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12th out of 40 books
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18 voters
Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art
This book is about the inner sources of spontaneous creation. It is about where art in the widest sense comes from. It is about why we create and what we learn when we do. It is about the flow of unhindered creative energy: the joy of making art in all its varied forms.
Free Play is directed toward people in any field who want to contact, honor, and strengthen their own cre...more
Free Play is directed toward people in any field who want to contact, honor, and strengthen their own cre...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
May 1st 1991
by Tarcher
(first published January 11th 1990)
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This book really bothered me. I started out just disagreeing with the way things were worded. But by 3/4ths of the way through, I couldn't take it any more, and stopped reading. The book is poorly organized. It was missing structural guidelines such as transition paragraphs, or a general outline in the beginning. I didn't know where it was going. Many of the chapters seemed incomplete. But this was not the main thing that bothered me. I could have dealt with that. What pissed me off the most was...more
I took a few things away from this book:
1. The creative process in and of itself is important and playful.
2. Practice is an important part of getting good at your particular creative skill.
3. Procrastination and perfectionism are hindrances to the creative process.
4. Supportive communities are important to the creative process.
5. Everyday life doesn't necessarily support creativity. The artist, musician, poet, and writer has to be intentional about carving out time to create.
My only reservation...more
1. The creative process in and of itself is important and playful.
2. Practice is an important part of getting good at your particular creative skill.
3. Procrastination and perfectionism are hindrances to the creative process.
4. Supportive communities are important to the creative process.
5. Everyday life doesn't necessarily support creativity. The artist, musician, poet, and writer has to be intentional about carving out time to create.
My only reservation...more
In this book, Nachmanovitch, (a violinist and poet by trade?) details his thoughts and experiences with improvisation in all mediums and also talks about how to be an artist at life. I read each section slowly and took some notes.
Some big points: Improvisation doesn't mean "just anything". Its structured by what comes before it, what is inside each of us waiting to come out, the form we're using. Creativity and the drive to create are different. What is the distinction between practice and addi...more
Some big points: Improvisation doesn't mean "just anything". Its structured by what comes before it, what is inside each of us waiting to come out, the form we're using. Creativity and the drive to create are different. What is the distinction between practice and addi...more
"A poetic embrace for the role that muse plays...beyond art. A refreshing balance to reductionist efforts to simply map our way into uncovering the mystery of creativity.
People interested in "the five steps to improving your creativity" will find this book highly unsatisfying. People who are intimately familiar with the angst of bringing the new into the world will recognize the undercurrents of brilliance and frustration that coexist with any true new undertaking or inspirational voyage.
Message...more
People interested in "the five steps to improving your creativity" will find this book highly unsatisfying. People who are intimately familiar with the angst of bringing the new into the world will recognize the undercurrents of brilliance and frustration that coexist with any true new undertaking or inspirational voyage.
Message...more
Another book representative of my recently-favourite genre: "genre-less". Yes, it's sold as an improv skill-booster, but Nachmanovitch dips into every circle of the human hell and ties the ends together neatly with a taut viola string. When I mentioned to the friend who let me borrow this book ("it's meant to be passed around") that this was the author's only published book, he shrugged and riffed, "he said it all". Truth. Unfortunately, as the author is wailing away with his handsaw of personal...more
A lot of things rang true with what I have come to believe about creativity and my own process. My number one creative mantra lately has been "All creative acts have value." Knitting, baking, drawing, dancing, doing yoga, making up silly songs to the cats... they all are equal in getting juice flowing, removing blocks, and revealing new things to incorporate in my art/dance/yoga. Another thing I found really interesting is that he stresses the importance of allowing your internal muse and intern...more
In the fall, I discovered this book in my boyfriend's apartment.
As I was falling in love, this excerpt resonated deeply with me:
"Though love is a material act (whether sexual love, friendship, parenting, or any other kind of devotion, love is always an act), it lifts us out of the ordinary world into a kind of mystic participation with one another. We tune, more and more finely, our capacity to sense the other person's subtleties. We are willing to be infinitely patient and persevering. In a se...more
As I was falling in love, this excerpt resonated deeply with me:
"Though love is a material act (whether sexual love, friendship, parenting, or any other kind of devotion, love is always an act), it lifts us out of the ordinary world into a kind of mystic participation with one another. We tune, more and more finely, our capacity to sense the other person's subtleties. We are willing to be infinitely patient and persevering. In a se...more
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I loved this book. A re-read is in order soon because the topics are so common sense and intuition driven that they are often forgotten or overlooked. I use this book as a constant reminder to, "Be Here Now," and when being creative not letting my over-analyzing hinder me.
