahead. I've seen worse books about getting going with writing.
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LibraryThing member darcy36
This book is a must-read for motivation to take those first steps towards pursuing a dream. Excellent tips and advice, and every word stirs you to take action!
LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
The way this book is written suggests that in an alternate history Steven Pressfield would be the guru of a religious sect—he emotes like he's receiving divine direction—and The War of Art the group's bible. Some say this is EXACTLY what being creative is all about. I say that's complete
The War of Art is one huge, spiritually infused pep talk aimed at those struggling with writer's block, or painter's block, or whatever. I can see the value for a select few, but for the rest of us, myself included, we'd do well to quit stalling, sit our butts down and get back to work.
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hokum.The War of Art is one huge, spiritually infused pep talk aimed at those struggling with writer's block, or painter's block, or whatever. I can see the value for a select few, but for the rest of us, myself included, we'd do well to quit stalling, sit our butts down and get back to work.
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LibraryThing member TFHetrick
In my Top Five of Creative Inspiration category. All of you with a creative soul, do yourself a favor: Read. This. Book. You're welcome.
LibraryThing member sylliu
The War of Art, by Stephen Pressfield will motivate you to do creative work and identifies the things that are holding you back (including, among other things, the fear of success, your ego, etc). I highly recommend it. Parts are a bit new agey but the basic message is, get your butt in the chair,
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do your work every day, know that there are many forces that conspire against creativity, but doing the work for the love of the work will let you overcome many of those things. Show Less
LibraryThing member Amelia_Smith
I checked The War of Art out of the library because a bunch of people on the internet raved about how great it was. I'm glad I didn't buy it. I suspect if I looked back, I'd find that all of those people who loved it would turn out to be white American men of the baby boomer generation who have
Sure, psychological resistance is a problem, and this book could be OK for some people struggling with it, but it made me angry because I felt like the author, Mr. Pressfield, advocated sloughing off practical responsibilities onto other people (wives, mostly?). He started to lose me at his rant against “healing” on pp. 48-50, and I went completely over the edge to wanting to throw the book across the room with this sentence at the bottom of p. 55: “Tolstoy had thirteen kids and wrote War and Peace.” You know what else Tolstoy had? A wife. You know what else Tolstoy had? Serfs. That's what Tolstoy had. Ridiculous levels of privilege.
From there on, I just skimmed, and though there were some nice thoughts in there I couldn't shake off the impression of self-satisfied pseudo-spirituality and a blind unawareness of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Oh well, at least it was short!
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never lacked social and economic resources. Not that they've never faced challenges of one kind or another, but that they've always operated from a place of privilege. I'm not exactly under-privileged myself, but I don't believe that all the challenges aspiring artists face are figments of their imagination or resistant ego, to be swept away by diligent self-discipline.Sure, psychological resistance is a problem, and this book could be OK for some people struggling with it, but it made me angry because I felt like the author, Mr. Pressfield, advocated sloughing off practical responsibilities onto other people (wives, mostly?). He started to lose me at his rant against “healing” on pp. 48-50, and I went completely over the edge to wanting to throw the book across the room with this sentence at the bottom of p. 55: “Tolstoy had thirteen kids and wrote War and Peace.” You know what else Tolstoy had? A wife. You know what else Tolstoy had? Serfs. That's what Tolstoy had. Ridiculous levels of privilege.
From there on, I just skimmed, and though there were some nice thoughts in there I couldn't shake off the impression of self-satisfied pseudo-spirituality and a blind unawareness of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Oh well, at least it was short!
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LibraryThing member whiteberg
Very useful as a therapeutic guideline for struggeling artists. Especially the thoughts on Resistance are spot on.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2002-06-04
Physical description
168 p.; 21 cm
ISBN
0446691437 / 9780446691437