Fall Reading List for Creative Minds (2023)
As temperatures drop and colors change, it’s time to embrace cozy autumn habits. Dive into this 2023 fall reading list to inspire creative minds.
Autumn is a period of transition. Embrace the changes and cultivate new creative fall habits that foster well-being and readiness for winter. One creative habit to help you slow down and support the creative mind is reading. Whether you’re looking for new science to help you overcome a creative problem or seeking inspiration from famous creative minds, this creative reading list is for you.
Find more creative book recommendations and reading lists here.
September
Goodreads Rating: 4.5
Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You by Brad Stulberg is a great creative book to read this fall that explores the art of adapting and excelling in an ever-changing world.
Change is not the exception; it’s the rule. Yet, we endlessly fight it, often viewing it as a threat to our stability and sense of self. From the author of Peak Performance and The Practice of Groundedness comes a new guide with actionable advice built on new studies and ancient wisdom to help readers become masters of change.
Creatives deal with constant change that can lead to creative blocks and poor mental health. If you want to support your creativity and creative lifestyle, cultivating a mindset that is rugged yet flexible is key to a strong identity. Discover the importance of managing expectations and how to take productive action during creative challenges. Gain insights that will help you move forward despite the social disruptions in your life and work.
Ultimately, this creative book serves as a guide for individuals seeking to become adaptable and empowered masters of change, enabling them to navigate life’s uncertainties with confidence and success.
Goodreads Rating: 4.33
Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: His Final Months by Nienke Bakker, Louis van Tilborgh, Emmanuel Coquery, and many art history contributors is a landmark publication tracing the final months of Van Gogh’s life during his time in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise in France.
Written by experts in art history, this creative book provides a detailed exploration of van Gogh’s artistic endeavors, personal struggles, and emotional state during the final months leading up to his tragic death.
Dive into his paintings, drawings, and stories created during the last seventy days of his life, where he produced no fewer than seventy-four paintings and over thirty drawings in the intense, productive period leading up to his self-inflicted death on July 29, 1890. Richly illustrated with drawings, sketches, historical photographs, and detailed maps of the places Van Gogh worked, this book is a great addition to any creative’s fall reading list.
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy by Stephen M. Silverman is a comprehensive exploration of the life, works, and enduring impact of the legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The book delves into Sondheim’s upbringing, artistic influences, and the experiences that shaped his remarkable career in musical theater.
Brimming with insights from a veritable Who’s Who of Broadway Babies and complemented by more than two hundred color and black-and-white images, Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy offers a witty, multidimensional look at the musical genius behind Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, and the landmark West Side Story and Gypsy.
Overall, this creative book offers a comprehensive portrait of Stephen Sondheim’s life and legacy, appealing to fans of musical theater, aspiring artists, and anyone interested in the intersection of creativity and biography.
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
Here We Go Again: Recipes and Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers by Tiffani Thiessen and Rachel Holtzman is a creative cookbook coming this fall that teaches you how to stretch your budget and avoid food waste by remixing leftovers into creative and delicious dishes.
How often are you throwing out your leftovers? If you want to waste less food and boost your creativity, this creative cookbook is for you. Drawing inspiration from various cuisines and cooking styles, Here We Go Again aims to empower readers to think outside the box and elevate their culinary skills while contributing to a more sustainable and creative kitchen.
Goodreads Rating: 4.63
Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough by Michael Easter dives into the “scarcity mindset” – a psychological state left over from our ancient ancestors. What once helped us survive now creates issues and can lead to unhealthy cravings and habits.
Based on research and Easter’s collaborations with remarkable innovators and leading scientists, this book shares practical strategies to overcome our scarcity mindset and cultivate an abundance mindset with healthier habits that foster contentment and fulfillment.
