I really want to read more fiction this year. I definitely have Martha Wells books on the list!
And now I have so much more after your list.
I did not read many books last year, because I was in the numb state of everything and then I overworked fulltime for 8 months. Now I am kinda back to slower life. I appreciate this opportunity provided by my partner. I loved being book art director, and I hope to art direct more book covers in the future, but for now I would love to focus on sharing my time between my son, our wellbeing in another country and my own art. And my art feeds on books for sure. I was thinking that I would love to do alternative book covers for the books I loved, of illustrations based on the books.
Thank you for this list! All titles sound very nice, but "The Death of the Artist" and "Stolen Focus" have particularly piqued my interest, because I'm going through the same anxieties and neurosis regarding the future of art, as well as noticing a decline in my ability to focus and to be productive. One of my goals for 2023 is to go back to reading more paper books in an effort to regain some of that focus - as it used to be an activity I enjoyed and also because even though I've been reading a lot of books in digital format, a paper book simply is a different experience (and it involves more senses). Plus, not being on my computer or ipad, I'm not so distracted and tempted to drop reading in favor of opening a new tab, or mindless scrolling, or being distracted by messages.
I also joined a book club at the beginning of the month, and I'm happy that I already started the year on a positive streak and finished reading one whole book - which to me is an accomplishment because last year my focus has been so bad that I only read 2 paper books (several digital, but for whatever reason my brain feels like those "don't count" even though in actuality they probably do, but ---).
Yes, I am 1000% the romantic artist idealist that doesn't want to have my dream crush for yet the billionth time, but I still want to read the book, I can take it! 😅 THIS: "Art has value. It ought to have financial value. No, people don’t deserve to get paid for doing something they love—an argument you often hear in connection with issues like piracy—but they do deserve to get paid for doing something you love, something other people love." 😭😭
Paper books definitely help me too. Even though I've grown so used to iPad reading and find it much more "ergonomic" and practical. Much easier to take notes and save quotes from digital books, for example.
But sometimes the tradeoff is worth it, especially before bedtime. And I really want to start easing myself out of the Amazon ecosystem... 😅
Haha, I believe you can too! It is a very depressing read at times. Some might say it's unnecessarily bleak, which I agree with in some instances. But other times, it really feels like he's in court, masterfully arguing your case for you. When this career/way of life is all you've know, and you've grown used to it, you don't really see the inequality and unfairness of it. I'm grateful to see the situation more clearly, so I can help bring awareness to it.
And I still maintain a little bit of romanticism in my life as well... 😌
Thank you for this. I will definitely add The Death of an Artist on my list. The last quote got me all emotional. I'm ready to be woken up. :)
Brace yourself. 😅
I really want to read more fiction this year. I definitely have Martha Wells books on the list!
And now I have so much more after your list.
I did not read many books last year, because I was in the numb state of everything and then I overworked fulltime for 8 months. Now I am kinda back to slower life. I appreciate this opportunity provided by my partner. I loved being book art director, and I hope to art direct more book covers in the future, but for now I would love to focus on sharing my time between my son, our wellbeing in another country and my own art. And my art feeds on books for sure. I was thinking that I would love to do alternative book covers for the books I loved, of illustrations based on the books.
That sounds like such a fun creative exercise, re-designing book covers. 😌
Thank you for this list! All titles sound very nice, but "The Death of the Artist" and "Stolen Focus" have particularly piqued my interest, because I'm going through the same anxieties and neurosis regarding the future of art, as well as noticing a decline in my ability to focus and to be productive. One of my goals for 2023 is to go back to reading more paper books in an effort to regain some of that focus - as it used to be an activity I enjoyed and also because even though I've been reading a lot of books in digital format, a paper book simply is a different experience (and it involves more senses). Plus, not being on my computer or ipad, I'm not so distracted and tempted to drop reading in favor of opening a new tab, or mindless scrolling, or being distracted by messages.
I also joined a book club at the beginning of the month, and I'm happy that I already started the year on a positive streak and finished reading one whole book - which to me is an accomplishment because last year my focus has been so bad that I only read 2 paper books (several digital, but for whatever reason my brain feels like those "don't count" even though in actuality they probably do, but ---).
Yes, I am 1000% the romantic artist idealist that doesn't want to have my dream crush for yet the billionth time, but I still want to read the book, I can take it! 😅 THIS: "Art has value. It ought to have financial value. No, people don’t deserve to get paid for doing something they love—an argument you often hear in connection with issues like piracy—but they do deserve to get paid for doing something you love, something other people love." 😭😭
Paper books definitely help me too. Even though I've grown so used to iPad reading and find it much more "ergonomic" and practical. Much easier to take notes and save quotes from digital books, for example.
But sometimes the tradeoff is worth it, especially before bedtime. And I really want to start easing myself out of the Amazon ecosystem... 😅
Haha, I believe you can too! It is a very depressing read at times. Some might say it's unnecessarily bleak, which I agree with in some instances. But other times, it really feels like he's in court, masterfully arguing your case for you. When this career/way of life is all you've know, and you've grown used to it, you don't really see the inequality and unfairness of it. I'm grateful to see the situation more clearly, so I can help bring awareness to it.
And I still maintain a little bit of romanticism in my life as well... 😌