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9781956672022

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"""Jason Cannon's book is a must-read. Especially if you are an artist, want to be reminded why you become an artist in the first place - or just have always wondered if you could lead a more artistic life. Its honest and transparent and yet deeply witty and insightful look into this entire profession made me want to get back out there and do it even better. Easily the most truthful and yet inspiring book out there on the making of theatre."" -Sean Daniels, Artistic Director, Arizona Theatre Company ""There are some doozies in This Above All: How to Live an Artistic Life, that straight-up revolutionized my thinking. It is a guidebook to both theater and life that needs to live on every creative person's nightstand. I highly recommend."" -Sarah Bierstock, playwright of Honor Killing and Grace's Land 2.0, and Artistic Director, Pass the Salt Productions ""The subtitle of Jason Cannon's This Above All is How to Live an Artistic Life. Cannon focuses on artists (especially directors, actors, and writers) in the world of theater, but his penetrating insights apply to anyone in any profession. The book is a series of short chapters filled with exhilarating ideas about how to live artistically, which is to say how to live pas- sionately, how to live, as Cannon puts it, ""with all your heart."" You will be tempted to read the book through at top speed because Cannon's quick, exuberant prose pulls you along. But then go back to read slowly, to pause on the many epiphanies about living and learning and refusing to be false to oneself or to anyone (the keen analysis of the speech in Hamlet by Polonius, from which Cannon takes his book's title, is worth the price of admission). Reflect on each gem for an hour or two-and then keep on reflecting for the rest of your life."" -Jeffrey Couchman, author of The Night of the Hunter: A Biography of a Film ""This Above All is brimming with philosophical insights and practical advice for young artists starting out in the world. Cannon shares the wisdom gained from many years of artistic practice, providing the reader with powerful reflections on art, life, and truth-telling. Essential reading for anyone want- ing to harness their passion into a meaningful and sustainable creative practice."" -Deborah Brevoort, playwright of The Women of Lockerbie and My Lord, What a Night ""Those who are struggling to make it in their chosen profes- sion, are questioning what's missing, and haven't found their artistic mojo yet, will reap great benefit from reading This Above All. Jason's passion for living an artistic life struck a nerve the first day we met. This Above All reminded me that the world of business I live in can be much more meaningful and stressless when you slow down, take a beat, enjoy the scenery, and re-examine your purpose."" -Joel Ehrenpreis, CEO, Business Therapeutics"

Jason Cannon's book is a must-read. Especially if you are an artist, want to be reminded why you become an artist in the first place - or just have always wondered if you could lead a more artistic life. Its honest and transparent and yet deeply witty and insightful look into this entire profession made me want to get back out there and do it even better. Easily the most truthful and yet inspiring book out there on the making of theatre. -Sean Daniels, Artistic Director, Arizona Theatre Company There are some doozies in This Above All: How to Live an Artistic Life, that straight-up revolutionized my thinking. It is a guidebook to both theater and life that needs to live on every creative person's nightstand. I highly recommend. -Sarah Bierstock, playwright of Honor Killing and Grace's Land 2.0, and Artistic Director, Pass the Salt Productions The subtitle of Jason Cannon's This Above All is How to Live an Artistic Life. Cannon focuses on artists (especially directors, actors, and writers) in the world of theater, but his penetrating insights apply to anyone in any profession. The book is a series of short chapters filled with exhilarating ideas about how to live artistically, which is to say how to live pas- sionately, how to live, as Cannon puts it, with all your heart. You will be tempted to read the book through at top speed because Cannon's quick, exuberant prose pulls you along. But then go back to read slowly, to pause on the many epiphanies about living and learning and refusing to be false to oneself or to anyone (the keen analysis of the speech in Hamlet by Polonius, from which Cannon takes his book's title, is worth the price of admission). Reflect on each gem for an hour or two-and then keep on reflecting for the rest of your life. -Jeffrey Couchman, author of The Night of the Hunter: A Biography of a Film This Above All is brimming with philosophical insights and practical advice for young artists starting out in the world. Cannon shares the wisdom gained from many years of artistic practice, providing the reader with powerful reflections on art, life, and truth-telling. Essential reading for anyone want- ing to harness their passion into a meaningful and sustainable creative practice. -Deborah Brevoort, playwright of The Women of Lockerbie and My Lord, What a Night Those who are struggling to make it in their chosen profes- sion, are questioning what's missing, and haven't found their artistic mojo yet, will reap great benefit from reading This Above All. Jason's passion for living an artistic life struck a nerve the first day we met. This Above All reminded me that the world of business I live in can be much more meaningful and stressless when you slow down, take a beat, enjoy the scenery, and re-examine your purpose. -Joel Ehrenpreis, CEO, Business Therapeutics

Author Information

Jason Cannon is an award-winning actor, director, improviser, playwright, teacher, and author. He has an MFA in Directing, a Master's in Drama, and a quarter-century in the professional theatre. As an actor, Jason has portrayed everything from a rapping dinosaur to a robot and from a hitman to Hamlet. He has written plays about J. R. R. Tolkien and Aesop, directed plays about hiccuping dragons and foul-mouthed puppets, and once while improvising he was attacked by a stage light. He lives in Florida just a holler from the Gulf with his partner Rebecca and their two silly pups, Gaia and Odin. He makes a killer key lime pie and runs lots of 10Ks and half-marathons. Jason believes storytelling in all its forms-whether seen on the stage or read on a page-has the power not only to entertain but also to comfort, provoke, and inspire us to be better humans. Jason is also available as a workshop leader, story coach, editor, teacher, speaker, emcee, and even wedding officiant. Learn more about Jason at jason-cannon.com and check out his other books at ibis-books.com

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