Learn:
- How to detect scarcity cues to stop cravings before they start
- Turn solitude into the ultimate happiness hack
- Reignite your exploration gene for a more exciting and fulfilling life
- How to reframe how we think about and fix addiction and bad habits
- Recognize when you have enough
Scarcity Brain equips readers with the means to transform their relationship with consumption while also offering a roadmap toward a healthier and more creative lifestyle.
October
Goodreads Rating: 3.46
Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results by Shane Parrish is a practical guide on creative thinking to help you recognize the moments that have the potential to transform your trajectory by improving your decision-making and problem-solving skills.
According to Farnam Street founder Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking gives you the tools to recognize the moments that have the potential to transform your trajectory. Drawing from cognitive science, psychology, and philosophy, Parrish provides readers with valuable insights and tools to enhance their thinking processes. The result is a creative manual for optimizing decision-making, gaining competitive advantage, and living a more intentional and creative life.
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
This Exquisite Loneliness: What Loners, Outcasts, and the Misunderstood Can Teach Us About Creativity by Richard Deming explores the life and work of six brilliant creative minds and the role of loneliness and solitude in their creative process.
This creative book asks, “What can be done not despite but because of loneliness?” Through a blend of literary analysis, psychology, and personal reflections, Deming examines the experiences of these unconventional individuals, illustrating how their unique perspectives and struggles can inspire extraordinary creativity.
A perfect book for creatives to read this fall as it gets colder and we spend more and more time inside and alone, this book on loneliness reveals how we might transform the creative blocks of isolation and become more connected to others and more at home with our often unquiet selves.
Goodreads Rating: 4.75
The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful: Curious and Incredible Facts that Will Blow Your Mind by Milo Rossi is a captivating compendium that invites creative readers on a curious journey through history and its mysteries.
TikTok educator and Youtuber Milo Rossi (Miniminuteman) presents a treasure trove of curiosities from quirky historical events to remarkable natural phenomena that will have you asking more and more questions to inspire creative thinking and a curious mind.
This encyclopedia offers a delightful blend of intriguing information that challenges conventional knowledge and sparks a sense of wonder. Whether you’re interested in uncovering oddities, exploring the unexplained, or simply indulging in a feast of fascinating tidbits, The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful promises to deliver an exhilarating exploration of the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary.
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
The Way Forward by Yung Pueblo is set to be another insightful and contemplative collection of writings from the New York Times bestseller to help guide readers further toward a life lived authentically, intuitively, and in harmony with others.
In this book, Yung Pueblo explores the journey of self-awareness and self-transformation to encourage readers to connect more deeply to their intuition to remain focused and grounded amidst a world in constant flux. Discover strategies and insights for managing the unknown, inhabiting your personal power, and bringing your truest, healthiest self to relationships.
Goodreads Rating: 4.5
Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones by Dolly Parton is a vibrant celebration of Dolly’s iconic fashion sense, offering a delightful blend of entertaining anecdotes and personal revelations that lie beneath her creative style and lifestyle.
Through the lens of fashion, Dolly Parton provides readers with intimate glimpses into her personal and professional journey, unveiling the captivating narrative behind her lifelong passion for style. This book delves into the evolution of her distinct, unconventional Dolly style that has captivated fans worldwide.
Filled with honesty, wit, and of course, plenty of dazzling rhinestones, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones pays homage to one of music’s most beloved figures. It serves as a cherished keepsake for Dolly Parton enthusiasts and also offers valuable insights for those seeking inspiration to cultivate their own unique sense of beauty and confidence.
Goodreads Rating: 4.40
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks is a deeply insightful exploration guide for better human connections and understanding.
In this practical, heartfelt guide, you’ll uncover the keys to cultivating deeper connections at home, work, and throughout your creative life. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and a passion for personal growth, Brooks draws from an eclectic array of disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, theater, philosophy, history, and education, to present a warm and optimistic approach to human connection.
