Art Matters

Because Your Imagination Can Change the World

By: Neil Gaiman, Chris Riddell - illustrator

Narrated by: Neil Gaiman

Length: 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A stunning and timely creative call-to-arms combining four extraordinary written pieces by Neil Gaiman.

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.” (Neil Gaiman)

Drawn from Gaiman’s trove of published speeches, poems, and creative manifestos, Art Matters is an embodiment of this remarkable multimedia artist’s vision - an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives.

Art Matters bring together four of Gaiman’s most beloved writings on creativity and artistry: 

• “Credo”, his remarkably concise and relevant manifesto on free expression, first delivered in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings
• “Make Good Art”, his famous 2012 commencement address delivered at the Philadelphia University of the Arts
• “Making a Chair”, a poem about the joys of creating something, even when words won’t come 
• “On Libraries”, an impassioned argument for libraries that illuminates their importance to our future and celebrates how they foster readers and daydreamers.

Art Matters is a stirring testament to the freedom of ideas that inspires us to make art in the face of adversity and dares us to choose to be bold.

©2018 Neil Gaiman (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

About the importance of reading

It's a collection of speeches/essays about reading for fun, literacy, library funding, and in general, the pursue of artistic endeavors. It's not especially inspirational, like Steve Job's commencement speech. It's a good reflection on instilling the joy of reading in children.

If you haven’t already...listen to this.

Neil Gaiman is one of my...no, he’s my favorite author and without a close second. He’s also the wisest person I’ve ever heard speak or whose words I’ve read. I know that last line is a big assertion, but it’s true.

Art Matters brilliantly marries life’s why and how in the most concise, compelling, and important 43 minute collection of commentaries and speeches. It’s not a story, but it is. It’s as pleasurable and satisfying to listen to as any of his short stories or books and it’s packed with essential nutrients for your mind, your well being, and very likely for those around you too.

Great book

Thai is inspiring what a good book short but gets to the point the reader is the author

Brilliant but short.

Beautiful. The only thing I wish is that there were more of it. Neil is witty, kind and elegant.

Short and insightful

4 essays. Two are only a few minutes long. The other two are less then half an hour each. In them he distills some of tje wisfom he's acquired over the years, like encourage children to read for fun so that they'll read more. The last essay is probably of most value to those who want a careerin the arts. But all the essays are enjoyable.

Yep yep yup!

Essential listening, essential reading and definitely digestible stuff. Thanks Neil G. This creative definitely looks for the clipboards still!!!

“Make good art”

Encouraging, thoughtful, helpful, wise, and insightful! Enjoyed the simplicity of the message and yet profound delivery of the importance of literature and sharing with all generations especially the younger generations!

Inspiring

Even though I’ve read these essays, and I’m going to buy the print copy of this book for the art, I loved hearing Neil’s voice. It’s short enough to be a great pep talk during any moments of writer’s block.

This is bussin' bussin'

Awesomeness! Definitely a nice, refreshing reminder to MAKE GOOD ART! Acknowledge the rules, then break them.

Must read for the: artists, creatives, musicians, performers, writers, game-changers

A bit short

This is actually a collection of different speeches and notes. It is a bit on the short side, I can listen to it in full in one sitting. Despite the length, the words he shares here are very valuable to me. Neil knows how to talk to new writers and gives honest views on writing and the industry. Overall, it's inspiring.