The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle

Rating:
Summary: Short, Sweet, and (mostly) to the Point
Review: This book is easy to read. You could finish it in an hour. Some of you, thirty minutes. It's like a brand new medicine with an Easy-Swallow coating.

And medicine it is. This book WILL jump-start you. It won't give you the gas you need, or show you the road to take, or turn the wheel for you, but it will get your motor running. All that other stuff, it points out, you have to do.

Pressfield is quite concise, and he has a plan for the book, and he fullfills it almost flawlessly and with very little diversion. I say "almost" and "very little" because, at one point, he gets off track.

This is the point where he discusses religion (specifically fundamentalism---and not just of Christianity, but of any ancient doctrine). Religion, he acquiesces, is useful and even somewhat necessary, but it is not the be-all and end-all of any life.

Perhaps his point would've been better suited for his purposes if he'd done a better job of explaining his reasons and excuses, but, ultimately, all he does is advocate his own type of fundamentalism, or rather, his own type of religion. And even then, contrasted with his rather half-hearted condemnation of fundamentalism (in all its forms), his attempts at clarifying his point miss the mark entirely, so that, for an odd and about 15-page moment in the middle of the book, he sounds like an amnesiatic priest who believes strongly in something, but can't quite explain what it is, exactly.

Other than that, the book works, and despite his liberal use of cliched quotes and other people's insights, it may just be the kick-start you need to get your butt off the couch and into the winning side of the war.

Rating:
Summary: The Truth is usually concise...
Review: This book is worth getting just for the discussion in the first half on "resistance." This is Pressfield's term for anything that prevents the artist from doing "the work." Pressfield humorously and elegantly recounts all the stumbling blocks, procrastination, avoidance, neurotic behavior and fear -- all summed up as "resistance" -- that any human faces in creating anything. I laughed out loud as recognized some of these crazy behaviors and irrational fears as very familiar to me. For anyone who is trying to make the transition from creative amateur to working professional it provides a pathway and a license for personal change. Some might complain that this book is composed of short anecdotes but I think it's a refereshing alternative to long-winded self-help books with arcane and convoluted exerecises, workbooks, recipes and programs. Most of defeating any problem begins in recognizing it, and this book helps you do just that.

Rating:
Summary: Speaks to the Soul, Buy this book and live your life!!
Review: When it comes to books, I'm an owner of thousands, a reader of some and a fan of few. This book cannot be put down, no matter how hard I tried not only did I read it but it was so good , I turned off the television and tuned for the first time in a really long time into my soul. I only stopped momentarily to grab a pen and write a poem, which was the first time I have written in five years. You see I was paralyzed wanting to say so much but afraid nothing was going to come out. I am speaking to you because this book is an umbilical cord that connects you with yourself, it is not the typical ego book where their is seperation between reader and writer,He is real, the book is beautiful, and pleasant to look at. By the way I always thought the people who wrote these reviews were related or the author's publisher and I admit that even though before I read this book I was not related or for that matter heard of Steven Pressfield, but after reading and experiencing this book and having many an epiphany, I feel he is a spiritual sibling and thank him for writing this work of art on the art of work, "The War of Art"!!

Rating:
Summary: a great kick start for any goal
Review: Wonderful, common sense support to get you going on whatever goal you have. Aimed mostly at writers, Pressman's suggestions can also be applied to any dream you have. He does ask that you face reality: your dream won't happen if you don't work at it. Sure, we all know that, but he has written it so beautifully. Since reading this book, I have developed a plan for attaining my writing goals, and I'm working toward it now.