Brooks argues that the act of seeing and connecting with another person is profoundly creative. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, active listening, and vulnerability in forging meaningful relationships. These creative elements not only enhance your life but also positively impact the lives of others. How to Know a Person serves as a guide for individuals seeking more profound and fulfilling connections with those around them, ultimately fostering more enriching and meaningful relationships.
Goodreads Rating: 4.0
Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant is a captivating exploration of human potential and achievement.
In a world that’s obsessed with talent, Grant, a renowned organizational psychologist, and bestselling author, delves into the science behind unlocking and harnessing our latent capabilities.
Drawing from a wealth of research and real-world examples, Grant examines how individuals and organizations can tap into their hidden potential and creative strengths to accomplish remarkable feats. He explores topics such as motivation, creativity, and resilience, providing practical insights and strategies to help creative readers achieve greater success in their personal and professional lives.
This book reveals how anyone can rise to achieve greater things. The true measure of your potential is not the height of the peak you’ve reached but how far you’ve climbed to get there.
Goodreads Rating: 4.75
Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography by Staci Robinson is a long-awaited, fully illustrated exploration of the iconic artist’s life and lasting impact.
Author Staci Robinson —who knew Tupac from their shared circle of high school friends in Marin City, California, and who was entrusted by his mother, Afeni Shakur, to share his story—unravels the myths and unpacks the complexities that have shadowed Tupac’s existence.
This creative biography, decades in the making, reveals a compelling story of a man driven by brilliance and impulsiveness, deeply engaged in Black empowerment, and unafraid to speak raw truths about race in America. It also provides profound insights into Tupac’s enduring music and legacy, inviting readers to witness the multifaceted life of an artist who left an indelible mark on art and society.
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
The Imagination Matrix: How to Access the Greatest Power You Have for Creativity, Connection, and Purpose by Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D. is a must for any creative fall reading list that offers a practical and uniquely personal path for becoming more purposeful, resourceful, and resilient through the power of imagination.
Drawing on his extensive background in psychology, Aizenstat delves into the depths of the human psyche to reveal the transformative potential of our imagination. Aizenstat has created a practical approach and a step-by-step process to help you gain access to the “source code of imagination”―energizing your capacity to innovate new outcomes, evolve real-world solutions, and nurture your well-being.
Learn:
- Opening the Curious Mind―a new method to engage imagination and wonder
- Answering the call of your Innate Genius
- Growing your capacity for Imaginal Intelligence
- Maintaining your humanity in an increasingly technological world
- Claiming your creativity and purpose to meet the pull of the future
Unlock your boundless creative potential and use it to enrich your life with creativity and improve the world around you.
Goodreads Rating: 4.22
You Are What You Watch: How Movies and TV Affect Everything by Walter Hickey explains how entertainment changes our biology, our beliefs, how we see ourselves, and how nations gain power.
From Pulitzer Prize-winning author and data expert Walt Hickey comes another fascinating book and a perfect addition to a fall reading list for creative minds. Employing a mix of research, deep reporting, and 100 data visualizations, Hickey presents the true power of entertainment and culture.
Creativity truly has the power to inspire and shape minds, sometimes for good and sometimes not. From the decrease in shark populations after Jaws to the increase in women and girls taking up archery following The Hunger Games, You Are What You Watch shows how creativity and entertainment can bring about big change.
November
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
100 Women: Architects in Practice by Tom Ravenscroft, Harriet Harriss, Naomi House, and Monika Parrinder sheds light on the often overlooked contributions of women in the creative field of architecture.
Through a blend of interviews, captivating photographs, and insightful essays, this innovative book serves as a flagship reference, aiming to ignite inspiration and support architects. Discover the diverse backgrounds, experiences, architectural styles, and achievements of 100 women architects, including Tatiana Bilbao, Odile Decq, Liz Diller, Julia Gamolina, Dorte Mandrup, Farshid Moussavi, and more.
