This is because of what they tell us about the times. Other books should be read even if they are not worth reading in themselves-like Steal Like an Artist. Lewis’s, The Abolition of Man about a dozen times since 1977. Some books are worth reading and re-reading because of their objective worth, however popular or unpopular they may be. In any case, it was a best-seller, and I could read it in about an hour-unlike the vast majority of my books. This book was bought as a curiosity (which did, after all, kill the cat) and as part of my endless and endlessly frustrating and fascinating quest to comprehend American culture. His art found on line looks crayon-like and childish. I find little reason to be interested in Austin Kleon. What people take to be his charm is beyond me.

Being distant from most popular culture, I knew nothing of him, spare the book itself. The author, who looks to be a hipster in his twenties, is said to be a writer and artist who has edited a volume of poetry and has, of course, appeared on a few television programs. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all (Ecclesiastes 9:11, KJV). And yet, we should remember the words of The Preacher: One hopes that the mediocre or subpar will be ignored or patted on the head, but not applauded. A real book features text, and lots of it, unless it is an art book.

It seems more like a comic book (excuse me, graphic novel) than a real book. It is written in a rather tacky and loose conversational style. The word sophomoric comes to mind for most of it. It sports a clever title, but bears little substance. This is a little book (slightly larger than a CD case), containing few words, many garish call-outs, some pedestrian black and white photographs, and too many unattractive scribbles faking as art (I suppose). A Denver Journal Review by Denver Seminary Professor Douglas Groothuis.Īustin Kleon, Steal Like an Artist: Ten Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative.

Steal like an artist online