Reading Recs

Formatted as a twelve-week program, this inspiring book includes activities and exercises with the overall goal of helping the reader to discover the link between their spiritual and creative selves. I enjoyed that the book included examples from people on different types of creative paths (writers, artists, chefs, musicians, etc.) I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to find and nurture their own type of creativity. – Mary Robbins, Kent Library

Creativity takes many unexpected paths that lead to new and interesting masterpieces. An ink splat could be a mistake . . . or it could be the start of a creation. Discover how oops can inspire if one looks at life as a work in progress. – Stephanie Hallam, Kent Library

According to Georgetown professor Cal Newport, one thing that many creative, innovative people have in common is that they engage in what he calls "deep work," where they spend time concentrating on one task in a distraction-free environment to really push their mind. Yet, in a social media and smart phone age, getting away from distractions is harder than ever. Newport lays out the value of deep work and offers strategies to give yourself more time to engage in it and improve your creative output. – Carl Hess, Kent Library

This book is based on the premises that drawing should be fun, and that, while some people do have an innate knack for drawing, it is a skill that can be taught and practiced to develop a high degree of drawing proficiency. The author uses a combination of practical technique instruction, examples, theoretical background, and exercises such as drawing something upside down to help break with preconceived notions of how something looks and achieve a frame of mind conducive to effective drawing. One thing I particularly like is the inclusion of her students' 'before' and 'after' drawings that illustrate remarkable progress achieved over a relatively short period of study. Both beginning and experienced artists can find inspiration and encouragement from this book. – Karl Suhr, Kent Library

Even the most common and repetitive activity can enable one's own attention to the colorful and creative self. A guide to cooling down the flames and focusing on grabbing the reins of one's life for the creation of healthy and productive environments. – José Miño Lara, Academic Advising

Misery is a novel about a captive author who must use his creativity in order to survive and escape his captor. His creativity is tested in many different ways: through his writing, his acting, his survival skills, his planning, and his ability to keep his sanity. This book is another great example of Stephen King's creativity as well, as he keeps the reader in suspense from page to page, never sure about the physical and mental survival of the characters. As always I highly recommend Stephen King! – Brittany Colbert, Kent Library

Fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin recently became the first person to ever win 3 Hugo Awards in a row, one for each novel in her Broken Earth trilogy. In this episode of The Ezra Klein Show podcast, she explains her process for building fantasy worlds that feel as real and complex as our own, primarily by drawing on humanity’s rich cultural diversity. – Doc M. Billingsley, History and Anthropology

Bri, a sixteen-year old rapper, is the daughter of a legendary rapper who was shot in a gang dispute when she was a kid. With her mother and brother struggling to earn enough money to provide for the family, Bri fights to make a name for herself in the rap community and ease the financial burden. After an incident at her school where is thrown to the ground by school security, Bri writes and records a song that goes viral and has consequences she never intended. On the Come Up is about a struggling teen using rap as a creative outlet and a way to process the world around her. – Katlyn Griffin, Kent Library

This book examines the creative process from an entrepreneurial perspective. The author uses real world examples, behavioral, social and traditional psychological theories to explain how to shatter conventional thought about being a creative and innovative person. Overall, I found this to be an easy, enjoyable, and inspirational read. – Nick Johnston, Management

As someone who enjoys writing, I'm always looking for ways to improve. This book was recommended to me by a published author, and it has been extremely helpful to me as I've developed (and continue developing) my writing skills. This book offers tips and techniques to help you edit your work and create a polished finished product. – Kelly Murray, Kent Library

Derek Hough is the penultimate performer. The award-winning dancer tells the story of how he went from being bullied as a child to one of the most popular dancers on TV and film today, while sharing life lessons he learned along the way. If you love him on "Dancing With the Stars" and "World of Dance," read his book! – Karie Stroder, Academic Advising