Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Supa on Books!


"If you want to work on your art, work on your life." ~ Chekhov

What's happening, Blogger Fam?? Hope all is well in your worlds! Yep, Supa is still in hibernation mode, nursing her foot, and taking some time to work on her art and work on her life. (how great is that quote!)

Meanwhile, wanted to share some of the craft/creativity books Supa has been absorbing - some of them new, some of them not, all of them relevant.. First is this one:


The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

I'd heard about this book for years in creative circles, then Supa received it as a gift awhile back. It's turning out to be an invaluable creative tool. Not just for writers, but for all artists - painters, photographers, dancers, etc.

The Artists's Way links creativity to spirituality by showing how to tap into the higher power that connects human creativity with the creative energies of the universe, and guides you through a variety of highly effective exercises and activities that spur imagination and capture new ideas.


Next one is: Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by Gregg Levoy

My girl Jude from the Writing Crew posted a few excerpts of this book on her blog last week, and I knew I had to pick it up. This is one of those books people say "changed their life."

In Callings, Levoy guides readers to ask and answer fundamental questions that arise from any calling: How do we recognize it? How do we distinguish the true call from the siren song? How do we handle our resistance to a call? What happens when we say yes? What happens when we say no?





Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Ladies: Go get this book. First time I read this, I was astounded. Now, as I re-read, I believe it to be a necessary guidebook for every woman who wishes to reclaim and retain the knowledge and power contained within the feminine soul.

Through the stories and commentaries in this remarkable book, we retrieve, examine, love, and understand the Wild Woman, and hold her against our deep psyches as one who is both magic and medicine...Estes has created a new lexicon for describing the female psyche.


Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

According to Wikipedia, Rilke is generally considered the most significant German poet of the 20th century. I was introduced to his work via another writer, and the prose is so beautifully haunting and inspiring, I find myself flipping through this book at least once a week. A must read for every writer.

One of my favorite quotes: "Then, as if no one had ever tried before, try to say what you see and feel and love and lose."


Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons for Selling Your Work

Uhh, pretty self-explanatory. This book is an essential guide for promoting and marketing your work!







Finally, one of Supa's all time favorites: Wild Women Don't Wear No Blues: Black Women Writers on Love, Men, and Sex (anthology) edited by Marita Golden

Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Judy Dothard Simmons, Bebe Moore Cambell and others provide their answers to the quetion: What happens when you ask a Black Woman to think, not in passing, but long and hard - about love, men, and sex? At first, there is silence. Not because there is nothing to say, but because there is too much, never asked, never sought or listened to.

Topics range from domestic violence to phone sex to personal discovery to the black lesbian community - a phenomenal read all around.


Anyone read any of these titles? Feedback!


Enjoy!!

Reminder: Spike Lee's Katrina documentary on HBO tonight. All 4 requiems are being shown in honor of the one year anniversary.

11 comments:

African girl, American world said...

I have not read of heard of any of these but do plan on checking em out!

Thanks!!!

That Girl Tam said...

U missed a HOT ASS MESS of a party!! How's that foot??

1969 said...

Excellent reading suggestions Supa. Glad you are back and posting. How is your foot?

Lorenz-Crunk said...

Mallie Mal! You turned me onto "Women Who Run With The Wolves," and it is a womans' bible of sort. This book came into my life at the perfect time. And the thing is everytime I reread it, I get more and more out of it. Sister is deep.

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

i first read Women Who Run with Wolves about ten years ago, as with The Artists Way both of those books changed my life and are apart of the reason I work in Entertainment today.

Wild Women Don't Wear No Blues was a gift from my mother years ago as well, I'll have to check out the titles..

but for the three i've read they are awesome

Supa said...

@ Mwabs: Hey Mwabi!!

@ TAM: Girl. Meant to page u but took a Tylenol PM and zoned out. The foot is better, still healing...glad ya'll nasty girls had a blast!! (oh lawd!)

@ 1969: Hey! I'm not back completely, still in stealth mode (lol)

@ Jude: That book is the truth!

@ Miss A: Hey Glam! So you already knowin'! :)

chrome said...

not read any of them. definitely gonna check the last one for starters. read a book of poetry called "noir erotica" and the female contributions were excellent. havent read anything like it since. thx for the recommend

Zlogical said...

I need to read a little bit more now that I dropped out of grad' school for the rest of the year. It's been a minute since I stopped by Supa and it looks like you are in hyper-drive still! Stay beautiful, strong and keep striving...

Aly Cat 121 said...

I just HAD to say something. Why? Because I TOTALLY forgot about my "The Artists Way" book I received and the journal that goes with it until I saw it on your post. Now ask me where it is today? I have no clue. And I actually used that dayum thing too. *question to self, can one find a book and journal that hasn't been seen for at least 10 years?* LOL (maybe I should try and find it). Thanks!!!

Supa said...

Hey ya'll - I've been writing and taking care of biz!! Yeah! Will be back with the good stuff this week. :)

Hey Obs: Did you win the award for International blog???

Brotha Z: Dropped out of grad, hunh? Well..sometimes it be like that. Stay up brotha, hope the fam is well

Aly Kat: LOL - Start searching! :)

Anonymous said...

I've read Wild Women and loved it.

BTW, WTF is up with your foot??!?!