The Book Report
An ever-growing list of books and other valuable resources
Welcome to The Book Report! I like to read. A LOT. In 2024 I read more than 12 books and I’m on track to beat that in 2025. This list has more than 20 books and resources with (in some cases) a bit of personal commentary. It’s only available to paid subscribers as a thank you for supporting my work. Items marked with (*) are the newest addition to the list.
Books on Creativity
* Keep Going by Austin Kleon—another great one from Kleon with very timely encouragement.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin—this book is deep. It says so much in so few words. For me it's been one that I read a bit, think a bit, repeat.
Skip to the Fun Parts: Cartoons and Complaints About the Creative Process This is a funny book we can all relate to. After buying and reading many motivational-type books it was just a fun read.
Big Magic—Every list of creativity books mentions this one and the truth is I wanted to like it more. Something about it didn’t click with me. Maybe it was the my frame of mind while I was reading it (winter bleh) but I couldn’t get into it.
You Will Leave a Trail of Stars, and Finding Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon
The War of Art—This one is a classic. A tiny book that packs a big motivational punch. It’s one we should all read every few years [author exits to look for her copy].
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon—a quick an easy read with LOTS of good ideas. He also has a Substack publication that’s worth checking out.
Books for Making Art
Collage Your Life: Techniques, Prompts, and Inspiration for Creative Self-Expression and Visual Storytelling by Melanie Mowinski—seriously awesome and full of ideas! If you’re interested in collage check this one out.
Gelli Arts Printing Guide: Printing Without a Press on Paper and Fabric Using the Gelli Arts Plate 32 Beginner-Friendly Step-by-Step Projects, Techniques, and Inspiration by Suzanne McNeill—learn the basics of using a gel plate. This book is easy to follow and gel plates are really fun to work with.
Digital Fiber Art and Explorations with Collage! by Wen Redmond—both of these are really good for getting ideas and using a combination of digital and analog processes, but the “how to” portion falls short. I had to look for YouTube videos from other artists to understand the instructions.