Franz Kafka, frustrated with his living quarters and day job, wrote in a letter to Felice Bauer in 1912, "time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers."

Kafka is one of 161 inspired - and inspiring - minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks.

Thomas Wolfe wrote standing up in the kitchen, the top of the refrigerator as his desk, dreamily fondling his "male configurations..."

Jean-Paul Sartre chewed on Corydrane tablets (a mix of amphetamine and aspirin), ingesting ten times the recommended dose each day...

Descartes liked to linger in bed, his mind wandering in sleep through woods, gardens, and enchanted palaces where he experienced "every pleasure imaginable."

Here are: Anthony Trollope, who demanded of himself that each morning he write three thousand words (250 words every fifteen minutes for three hours) before going off to his job at the postal service, which he kept for thirty-three years during the writing of more than two dozen books...Karl Marx...Woody Allen...Agatha Christie...George Balanchine, who did most of his work while ironing...Leo Tolstoy...Charles Dickens...Pablo Picasso...George Gershwin, who, said his brother Ira, worked for twelve hours a day from late morning to midnight, composing at the piano in pajamas, bathrobe, and slippers...

Here also are the daily rituals of Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, John Updike, Twyla Tharp, Benjamin Franklin, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, Anne Rice, and Igor Stravinsky (he was never able to compose unless he was sure no one could hear him and, when blocked, stood on his head to "clear the brain").

Brilliantly compiled and edited, and filled with detail and anecdote, Daily Rituals is irresistible, addictive, and magically inspiring.

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Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1

Listening Length	6 hours and 13 minutes
Author	Mason Currey
Narrator	Adam Verner
Audible.com Release Date	December 09, 2013
Publisher	Tim Ferriss
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B00H704LHO
Best Sellers Rank	#7,746 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #9 in Historical Essays (Books) #13 in Creativity & Genius #20 in Biographies of Authors

Customer reviews

5 star		62%
4 star		20%
3 star		12%
2 star		4%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Arthur Thorp

and do their best work in the first several hours of the day

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2015

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So here's the takeaway:

1. The people described in this book all work very hard and, frequently, VERY long hours.

2. Regular, extended exercise - usually walking - is frequently an important part of their routines.

3. They're mostly early risers, with significant exceptions, and do their best work in the first several hours of the day. There are a few nightowls but not many.

4. They have a work routine that they adhere to almost fanatically.

5. Finally, implicitly, habits are key in their successes and productivity.

There, I've saved you the price of this book.

The stories about the different artists are frequently interesting on their own account and very useful in fleshing out the "takeaways" listed above. I don't think it's intended as a self-help book. The author doesn't attempt to derive a series of lessons from his subjects' activities but a pattern emerges after reading a lot of these.

317 people found this helpful

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Dan Woodfin

Half way through reading this book I ordered a copy

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2018

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This book was described in a catalog I receive. It sounded interesting so I checked out a copy from the local library. Half way through reading a library copy I ordered a copy. If you do creative work of any kind you are probably trying to find out how to organize your time and effort for best results. I am. I wanted to see how successful artists do it. This book is heavily researched and also very readable. It is not a 1,2 & 3 and you will be successful type book. It is about life stories. I bought a copy for ongoing reference. I have read it through and i'll be referring to it over the years.

38 people found this helpful

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naturalcoach

you'll have good company. If you're reclusive

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2017

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Small format books ask us not to take them seriously, but don't be fooled here. This little gem is a fount of inspiration for anyone with creative urges and dreams. The diversity of creators represented is a welcoming affirmation that whoever you are and however you create, there's a place for you at the table. If you're disciplined, you'll find models of discipline. If you're a hard partier, you'll have good company. If you're reclusive, you'll be affirmed in your desire and need for solitude. Mason Currey has done a fine job bringing creators from many centuries into our awareness to speak for themselves or be spoken about. Thank you.

42 people found this helpful

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KellyAnn

I really enjoyed this book

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2018

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I enjoyed this book and I wrote a complete review on my website. It's a bit lengthy to post here, but the following excerpt should be more enough to get my point across.
Is your creativity driven by a looming deadline? Do you need four or five cups of Diet Pepsi or tea before you can even think of putting one word on the paper? Does the rest of the world need to be sleeping for you to hit your stride? Do you sometimes type the title of an article on the page just to see words on the page? Okay, well maybe I’m the only one that does those things. If not, join the ranks of many creatives that have rituals or behaviors that get their creative muscles warmed up and ready for the battle of the blank sheet or canvas.

