The Gift: How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World by Lewis Hyde

Summary

This book was given to me as a gift by my great friend, Vince. 

I really don't know how to summarize this book. Someone named Zadie Smith comments that the book is "A manifesto of sorts." I tend to agree. It could be a sort of artist's manifesto...

It could be that. It could also be a sort of anarchist's manifesto, or a socialist's manifesto, or a communist's manifesto; or it could be a theological discussion, or an historical discussion, or an academic analysis, or an economic philosophy, or any number of other things.

The gift in the title is many things. At the beginning of the book it is a physical gift, one item given by one person to another. From there it morphs into a sort of spiritual gift: an act of grace, a service. It is also a sort of abstract gift, for example, the giftedness of a poet or painter or pianist. And it refers to the finished work of an artist as his gift to ... I'm not quite sure. To the world? No... not really. But not quite as specific as to only one person. ...It is a gift to any one who is truly able to appreciate it and who is changed by it, even if in some very small way.

It is very difficult to be precise with a summary of such a deep and broad book but I think I could say, without being too far off the mark, that this book is about the concept: art = generosity.

What I liked

This book stirred me. I like being stirred. It also inspired me. And I like being inspired.

The book is written in an academic style. It uses argument and logic, analysis and interpretation, examples and illustrations. It is very well written and flows excellently. Its sentences are magnificent. As a result, the book is relatively easy to ingest.

What I didn't like

Digestion, however, is slightly more difficult. The topic is deep and broad. The book is long. The chapters are long. The subsections are long. I often found my mind wandering while I read. I had to go back and reread whole pages and sections.

Conclusion/Recommendation

This is the book for you if:

-you have any artistic inclination

-you like to read before bed to help you sleep

-you need a new book by your toilet

-your name is Joanne and you're a nerd because you like long boring books

-you're interested in economic theory/history/literature/theology/etc.

-you like/dislike Walt Whitman or Ezra Pound

-you like/dislike gifts

OR

-you begin the spelling of your first or last name with an alphanumeric character

In other words, if you want to read a book that will be both rewarding and time consuming, read this book.

I won't be rating this book. It'd be just ridiculous. I'll just say that it exceeds perfection.