Creative Quest (Paperback)
NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2018 BY Esquire • PopSugar • The Huffington Post • Buzzfeed • Publishers Weekly
A unique new guide to creativity from Questlove—inspirations, stories, and lessons on how to live your best creative life
Questlove—musician, bandleader, designer, producer, culinary entrepreneur, professor, and all-around cultural omnivore—shares his wisdom on the topics of inspiration and originality in a one-of-a-kind guide to living your best creative life.
In Creative Quest, Questlove synthesizes all the creative philosophies, lessons, and stories he’s heard from the many creators and collaborators in his life, and reflects on his own experience, to advise readers and fans on how to consider creativity and where to find it. He addresses many topics—what it means to be creative, how to find a mentor and serve as an apprentice, the wisdom of maintaining a creative network, coping with critics and the foibles of success, and the specific pitfalls of contemporary culture—all in the service of guiding admirers who have followed his career and newcomers not yet acquainted with his story.
Whether discussing his own life or channeling the lessons he’s learned from forefathers such as George Clinton, collaborators like D’Angelo, or like-minded artists including Ava DuVernay, David Byrne, Björk, and others, Questlove speaks with the candor and enthusiasm that fans have come to expect. Creative Quest is many things—above all, a wise and wide-ranging conversation around the eternal mystery of creativity.
Questlove is a drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, designer, New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award–nominated author, and cofounder of Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group, the Roots. He is the musical director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where the Roots serve as the house band, and a four-time Grammy Award–winning musician. He is also an adjunct professor at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
“[Creative Quest] is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to understand the impulse, psychology and spark behind creative ideas.”
— Rolling Stone
“Powered by the pistons of Questlove’s ever-curious mind and his decades of experience in varied artistic projects with top entertainers, thinkers and creators, this book feels fresh and personal. Credible research is buttressed by “here’s how it played out for me” stories, and his humor and geniality shine through” — BookPage
“Creative Quest is a comprehensive, funny, and honest exploration of artistic process. My favorite read this year.” — Donald Glover
“I read so many books, and I have time for so few of them. This book paid off every minute: I loved keeping company with Questlove’s agile mind as he worked through the problems and promises of creativity.” — Issa Rae
“Creativity presents an opportunity for people from all walks of life to be heard. Questlove brilliantly delivers a must-read guide for all creatives, who desire to define and cultivate their own, unique voice.” — Lena Waithe
“[Questlove’s] mind is literally a galaxy of stars. In this book, we witness the astronomer mapping the constellations, reminding us to keep our heads to the sky and remember that our greatest gifts are hiding in plain sight.” — Hank Willis Thomas
“When Questlove says he’s going to do something, he will find out how to do whatever that is, and become a master at it. I can’t think of a person more suited to write a book about being creative.” — Jimmy Fallon
“Questlove’s generous, provocative guidebook offers experienced wisdom about tapping into the creative process.” — Publishers Weekly
“Think of this book as a remix that might help you tap into your own creativity and trust your intuition.” — Esquire