Topic
Books on writing, art and creative work
For people who make things with words and images. Craft books such as On Writing Well and Bird by Bird sit next to histories of the book itself — Papyrus and The Notebook — which both Ryan Holiday and Austin Kleon loved in 2024.
108 books · 141 recommendations from 50 people
Where to start
The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper
A 2024 favourite of both Ryan Holiday and Austin Kleon.
On Writing Well
Rated 10/10 by Derek Sivers for its blunt non-fiction advice.
The Work of Art
On Barack Obama's and Austin Kleon's 2024 lists.
Every writing, art & ideas book in the directory
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9recommendersThe War of Art 9 recommendersDerek Sivers, Ryan Holiday, Chris Guillebeau, Darius Foroux, Dickie Bush, James Clear, Mark Manson, Matt D'Avella, Chris Williamson
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4recommendersBird by Bird 4 recommendersMaria Popova, James Clear, Ryan Holiday, Mark Manson
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4recommendersOn Writing Well 4 recommendersDerek Sivers, David Heinemeier Hansson, Mark Manson, Matt Mullenweg
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4recommendersThe Elements of Style 4 recommendersDarius Foroux, David Heinemeier Hansson, Mark Manson, Tobi Lütke
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4recommendersThe Writer’s Journey 4 recommendersDarren Aronofsky, Jon Favreau, Darius Foroux, James Clear
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3recommendersThe Artist's Way 3 recommendersMark Manson, Noah Kagan, Codie Sanchez
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2recommendersA Million Miles in a Thousand Years 2 recommendersNoah Kagan, Codie Sanchez
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2recommendersBad Blood 2 recommendersJeffrey Archer, Bill Gates
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2recommendersRich Dad, Poor Dad 2 recommendersMark Manson, Codie Sanchez
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2recommendersStill Writing 2 recommendersMaria Popova, Mark Manson
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2recommendersTao Te Ching 2 recommendersRick Rubin, Scott H. Young
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2recommendersThe Art of Possibility 2 recommendersJames Clear, Matt D'Avella
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2recommendersThe Essays 2 recommendersShane Parrish, Mark Manson
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2recommendersThe Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper 2 recommendersRyan Holiday, Austin Kleon
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2recommendersThe Story of Writing 2 recommendersStewart Brand, Kevin Kelly
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2recommendersThe Waste Books 2 recommendersDerek Sivers, Austin Kleon
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2recommendersThe Work of Art 2 recommendersBarack Obama, Austin Kleon
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A Curious Mind Picked by Cindy Eckert
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A Day with Picasso Picked by Errol Morris
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A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Picked by Mark Manson
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Agee on Film Picked by Andrew Sarris
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Alternative Rock Picked by Santigold
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Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom Picked by David Bowie
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Bass Culture Picked by Daniel Ek
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Beyond the Brillo Box Picked by David Bowie
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Bye Bye Baby Picked by Greil Marcus
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Catch Me If You Can Picked by Jeffrey Archer
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Chronicles Picked by Greil Marcus
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Collected Words Picked by Hal Foster
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David Bomberg Picked by David Bowie
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Divided Soul Picked by Santigold
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Easy Riders, Raging Bulls Picked by Darren Aronofsky
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Elia Kazan Picked by Woody Allen
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Epitaph of a Small Winner Picked by Woody Allen
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Facing Love Addiction Picked by Neil Strauss
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Fly on the Wall Picked by John Green
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Gettysburg Picked by Errol Morris
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Goldfinger Picked by Jeffrey Archer
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Hall's Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art Picked by David Bowie
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Hit Men Picked by Daniel Ek
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Hitchcock Picked by Darren Aronofsky
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How to Listen to Jazz Picked by Austin Kleon
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How to Live: A Life of Montaigne Picked by Maria Popova
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I Saw Ramallah Picked by Susan Abulhawa
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In Search of Fatima Picked by Susan Abulhawa
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Leave Any Information at the Signal Picked by Hal Foster
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Lee Miller’s War Picked by Errol Morris
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Leonardo da Vinci Picked by Bill Gates
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Lincoln at Gettysburg Picked by Ryan Holiday
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Making Comics Picked by Aaron Swartz
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Making Movies Picked by Darren Aronofsky
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Metaphors We Live By Picked by Matt Mullenweg
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Mother Mary Comes to Me Picked by The New York Times Book Review: 10 Best Books
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My Father Was a Freedom Fighter Picked by Susan Abulhawa
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Mystery Train Picked by David Bowie
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Negative Space Picked by Andrew Sarris
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Nowhere to Run Picked by David Bowie
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On Photography Picked by Maria Popova
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Originals Picked by Mark Manson
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Out of Place Picked by Susan Abulhawa
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Palestinian Walks Picked by Susan Abulhawa
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Papyrus Picked by Ryan Holiday
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Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Picked by Alastair Humphreys
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Please Kill Me Picked by Santigold
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Pragmatic Thinking and Learning Picked by Thomas Frank
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Printing and the Mind of Man Picked by Brian Eno
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Pulphead Picked by Greil Marcus
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Q Picked by Santigold
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Real Artists Don't Starve Picked by Codie Sanchez
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Really the Blues Picked by Woody Allen
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Riders on the Storm Picked by Greil Marcus
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Several Short Sentences About Writing Picked by Derek Sivers
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Silence Picked by David Bowie
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Smart World Picked by David Brooks
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Steal Like an Artist Picked by Mark Manson
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Sweet Soul Music Picked by David Bowie
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Tadanori Yokoo Picked by David Bowie
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The Auschwitz Album Picked by Errol Morris
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The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain Picked by Jeffrey Archer
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The Creative Habit Picked by James Clear
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The Crowded Dance of Modern Life Picked by Alain de Botton
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The Daily Practice of Painting Picked by Hal Foster
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The Empty Pot Picked by Stephen Dubner
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The Gift Picked by Margaret Atwood
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The Henna Artist Picked by Reese Witherspoon
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The Icarus Deception Picked by Darius Foroux
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The Immediate Experience Picked by Andrew Sarris
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The Life and Times of Little Richard Picked by David Bowie
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The Listening Book Picked by Derek Sivers
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The Little Prince Picked by James Clear
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The Mind in the Cave Picked by Brian Eno
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The New Biographical Dictionary of Film Picked by Andrew Sarris
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The Peregrine Picked by Robert Macfarlane
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The Perfect Medium Picked by Errol Morris
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The Philosophy of Andy Warhol Picked by Hal Foster
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The Practice Picked by Ali Abdaal
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The Ragman’s Son Picked by Darren Aronofsky
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The Sound of the City Picked by David Bowie
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The Taking of Pelham 123 Picked by Jeffrey Archer
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The Wisdom of Life Picked by Alain de Botton
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The World is Sound Picked by Matt Mullenweg
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The World of S J Perelman Picked by Woody Allen
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Theory and Design in the First Machine Age Picked by Hal Foster
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Ways of Seeing Picked by Maria Popova
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What is Cinema? Volume 1 Picked by Andrew Sarris
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When the Drummers Were Women Picked by Santigold
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Writers at Work Picked by David Bowie
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Yoga for People Who Can’t Be Bothered to Do It Picked by Alain de Botton
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