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Committed: A Memoir of the Artist's Road

Patrick Ross (Goodreads Author)

4.65 · Rating details · 20 ratings · 16 reviews

A unique and ambitious contribution to the annals of the memoir genre. It tells the story of a Washington, D.C. journalist-turned-lobbyist who disguises his bipolar disorder as well as his estrangement from his parents and heads out on a five-week cross-country U.S. road trip, engaging with creative and generous individuals who trigger in the author a yearning to pursue an ...more

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Paperback, 239 pages

Published October 16th 2014 by Black Rose Writing

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Sep 20, 2014 Jessica McCann rated it it was amazing

Patrick Ross' memoir contains all the things I enjoy most about this genre. I veer from celebrity memoirs, which too often contain high drama, glitz and narcissism. I prefer memoirs by ordinary people, dealing with life, overcoming obstacles and learning something along the way that they have the courage to share with the rest of us. Ross delivered this in a quiet way with clean, entertaining prose.

After an engaging introduction, the book begins with the author embarking on a business road trip ...more

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Apr 18, 2015 Jeanne rated it it was amazing

Required reading for every artist!

I had been following Patrick Ross's blog, The Artist's Road, with pleasure for quite some time before I purchased a copy of his book, COMMITTED: A MEMOIR OF THE ARTIST'S ROAD. The book does not disappoint.

Part memoir, part exploration of the creative process, Committed: A Memoir of the Artist's Road is a narrative of Ross's experiences and revelations during a five-week cross-country journey to interview various artists about copyright infringement for a documen Required reading for every artist!

I had been following Patrick Ross's blog, The Artist's Road, with pleasure for quite some time before I purchased a copy of his book, COMMITTED: A MEMOIR OF THE ARTIST'S ROAD. The book does not disappoint.

Part memoir, part exploration of the creative process, Committed: A Memoir of the Artist's Road is a narrative of Ross's experiences and revelations during a five-week cross-country journey to interview various artists about copyright infringement for a documentary. Ross begins by taking the position of the objective journalist, but he soon strips away his veneer of dispassionate observation to reveal his own ambivalence about living the creative life as well as his personal struggle with mental illness. The journey to discuss copyright concerns becomes one of self-revelation.

Ross's writing is eloquent and beautifully descriptive. We feel the claustrophobia of the musician's home studio, smell the freshly baked muffins in the home of a song writer, and in one of his most powerful passages, experience the transcendent moment of driving from the Plains up into the Rocky Mountains.

Artists are often forced to balance the needs of family and time with the passion of creating art. It is a sad fact that, in this country, few artists can earn a living from their creative work. Again and again, Ross poses the question to his interviewees: "What does it mean to commit to the creative life?" The answers are varied, but they all follow a similar theme. As I read through this book, I found myself underlining certain responses because they spoke to me and my own life as an artist. When Ross interviews Bob Kurtz, a musician and a composer, Kurtz tells him, "What you think about all day long should be what you do, then." Joseph Campbell, the famous mythologist and writer, echoes a similar sentiment when he advises people to "follow your bliss."

But Ross knows that pursuing one's passion also requires fierce determination. He explains, "The art-committed life is all about perseverance. It's about creating your art when life tells you there is no time. It's about honoring your muse when there is no immediate economic return. It's about being willing to take on new challenges alone." These words are so true they should be a framed poster in every artist's studio.

At the beginning of this narrative, Ross dismisses himself as a more of an advocate than a creative, but I would disagree. Ross has created a book every artist needs to read.
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Jan 11, 2015 Melissa Crytzer Fry rated it it was amazing

What a refreshing way to start 2015: reading a new genre! Yes, believe it or not, I am a first-time memoir reader and might have missed out if not for getting to know Patrick Ross through his Artist’s Road blog over the past few years.

I’m not sure all memoirs are like his, but Ross’s COMMITTED offers a refreshing literary style with beautiful turns of phrase (many relating to the physical environment he travels during a road trip). It also tackles the tough issues of mental health and the commo ...more

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Sep 23, 2014 Sherrey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memoir, nonfiction

Patrick Ross took me on a five-week road trip from Portland, Maine, to my hometown of Portland, Oregon. I should clarify and point out that it wasn't a journey we made together, in the same vehicle, on the same plane or train. It's what I felt as a I read Patrick's memoir, Committed: A Memoir of the Artist's Road. ...

Evocative of William Least Heat-Moon's famous, Blue Highways, Patrick, by this time a journalist-turned-lobbyist, travels from one end of our country to the other interviewing artis ...more

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Nov 09, 2014 P.J. Reece rated it really liked it

First of all, I only give 5-stars to Virginia Woolf, so 4-stars is high praise coming from a crank like me. Patrick's road story turns out to be a portrait of America, which, as a non-American, I appreciated, especially since, to a non-America, America is not always a pretty sight. But Patrick Ross turns out to be a refreshing sight indeed, and by that I mean he tells the bare-assed truth or he doesn't bother to say anything at all. What a relief to read a writer who calls it like it is -- from ...more

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Nov 08, 2014 Wendy Christopher rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone who likes memoirs

Shelves: memoir, thought-provoking, recommend

I've read a few memoirs/autobiographies in the past. They have mostly been written by comedians - not sure why I'm drawn to them in particular, but they've never disappointed so I'm not going to analyse it too deeply. I've read one memoir written by a writer - 'On Writing,' by Stephen King. But I was drawn to reading 'Committed' after discovering Patrick Ross's online blog; something about his engaging, conversational tone and genuinely sincere interaction with his 'audience' made me confident t I've read a few memoirs/autobiographies in the past. They have mostly been written by comedians - not sure why I'm drawn to them in particular, but they've never disappointed so I'm not going to analyse it too deeply. I've read one memoir written by a writer - 'On Writing,' by Stephen King. But I was drawn to reading 'Committed' after discovering Patrick Ross's online blog; something about his engaging, conversational tone and genuinely sincere interaction with his 'audience' made me confident that I would enjoy reading his story. Little did I know just how much he would exceed my expectations above and beyond that with this book.

