Sarah Elizabeth Lewis

I wasn't in quite the right mood for this book (I've already been chewing on a lot of these ideas, and I really don't get into dance, which made up a good bit of the mastery discussion and took me back to a very uncomfortable ADF I attended in the early aughts), but I appreciate what Lewis is doing here. I also really like the concept of "nimble grit," the idea that persistence is incredibly valuable, but so is knowing when to pivot.

This book couldn't have come at a better time in my life. It is strength for the journey for all creative people. "My barn having burned down / I can now see the moon" - Mizuta Masahide

Sarah Lewis draws from examples across history and integrates evidence from research to illustrate how failure and resilience are necessary for mastery and creativity. Although the underlying premise is relative straightforward, the stories are fascinating, adding layers to Lewis's argument.

Impeccably researched but a little overly academic for my taste. Such great quotes and interesting facts here, I'll recommend it to a certain reader (phi beta kappa would LOVE the arts chapter) but the narrative was too loosely strung to be especially compelling. I got my copy via a first reads giveaway