by Adam Moss
First published 2024
Adam Moss opens the door to the creative process itself. The former New York magazine editor sits down with dozens of today's most accomplished artists to understand how art actually gets made. Through intimate conversations with figures like Kara Walker, Tony Kushner, Stephen Sondheim, and Sofia Coppola, Moss reveals the messy reality behind polished works. He collects their journal entries, sketches, and napkin doodles. He traces each piece from its first spark through moments of doubt, artistic crises, and eventual breakthroughs. The book follows transcendent novels, paintings, jokes, movies, and songs as they take shape. Moss shows readers the tortuous paths artists navigate and the countless decisions that separate good work from great art. What emerges is a map of the creative mind at work.
Genres: biography, art, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: behind-the-scenes
432 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press