On the face of it, 'Committed' might appear to be simply the story of one man's road trip across America, interviewing artists and 'creative types' as part of a government-funded campaign for protecting the creative rights of artists. And, at least in the beginning, it's clear that's how Patrick himself views it too. But this is because he is a 'buried creative,' investing his energies in championing the creativity in others in order to distract himself from following his own artistic path. As he travels through various states interviewing creative people of all ages and from all walks of life, their words have an effect on him, making him question his own life choices. Patrick's road trip evolves into not just a geographical but emotional journey, unearthing old insecurities and wrestling with inner demons from his past - including his Bipolar Disorder. After much soul-searching, he eventually reconciles all of this with his drive to live an art-committed life.

What I loved most about this book - and there is a lot to love - is that Patrick is unflinchingly honest throughout. He doesn't sugar-coat the behaviour (or his opinions on it) of any of the people in this story - including his own. This makes for uncomfortable reading on a couple of occasions, but only in the way that it should be; Patrick is not afraid to dig deep into his soul and allow the reader to feel his pain along with him. But at the same time this is never done in a self-pitying or self-absorbed way; he gives each 'character'(for want of a better word, since they are all real-life people) their moment in the spotlight with great respect and generosity, never once jumping in front of them with the literary equivalent of "but anyway, now back to me..." In a memoir, it takes a skilled writer to achieve that balance, and Patrick succeeds admirably. Here's the thing; while I can be touched and deeply affected by things I've read in books, I don't cry when I read them. Never happened to me before, ever. Until I read this one. Maybe it's because I'd been following his blog before then, which made it feel more like I was learning the story of a person I sort-of-knew-even-though-we'd-never-met (the internet's weird like that, isn't it?) But you don't have to know anything about Patrick beforehand to love this book. You don't even have to be a 'creative type' yourself, because it's about so much more than that. It's about the human spirit, facing your fears, the understanding that leads to forgiveness, and finding the courage to trust your own instincts. ...more

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Nov 28, 2014 K.M. Weiland rated it really liked it

In most books, we're lucky to get to glean from the experiences and wisdom of one person, but Ross's unique approach to the memoir offers the creative insights of dozens of artists, working in all sorts of media. Woven throughout is the undercurrent of creativity: its risks, its costs, and its rewards. Ross's unique creative burden - familial and personal - bring an interesting spin to the tale, but still offers a reflective mirror in which anyone on the artist's road will be able to see a famil ...more

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Oct 24, 2014 Cynthia rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-books

Having given up writing for many years to earn a living and raise my family, I found Patrick Ross’s journey, and his questions about having given up on writing early in life, one to which I could easily relate. Sometimes when we are very young we tell ourselves we aren’t good enough, that no one will be interested in listening to what we have to say, that money has to be made and obligations must be met – that last is true, but what does it really mean to meet our obligations? And why does meeti ...more

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Oct 21, 2014 Esther Bradley-detally rated it it was amazing

Patrick Ross's books is more than a good read. Committed, a memoir of The Artist's Road (his very fine blog) is unique, courageous, sensitive and highly worth reading.

Patrick Ross is a professional storyteller who spent a decade as an award-winning journalist covering D.C. politics, having worked with a U.S. senator.

The theme, or one of the many themes in his account of a cross-country trip, focuses on the artist's commitment. He interviews artists who are comitted to an authentic, and purposef ...more

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Oct 21, 2014 Donna added it

Shelves: adult, nonfiction, memoirs-biographies

Committed: A Memoir of the Artist’s Road This is actually the first time I’ve read a memoir; I’m not typically drawn to them, to be truthful. But having become aware of Patrick Ross through social media (can’t recall if it was Twitter or through a blog), I was attracted to the high quality of his blog posts, their content usually being on the intellectual side. In turn, I became aware of Committed and knew I’d be purchasing the book as soon as it was released. This personal story is written ...more

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Sep 24, 2014 Carrie rated it it was amazing

I was really fortunate to get an early copy of Patrick's memoir Committed. Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down! The story Patrick shares is one that many creatives know: the discovery and act of embracing our creativity, which doesn't always come easily. Patrick shares his battle to becoming a Committed Creative and I am a better person for having read his work.

I completed a video review of Committed: A Memoir of the Artist's Road where I draw and doodle about the book while I discu ...more

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Nov 18, 2014 Lynne Spreen rated it liked it

I liked this memoir a lot more at the beginning, but I couldn't reconcile the earnest-but-challenged dad/husband with the person the writer becomes later in the book. I started losing interest when he described visiting Cheyenne, Wyoming. At about 85% I started skimming. ...more

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Jan 27, 2015 Michelle rated it it was amazing

The value of the best memoir is in how it both brings us into the life of another and teaches us something about ourselves. Patrick Ross' "Committed" takes us on a beautifully written journey both literally and figuratively and looks at how sometimes the creative path isn't about discovering who we are as much as allowing ourselves to BE who we are. The artists he visits along the way are perfect in their imperfection. As much as I highly recommend this to the creative or aspiring creative, this ...more

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Jan 20, 2015 Nicki Chen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Patrick Ross takes us across the country as he interviews writers, musicians, and artists about the creative process. In the process, he reveals his difficult family history and his struggles with bi-polar disease. The trip leads him to realize how important it is for him to live a life committed to art.

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