The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield, is thoughtful, enlightening, and inspiring. Reading it was like sitting down with a trusted friend or mentor and listening as they dissect the barriers to what you want in life and then offer good advice to move forward. There are a couple of books out there that writers should read on a regular basis. Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is an example. The War of Art should also be on the list, particularly when you suddenly realize your daily literary output has been sitting at zero for a couple of weeks. It is a short book and a quick read. Pressfield does not waste the reader’s time with the type of non-essentials that pad many “self-help” books. He gets to the point and does it in a clear style.

Reading it was like sitting down with a trusted friend…

If I have any criticism, it is that Pressfield is a really poor theologian. If you look past his views on the nature of man and God and treat them as useful fictions that he wields to get to a deeper truth, the book is incredibly helpful.