The pirate gardener

In this week's newsletter: what to write when you don't know what to write, ear and eye candy, and more...

In this week's newsletter: what to write when you don't know what to write, ear and eye candy, and more... View this email in your browser Hey y'all, Here are 10 things I thought were worth sharing this week:  Brian Eno says you're either a cowboy or a farmer. Dave Hickey says you're either a pirate or a farmer. I would like to be a pirate gardener.   Very excited to announce my August pick for the Read Like an Artist book club: Tamara Shopsin's totally wonderful Arbitrary Stupid Goal.   I'm reading Dana Gioia's Studying with Miss Bishop, but I'm a little baffled by the cover and title: Elizabeth Bishop is just one of the six people who formed his life as a poet who make up the chapters of his memoir. I came to Dana's book via his brother Ted, who is a terrific music writer. (As someone who is raising a set of brothers, I'm fascinated by such dynamic duos.) Ted was named after their uncle Ted, who died in a plane crash, but left Ted and Dana's parents a piano and a huge library of books, which the two brothers put to excellent use. (Ted recently shared his parenting advice.)   "Isn't it a miracle that we've ended up as ourselves?" A Paris Review interview with Hilton Als. (Love his New Yorker columns and his Instagram.)   Cartoonist Kevin Huizenga sent me some cool zines that were supplementary material for his masterpiece, The River at Night. (One of the best books I read in 2019.)   "Cease to be a drudge. Seek to be an artist." I read those words on a banner in a photo in the NYTimes, and just had to read more about the woman they came from: Mary McLeod Bethune.    Ear candy: designer Kelli Anderson made a sax playlist. (If you can't get enough of that woodwind, see also my friend Julien's playlist, "Surprise Sax.")   Eye candy: our family is way behind, but somehow Paddington 2 is just as good as everyone says it is? (Tonight's pizza night viewing is the original Paddington.)   RIP artist Jane Kaufman.   When I don't know what to write in my diary, I copy a poem and pick it apart. Thanks for reading. This newsletter is free, but not cheap. You can help it keep going: forward it to someone who'd like it, read my books, shop for some of my favorite gear (I get a cut), buy a t-shirt, or hire me to speak. If you're seeing this newsletter for the first time, you can read previous issues and subscribe here. xoxo,  Austin Austin Kleon is the author of Steal Like An Artist and other books. Subscribe to this newsletter   Copyright © 2021 Austin Kleon, All rights reserved. My mailing address is: Austin Kleon 1101 W 34th St Box #102 Austin, TX 78705 Please read this before sending me snail mail! You're getting this email because you signed up for it at austinkleon.com. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Amazon Affiliate links offset the cost of sending these missives. Support your local bookstore if you have one.