Creativity & Leadership
Creativity Inc.
by Ed Catmull
"The definitive guide to building and protecting a creative culture. Required reading for any creative leader."
Buy on Amazon →Steve's Shelf
The Reading Room
Books that shaped my thinking on creativity, deep work, and the creative life.
These are the books I return to again and again — the ones that changed how I think about creativity, practice, and the life of making things. Not a comprehensive list, but a genuinely personal one.
Creativity
The War of Art
by Steven Pressfield
"The most honest book ever written about resistance and what keeps creative people stuck."
Buy on Amazon →
Creativity
Big Magic
by Elizabeth Gilbert
"A permission slip to pursue your creativity without fear or apology."
Buy on Amazon →
Productivity
Deep Work
by Cal Newport
"The practical counterpart to inspiration — how to actually do the focused work creativity requires."
Buy on Amazon →
Creativity
The Creative Act
by Rick Rubin
"A meditation on what creativity actually is. Read slowly. Return to it often."
Buy on Amazon →
Creativity
Steal Like an Artist
by Austin Kleon
"Liberating, practical, and short. Read in one sitting, carry it forever."
Buy on Amazon →Also read Steve's own books
Steve has written two books on creativity — practical frameworks for understanding and unlocking your creative potential.
View The Books →