Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
Well-known blogger (gapingvoid.com), back-of-business-card cartoonist and advertising copywriter, Hugh MacLeod, leads us through his list of “What I Believe” in his book, Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity.
Like other books I have read recently, this is what I consider a “real world example.” Every aspect of the book draws on his experiences in advertising, blogging and cartooning. It makes you think. It make you stop sometimes and glance up at the ceiling to take stock of what you have just read. Some of the sections may seem contradictory to others that you have read, but that’s ok. Life itself is pretty contradictory, too, and the best advice is often to look at a problem from all sides.
Some sections feel like MacLeod is getting in you face and telling you how he thinks the world really operates. You can chose to believe him, or not, but you can’t ignore him. I think this is one of the marks of a good author. Mediocre authors can be be ignored, but good authors force you to pay attention, whether you agree with them or not.
Ignore Everybody is based on a blog, so it is divided into distinctly blog-like sections. Each has a beginning, middle and end, but also ties together nicely as a whole. MacLeod even recommends blogging for others who want to share their creativity with the world — something I often recommend myself to my clients. Those unfamiliar with blogs might find the style a big choppy, but even someone older like me can find it enjoyable and informative if you keep an open mind.
If you need a recharge in your creative life, are looking for the next step in your career or just trying to make sense of the world around you, Ignore Everybody could be an interesting and enjoyable read.
More 2013 Gift Guide Items:
- Zoom H6 6 Track Portable Digital Recorder
- Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
- Killer Ratings by Lisa Seidman
- Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining
- Blue Yeti Microphone
- Starter Kit for Newsite Arduino Uno R3
- The Drunken Botanist : The plants that create the world’s great drinks
- The Promise by Dawn Comer Jefferson and Rosanne Welch
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player
- Minecraft for PC | Minecraft for Xbox 360