This book is not just for musicians, it is for anyone wanting to enjoy life more, be more creative, and understand the journey to mastery takes more than a lifetime and happens in an instant. The law of reversed effort and many...more
This book is not just for musicians, it is for anyone wanting to enjoy life more, be more creative, and understand the journey to mastery takes more than a lifetime and happens in an instant. The law of reversed effort and many...more
Did not get interesting until the middle, where there were some concrete suggestions on how to play around with limits, the interplay between creativity and judgement.
The beginning and the end of the book are weakest, in my opinion. They are filled with too much pseudo-spiritual riffs, or get off track with rants against mainstream society, neither of which did much for me.
All that said, I still think it was a worthwhile read for what was there regarding improvisation.
The beginning and the end of the book are weakest, in my opinion. They are filled with too much pseudo-spiritual riffs, or get off track with rants against mainstream society, neither of which did much for me.
All that said, I still think it was a worthwhile read for what was there regarding improvisation.
Philosophy of improvisation--cool. The author is an expert in about 85 million different fields, and it helps him write a truly interdisciplinary book that will have some relevance to just about anyone. I only got half-way through this before returning it to the library. I plan to buy it; it's way too dense to read through quickly. The writing is clear, there are just too many ideas in this little book.
I read this book at least twice. It worked. I was trying to be a serious musician and artist; I'd just discovered that I loved writing. I wish I could remember more, but there was something about the description of the human need to create though improvisation (play) that resonated with me.
I might just have to read it again.
I might just have to read it again.
This book really didn't work for me. The author is clearly inspired about the topic of improvisation, but there's such a lack of depth and rigor to his exploration that the book came off to me as a lightweight, new-agey sermon. Nachamanovitch dances around the subject with gusto, but he always avoids diving deeply into the heart of the matter.
So far, this is a treasure trove of inspirational gems. It is very carefully crafted, without losing the connection to the core theme of improvisation. It is a book of wisdom and inspiration. Very valuable. Saving the fifth star until finished.
A great book about improvisation in art and life. It touches on writing, music, living, and creating. One of my favorite improv pianists, Keith Jarrett, calls it "the most important book on improvisation I've ever seen."
A wonderful introduction to the psychology of improv as well as that which keeps actors fresh as actors and as people. I was scared of improv until I read this book and applied it. A must read for any actor, improv or not!
One of my favorite books. I've reread it several times, and referred to it often. An inspiring reminder of what it means to be awake to the moment and to receive its possibilities with gratitude and imagination.
Love the book. The book has taught me to turn discipline and learning into an adventure--- and in fact helped me become a better chef and hostess by preparing and the being playful.
This is the book I dreamed of writing in my fifties--but discovered it had already been perfectly written when I was in my early 20s.
Ever inspiring.
Ever inspiring.
It made some good points, although I felt like it went a little off the rails at times. Ultimately, it just didn't keep me that interested.
Loved this book. Great stuff about breaking through fear and allowing yourself to play. Read it twice, probably going to read it again.
MY PERSONAL BIBLE.
I plan on reading this annually. It has strange structure and is not for the literal-minded. Fascinating linguistic allusions and historical anecdotes. People often criticize that Nachmanovitch repeats himself, but in improvisation and any art that is "felt", the thought process is not linear but concentric - as it all happens at once. The discourse on "instinct" is like a bowl of fish hooks, in order to pull out one, all the others must come with it. Utterly lovely and revelat...more
I plan on reading this annually. It has strange structure and is not for the literal-minded. Fascinating linguistic allusions and historical anecdotes. People often criticize that Nachmanovitch repeats himself, but in improvisation and any art that is "felt", the thought process is not linear but concentric - as it all happens at once. The discourse on "instinct" is like a bowl of fish hooks, in order to pull out one, all the others must come with it. Utterly lovely and revelat...more
Aug 06, 2011
Amber Womack
added it
This book was a gift from my dear friend Courtney Crouse! I really enjoyed it and it has a lot of great ideas for any performer!
Dec 25, 2008
Paul
added it
The most comprehensive book on creativity and improvisation. This will truly unlock the child-like creativity in all of us :)
a must read for anyone who wants to develop their creativity. i read this book in college and have revisited it multiple times.
I've used this in my teaching. It's accessible and I enjoy the arts connections he makes as one who works in many art forms.
An inspiring book filled with good quotes and illustrations from all different times and cultures.
Book Changed my career as a musician , and my craft as an artist forever
subtitle: Improvisation in Life and Art; few books written on this topic
Kind of boring to read. I had to read it for a modern dance class.
I refer back to the concepts in this book again and again.
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Apr 04, 2013 11:23am