As a creative who grew up with other creatives, Daily Rituals piqued my interest and would hopefully feed my curious nature. Maybe this middle of the night creative could pick up a few tricks of the trade from some of the most successful artists in the world. Perhaps I could gain a little insight into how they became so successful and in some cases are still going strong. If nothing else, it would be fun to take a peek behind the curtain.
And it was. I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, informative, enjoyable read.

11 people found this helpful

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RedTerrier

Ordinary rituals lead to extraordinary art

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016

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Excellent book for those readers who want to get a glimpse into the schedules of extraordinary talented artists...namely, that even true masters have to find the mundane ritual of daily routine a necessity when creating great work. The creative process is often thought of as elusive and transient, however this book goes to great lengths to show how a steady working schedule can often lead to some of the modern world's greatest creative achievements. Very inspiring for those wanting to create some kind of art in their day...

27 people found this helpful

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Little Miss Fun

Read the Blog, Don't Bother with the Book

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2020

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I had been looking forward to reading this book for quite some time. It’s been sitting on my shelf for goodness knows how long. I wanted to love it, but I couldn’t. It’s based on a blog, and I have come to believe that generally most blogs do not make for interesting books, at least not for me.

A few years ago, before vacationing in France, I read a ton of books that are set in France. One of these was Monet’s House: An Impressionist Interior by Heide Michels. I love that book. Not only are the pictures just gorgeous, but the descriptions also. It’s chock-full of interesting tidbits about Monet’s daily life. Those are the parts that interested me the most and that I still remember and think of from time to time.

Unlike the Monet book, I never felt a connection to any of the artists, writers, and composers in this book. I felt that something was lacking. The entries were repetitive and not particularly entertaining or interesting. It all seemed quite superficial and I wanted him to dig deeper. A short biography on each would have been nice also, especially when I didn’t even know who some of the artists were in the first place.

What irritated me the most was the lack of organization and structure. It isn’t alphabetical; or even done in a proper layout with say artists in one section, writers in another, and so forth; or even chronological. It’s all over the place.

My takeaway was:
* Everyone is different. Some are larks and some are night-owls. Do what works for you.
* Take at least one long walk every day.
* Eat the same exact thing every day. Boring!
* Smoke as if it’s going out of style.
* Same applies to alcohol and other mind-altering drugs.
* And on and on.

It was an okay compilation, but I think that you’d be better served by visiting the blog.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Emily

No paper wrap around

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2018

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Ordered a hardback and the order was filled by Momox. It arrived without the paper wrap around. Looks a bit rubbish as. Quite disappointed.

One person found this helpful

Maher

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2018

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It realy is just individual habits of different people.

3 people found this helpful

A Brilliantly conceived, Funny, Intriguing and Fascinating Collection. Endlessly stimulating.

Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2014

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This quite unusual 275 page book includes brief, well-written accounts of the 'daily rituals' practiced by 161 inspired and inspiring minds, from Tolstoy to Woody Allen to Dickens to Warhol to Picasso to Jane Austen to Beethoven ... Each delightful entry runs from 1 to 3 pages in length and all are remarkably well-researched. Easy to read, fun, jammed with insider anecdotes. From the jacket (and entirely accurate): "Writers, composers, painters, choreographers, playwrights, poets, philosophers, sculptors, filmmakers and scientists on how they create (and avoid creating) their creations." The book is a joy. Dip into it anywhere, for however long. I happen to be a bibliomaniac and this is my find of the year. ... It's physically small, therefore easy to carry also.

11 people found this helpful

Pat D

Comforting news for writers

Reviewed in Canada on September 18, 2019

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Fascinating stories about famous writers and artists, and how they get their work done. So many weirdos, and just as many super-disciplined types who get up at dawn and work steadily every day. It shows there's no one way to live the artistic life. Great gift for the writers in your life.

Harry Havey

A very habit forming book!

Reviewed in Canada on July 16, 2014

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This book is (temporarily) part of my own daily ritual: I read a couple of entries over cereal to start each day. Nothing inspiring for artists but quite comforting in its revelations of the very human tics and idiosyncrasies of the individuals included. A bit misleading as a book title maybe as there are several politicians included (as writers) and very few visual artists included. The majority of the artists are those that tend to work at desks (authors and composers) with a smattering of visual artists and performers thrown in. But, still, a very enjoyable read!

3 people found this helpful

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