Beyond celebrating the stories and creative prowess of these architects, 100 Women: Architects in Practice delves into the broader societal issues of gender equality and diversity within the architecture profession. It stands as a resounding call to action, advocating for a future that is more inclusive and equitable for architecture. By acknowledging the remarkable accomplishments of these women, the book aims to inspire and motivate others to follow in their pioneering footsteps.
Goodreads Rating: 4.63
World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music by Jeff Tweedy is an exciting and engaging memoir about the memories, music, and inspiration behind the frontman of the band, Wilco.
In this insightful book, Tweedy takes readers on a deeply personal journey through his life, using music as both the backdrop and the driving force of his narrative. Sharing fifty songs that changed his life, the real-life experiences behind each one, as well as what he’s learned about how music and life intertwine and enhance each other, Jeff Tweedy creates a creative playlist to his life that influenced his creative process as a musician.
What makes us fall in love with a song? What makes us want to write our own songs? Do songs help? Do songs help us live better lives? And do the lives we live help us write better songs?
This creative book is a mix of the musical, the emotional, and the inspirational in the best possible way that also touches on themes of family, love, addiction, and resilience, painting a rich and multi-dimensional portrait of Jeff Tweedy as an artist and a human being.
Goodreads Rating: 4.0
The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think of You by Michael Gervais, Ph.D., and Kevin Lake is a thought-provoking book for creative minds that provides valuable insights into personal development and achieving mastery in life.
Do you have FOPO (fear of people’s opinions)? FOPO shows up almost everywhere in our lives — and the consequences can be detrimental to your creativity and well-being.
In The First Rule of Mastery, Michael Gervais shows us that the key to overcoming FOPO and leading a high-performance life is to redirect our attention from the outside world to the world inside us. Through a combination of psychological principles, real-life anecdotes, and practical advice, high-performance psychologist Michael Gervais guides readers on a journey toward self-mastery and empowerment to overcome self-limiting beliefs and unleash their full potential in both personal and professional pursuits.
Goodreads Rating: 4.67
The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are by Tariq Trotter—better known as Black Thought— is a creative book and memoir that illuminates the redemptive power of the upcycle. Learn Tariq Trotter’s creative and emotional backstory and how to apply lessons from his own life to go on a profound journey of self-discovery and personal transformation.
From platinum-selling, Grammy-winning co-founder of The Roots and one of the most exhilaratingly skillful and profound rappers in our culture comes a book about his own story of self-discovery as well as a model to examine your own life to help answer questions like: How can we see the story of our own young lives clearly? How do we use that story to understand who we’ve become? How do we forgive the people who loved and hurt us? How do we rediscover and honor our first dreams? And, finally, what do we take forward, what do we pass on, what do we leave behind?
The Upcycled Self is a deeply introspective and inspirational memoir that encourages readers to embrace their own journeys of self-discovery and transformation. Trotter’s story serves as a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and the pursuit of authenticity in the face of adversity.
Goodreads Rating: Coming Soon
Design Social Change: Take Action, Work toward Equity, and Challenge the Status Quo by Lesley-Ann Noel is a creative book that delves into the intersection of design and social change.
Discover design strategies using your own unique social identities and experiences as inspiration to challenge the status quo and create the kind of lasting change that leads to greater equity and social justice from Stanford University’s d.school.
This book offers a comprehensive exploration of how design can be harnessed as a powerful tool for addressing social issues, promoting equity, and challenging established norms. Who are you? What motivates you as a changemaker? What forces are preventing you (and others) from thriving? These questions are essential to the work of creating social change, and they are exactly what Design Social Change asks you to explore.
Design Social Change offers a roadmap for those who wish to channel their creative energy and design skills into meaningful social impact. The time is always right to work toward a fair and just society with the help of creativity.
Zach is an international writer, photographer, filmmaker, martial artist, and creator of Creative Enso, the Zen art of creative living. His goal is to empower and inspire creatives to live healthier, happier, and more creative lifestyles.
