‘Attention is the most basic form of love.’ — John Tarrant
When I started writing the first version of this post earlier in the month, my attention - my love - was put into a bunch of different books than the ones I am reading at the moment. Re-edit after re-edit, my attention shifted from one topic to another, until the original post became an unmanageable essay full of book summaries.
This is when I decided to put that piece of writing aside. And start from scratch.
Something I have discovered while writing this monthly summary of the books I am currently reading or have recently read is that I read a lot. I knew this intuitively, but only until now that I was (re)paying attention to the data of it, I really knew this for sure.
I then thought that this post could become a public list before the end of the month of the books I am reading and some idea or a concept I am paying attention to. Maybe just the list (we’ll see!). Keeping things simple. Not going into too much detail (you can always ask me directly or comment in the post if any queries). The intention is to publish this list the last Sunday of the month.
This is the list of books I have read (and recommend) or I am currently reading in August:
I re-read ‘Zoo’ by Charlotte Ager
I re-visited ‘Pianoforte’ by Christoph Niemann
Read Austin Kleon’s trilogy: ‘Steal Like An Artist’, ‘Show Your Work!’ and ‘Keep Going!’
(Slowly) re-reading ‘The Artist’s Way’ by Julia Cameron
Reading ‘Hockney’s Eye’ (the book from the exhibition at Cambridge)
Reading ‘The Mirror and the Palette’ by Jennifer Higgie
Just finished reading (and absolutely loved it) ‘La ridícula idea de no volver a verte’ by Rosa Montero. (When I am staying for some days in Spain, I always read in my native tongue).
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Happy sketching! (and happy Summer!)
Ana
What are you currently reading? What do you recommend? It would be great to hear about it! Please, leave a comment and share your thoughts down below :)
I've been rereading the last 2 book's in Kleon's trilogy (very helpful). Also The Extended Mind (Annie Murphy Paul), 4000 Weeks (Oliver Burkeman) and How To Think (Alan Jacobs).
One book that I wish more people had read (or even heard of) is Advantage Play by David Ben.
Hi Ana, I’m a recent subscriber. I enjoyed this piece and your reading list, thank you! As it happens I am also reading The Artists Way. I bought it many years ago and never properly read it at the time. I’m dipping in and out this time too but it’s good to check in with some of the principles. I am also reading a massive tome, “Between Worlds, The Art of Bill Traylor”, a little every morning with breakfast (it could take a while!). I’m learning about his earlier life at the moment, which was bound up with slavery and racism in the American South and then the repercussions of the Civil War. I saw some of his art works years ago and always wanted to learn more about him.