Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth GilbertMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
There is just something with Elizabeth Gilbert's writing that I don't like. As of now, I have read two of her books, this one and Eat, Pray, Love. I was fine with Eat, Pray, Love, but I felt like this book was very preachy and really cheesy (I actually gave Eat, Pray, Love the same rating for different reasons). After reading multiple recommendations for this novel, I was excited to read it because I thought it was supposed to inspire you to become more creative. Instead, I read about how Gilbert spiritualizes creativity and encourages you to be happy throughout your failures. Ugh, really?
There was no science or logic to back up her arguments, and it felt like she was just rambling about her writing career. And the language was just so flowery...it was almost gag-worthy. I did agree with her that it's important to persevere through adversities in your work, but your don't have to be constantly happy while doing so. You just have to tell yourself that it's worth it at the end of the day.
Another major point: Creativity doesn't have to be limited to the arts. Engineering and many different types of STEM disciplines also utilize many of the concepts of creative work. Frankly, I'm astounded that she didn't mention this in her book; this just shows how limited she is in her world views.
Overall rating: 2.75 Stars
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