My Books
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
My first book! Featuring mini-biographies of the day-to-day work lives of 161 inspired minds, from Beethoven to Donald Barthelme, Kafka to Georgia O’Keeffe. (Knopf, 2013)
Order it: Bookshop | Powell’s | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House | Amazon
PRAISE FOR DAILY RITUALS
“What recommends this compendium of mini-biographies is its revelation of the infinite variety, unpredictable zaniness and inimitability of artists’ routines.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“An encouraging read for creative types, and a delightful peek into that world for the rest of us.”
—NPR’s Morning Edition
“I just can’t recommend this book enough.”
—Lena Dunham
“Reading Currey’s accounts of the work habits of 161 highly successful, creative people shows that there’s no magic, one-size-fits-all solution—only the way that’s right for us.”
—Gretchen Rubin
“It became my daily companion. There were gems everywhere, and I underlined nearly every page … This ritual not only shocked me out of a major depressive funk, it also triggered a creative explosion.”
—Tim Ferriss
“Hard to put down.”
—Boston Globe
“An addictive read.”
—Austin Kleon
“Fascinating … Just about anyone who has put his or her mark on modern art and thought makes an appearance here.”
—Chicago Tribune
“A chance to see what great lives look like when the triumphs, dramas, disruptions and divorces have been all but boiled away. It will fascinate anyone who wonders how a day might best be spent.”
—The Guardian
“A thoroughly researched, minutely annotated and delightful book, full of the quirks and oddities of the human comedy.”
—Literary Review
“A trove of entertaining anecdote and thought-provoking comparison.”
—The Telegraph
“Currey’s compendium is elucidating and delectable.”
—Booklist
Daily Rituals: Women at Work
A sequel, and a corrective: In the first Daily Rituals, I featured far more men than women; in this second volume, I correct the imbalance with profiles of the day-to-day working lives of 143 brilliant women, including Virginia Woolf, Dorothy Parker, Frida Kahlo, Nina Simone, Meredith Monk, and Miranda July. (Knopf, 2019)
Order it: Bookshop | Powell’s | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House | Amazon
PRAISE FOR DAILY RITUALS: WOMEN AT WORK
“The spectrum of creativity is radiant, and each artist’s rituals of concentration and balancing act between art and life are revelatory and awe-inspiring.”
—Donna Seaman, Booklist
“An admirably succinct portrait of some distinctly uncommon lives. It is also consistently entertaining and full of insights.”
—Meryle Secrest
“My favorite kind of book to give.”
—The Strategist