Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

From Beethoven and Kafka to George Sand, Picasso and Agatha Christie, this compilation of letters, diaries and interviews reveals the profound fusion of discipline and dissipation through which the artistic temperament is allowed to evolve, recharge and emerge. 20,000 first printing.
Those pursuing creative endeavors often struggle with inspiration, procrastination, and the question of when to force the work or take a break. Many of the great names in history solved these problems by careful attention to their routines, working at rigid times of day or observing idiosyncratic rituals regarding sleep, exercise, meals, and psychoactive consumption. In this humorous volume, magazine writer Currey catalogs the often strange habits of a wide range of creative people, from traditional artist types like writers and painters to equally quirky philosophers and scientists. The bite-size vignettes, rarely more than 2 pages, offer either a momentary amusement or thoughtful considerations on how the reader can tap their own creative drive. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)