Synopses & Reviews
A guide to the art of journaling--and a meditation on the central questions of life--by the bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms, with contributions from Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste, Elizabeth Gilbert, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem, George Saunders, and many more
From the time she was young, Suleika Jaouad has kept a journal. She's used it to mark life's biggest occasions and to weather its most ferocious storms. Journaling has buoyed her through illness, heartbreak, and the deepest uncertainty. And she is not alone: for so many people, keeping a journal is an essential tool for navigating both the personal peaks and valleys and the collective challenges of modern life. More than ever, we need a space for puzzling through.
In The Book of Alchemy, Suleika explores the art of journaling and shares everything she's learned about how this life-altering practice can help us tap into that mystical trait that exists in every human: creativity. She has gathered wisdom from one hundred writers, artists, and thinkers in the form of essays and writing prompts. Their insights invite us to inhabit a more inspired life.
A companion through challenging times, The Book of Alchemy is broken into themes ranging from new beginnings to love, loss, and rebuilding. Whether you're a lifelong journaler or new to the practice, this book gives you the tools, direction, and encouragement to engage with discomfort, ask questions, peel back the layers, dream daringly, uncover your truest self--and in doing so, to learn to hold the unbearably brutal and astonishingly beautiful facts of life in the same palm.
Also includes essays from: Martha Beck - Alain de Botton - Susan Cheever - Lena Dunham - Melissa Febos - Liana Finck - John Green - Marie Howe - Pico Iyer - Oliver Jeffers - Quintin Jones - Michael Koryta - Hanif Kureishi - Kiese Laymon - Cleyvis Natera - Ann Patchett - Esther Perel - Adrienne Raphel - Maggie Rogers - Jenny Rosenstrach - Sharon Salzberg - Dani Shapiro - Mavis Staples - Linda Sue Park - Nafissa Thompson-Spires - Jia Tolentino - Lindy West - Lidia Yuknavitch - And many others
Review
"The Book of Alchemy proves on every page that a creative response
can be found in every moment of life--regardless of what is happening
in the world. It also demonstrates that we can be more creative together
than we could ever be alone. This book is not only beautiful but
exceedingly helpful. I recommend it to every dreamer, with the highest
respect and joy."
--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love
"Beyond her brilliance as a writer, Suleika Jaouad's greatest
offering to the world is her brilliance of generosity, her curiosity,
her seeking heart and mind.
The Book of Alchemy is an extension and expansion of these gifts,
carefully curated and thoughtfully presented, it doesn't offer just one
single answer, or one north star, but an entire galaxy. A path, with
many paths springing forth from it, for anyone who wants to write, or
chase an idea, or descend into their work with a newfound exuberance.
This book is a gift."
--Hanif Abdurraqib, author of There's Always This Year
"Brilliant. Gentle. Encouraging. If you want to make your life
richer, follow her lead. Suleika Jaouad is showing us how to find wisdom
in every transition, graduation, and U-turn. The perfect mix of
incandescent wisdom and kick-in-the-pants motivation to start your own
creative journey."
--Kate Bowler, author of Everything Happens for a Reason
About the Author
Suleika Jaouad is the author of the
New York Times bestselling memoir
Between Two Kingdoms, which has been translated into more than twenty languages. She wrote the Emmy Award-winning
New York Times column and video series "Life, Interrupted," and her essays and feature stories have appeared in
The New York Times Magazine,
The Atlantic,
The Guardian, and
Vogue, among others. She is also the subject, along with husband Jon Batiste, of the Oscar-nominated documentary
American Symphony--a portrait of two artists during a year of
extreme highs and lows. A visual artist, her large-scale watercolors are
the focus of several upcoming exhibitions. She is also the creator of
the Isolation Journals, a weekly newsletter and global community that
harnesses creativity as a tool to navigate life's interruptions.