The Gift, by Lewis Hyde

The Gift starts with an anthropological overview of giftgiving, and proceeds to argue that works of art - which are treated as commodities in modern western culture - ought to be seen, first and foremost, as gifts. This book is a call to suspend concern for the wallet in order to tend to the soul, the culture, the community. It is also readable, compelling, and highly recommended for storytellers and audience members alike.

Resolution: Create a story or work of art, no matter how modest, and give it away anonymously. For example, write a short story on a postcard and leave it in a public place. Is it easier/harder/more enjoyable to create the work when you know you will receive neither credit nor payment?

Click on the cover image to purchase this book from an indie bookseller near you.

Why bother? According to John Waters:

…Our best playwrights continue to present us with unsettlingly truthful versions of ourselves. The irony is that these versions must be coated in the taste and color of our delusion. They must tell us what we need to know while allowing us the option of denying it in public. –John Waters in Druids, Dudes, and Beauty Queens

Why Bother Telling Stories?

According to Longfellow:

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."