"Big Magic", by Elizabeth Gilbert

Since I love all her books, I was very interested to read this one here as well: "Big Magic", by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's not a novel or a collection of stories like the books she has published before. This time she writes about what is standing behind her career as a writer, she writes about creativity, about "Creative Living Beyond Fear". She looks at this subject from all possible angles and in doing so she is witty, thoughtful and very very helpful. She shares stunning stories about some of her friends, describes experiences from her own life, provides some interesting background information on her stories and novels she has published before, and when I read her book it was like she was sitting like a friend with me over coffee at my living room table. I hung on every word of her and learned a lot. When I feel that way about a book, I know it's a good one (for me).

Here is a lovely quote, the first lines of a chapter with the headline "Stubborn Gladness":

"All I can tell you for certain is that my entire life had been shaped by an early decision to reject the cult of artistic martyrdom, and instead to place my trust in the crazy notion that my work loves me as much as I love it - that it wants to play with me as much as I want to play with it - and that this source of love and play is boundless."

Yeah! 

I do feel that way when I make my quilts! And this is what I wish to share when I give a quilt away.