The Artist's Torah

by David Ebenbach, Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Foreword)

The Artist's Torah is an uplifting and down-to-earth guide to the creative process, wide open to longtime artists and first-time dabblers, to people of every religious background--or none--and to every creative medium. In this book, you'll find a yearlong cycle of weekly meditations on a life lived artistically, grounded in ancient Jewish wisdom and the wisdom of artists, composers, writers, and choreographers from the past and present. You'll explore the nature of the creative process--how it begins, what it's for, what it asks of you, how you work your way to truth and meaning, what you do when you get blocked, what you do when you're done--and encounter questions that will help you apply the meditations to your own life and work. Above all, The Artist's Torah teaches us that creativity is a natural and important part of the human spirit, a bright spark that, week after week, this book will brighten.

Endorsements:

"This original, eloquent, clear, and practical book is a commentary, a memoir, and a how-to manual for the aspiring artist; it is a motivational treatise and a treasury of sage quotations." --Lori Lefkovitz, Professor of Jewish Studies and Professor of English, Northeastern University

"The Talmud notes that the Torah is a 'shira, ' a song or a poem--artistic, crafted, deliberate, and beautiful. David Harris Ebenbach opens our eyes and exposes our hearts to the artfulness of Torah hiding in plain view. The Torah that emerges from his gentle reading rewards the reader with deep wisdom and exquisite beauty." --Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Vice President, American Jewish University

"Ebenbach is a learned interpreter of the Bible, steeped in the literature of both traditional Jewish interpretation and the musings on the artistic process from self-reflective artists. His insightful readings of Scripture are profound and moving, spurring his readers both to align themselves with creative forces and to regard biblical texts in fresh and inspiring ways." --Rabbi Jacob J. Staub, Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Spirituality, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Author

Genres: Art, Writing, Jewish

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 2012

About the author

David Ebenbach: preoccupied with the human condition since 1972.

He's also (as a result of his preoccupations) the author of five books of fiction, three poetry collections, and a non-fiction guide to the creative process. His books have won numerous awards, including the Drue Heinz Literature Prize and the Juniper Prize. A native of Philadelphia, David now lives with his family in Washington, DC, where he teaches creative writing and literature at Georgetown University.

Reviews

[N. Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It's like The Artist's Way in that it combines art and spirituality (or like Writing Down the Bones) but it felt more serious to me, more scholarly, more humorous, more modern. It's one of those book (like the above, and Steven King's On Writing) that every writer should just go ahead and own. And it would be a great gift for someone who is trying to find her/his way as a writer. It's immensely reassuring for artists, and Ebenbach has a way of creating community around what he does. Oh, plus the cover is sort of silky. I know that's a weird thing, but I'm a tactile book lover and that cover was unusually cool.

[Joey · Rating 4 out of 5]

its the torah so i cant be too harsh. it was good. uplifting. and offers great insights and anecdotes from lots of different artists

[Jill Jepson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subject of Writing and spirituality is one I have thought and written about extensively. This book is simply one of the best I have found on the topic. While most titles explore the topic from Christian, Buddhist, New Age or vague, all-encompassing perspectives, Ebenbach grounds his book firmly in Jewish tradition. He writes with depth and insight, each page thought-provoking and enlightening.

For a reader who wants light, feel-good fare that skims over the surface of art-as-spiritual-expression, this is not your book. But if you're eager to sink your teeth into a challenging and thoughtful discussion of the topic, you will find yourself reading this book again and again, discovering something new in it each time.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book filled with amazing insights into the creative process.