I read over 50 books in 2021 (you can see them all on my other blog) but very few of them would be categorized as business books. This is a little surprising to me (as it probably is to many long-time readers) but the truth is, I’m not finding much new, interesting, or inspiring in the business book space lately. Still, I read a few solid books that I would recommend for artists or makers who are looking to up their business game.
Work Won’t Love You Back by Sarah Jaffe
If there’s one book I recommend everyone read, it’s this one. But fair warning, it’s a bit of a beast, which is why I highly recommend the audiobook. (Even that clocks in at a whopping 13 hours, but I promise, it’s an enjoyable listen.) This book dives deep into what Jaffe terms “the labor of love myth” – the idea that when we love our jobs, we’re more open to exploitation. Jaffe picks apart this myth by examining how it plays out in various industries. In addition to addressing art directly, Jaffe also looks at several other spheres many artists and creatives may be familiar with, including academia, retail, and non-profits. For those of us who truly do love what we do (myself included) the concept behind this book can be a bit of a rude awakening, which is why I consider it essential reading. If nothing else, it’s a reminder that just because we love what we do doesn’t mean we need to put up with poor working conditions or a shitty boss. (Even if, especially if, we are that boss.)
Mutualism by Sara Horowitz
If there’s one complaint I have about Work Won’t Love You Back, it’s the overt reliance on unions as the solution to many of work’s problems. I’m not anti-union, but when you’re self-employed (as many artists and makers are), unions don’t really solve that problem. (Indeed, the chapter on artists sort of concedes as much before dutifully looking at the ways that museum workers have unionized.) I’ll admit that part of the book left me a little wanting.
Enter Mutualism. Not only is Horowitz the founder of The Freelancers Union, which tried to create a union-like experience for the self-employed, she also recognizes that unions are but one tool in the mutualist tool belt. She situates unions alongside religious organizations, co-operatives, and mutual aid societies as tools for creating a better world, while also giving an insightful look into labor history. While the book can get a little redundant at times, I still found it a useful and inspiring guide for the ways that workers (including the self-employed) can make change when we come together. This book is also giving me major ideas for a new project, something I’ll hopefully be sharing more about in 2022!
Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth
If you’re concerned about the ways that running a business and making stuff impacts the environment or social justice, I highly recommend checking out Doughnut Economics. Raworth argues persuasively that there is a sweet spot for business and the economy – one that makes sure that every human is cared for while not overstepping our ecological limits. Beyond that, what I loved about this book is the premise that any idea can be made accessible through illustration and drawing. That means rather than being a dry, academic discourse, this book puts economic ideas into a language that anyone (but particularly visual thinkers) can understand while rewriting the “rules” of economics for a new generation.
The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul
This book isn’t a business book per se, but I think it should be essential reading for every creative. Throughout the book, Murphy Paul shows how many of the ways we’ve been taught to understand and think about the brain are just plain wrong. In doing so, she eviscerates the mind-body split, shows why movement is essential for thinking, and, at least for me, alleviated some of my guilt around needing to have books, papers, and other ephemera strewn about my workspace. Some of what she talks about may seem like second nature to creative thinkers, but in a world where we’ve often been told our brains don’t work the “right” way, it’s nice to see science that backs up so much of what we, as creatives, intuitively do.
Painting Professionals by Kirsten Swinth
I’m counting this one as a business book because it explores the history of the art market, something that anyone trying to sell their art should understand. Specifically, Swinth argues that the inequality of the current art world was actually by design as a way to exclude women artists. We still feel the legacy of this today, which is why understanding the systems behind art world elitism is so essential. (For more on this, watch this video I made on Seth Godin and the problem of art world elitism.)
PS. If you’re curious what my absolute favorite books of 2021 were (all of which were non-fiction, but had little or nothing to do with business), you can check out that post on my other blog!