Smith, Anna Deavere. Letters to a young artist; straight-up advice on making a life in the arts--for actors, performers, writers, and artists of every kind.

SMITH, Anna Deavere. Letters to a young artist; straight, up advice on making a life in the arts--for actors, performers, writers, and artists of every kind. Read by the author. 4 cds. 4.5 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 2006. 0-7861-7231-2. $36.00. Vinyl; content, author notes. SA

This advice comes from an experienced playwright/director/stage and television actor (TV's West Wing). The work is demanding; the pay is low to nonexistent and though your expression must come from your heart, nobody can tell you how to do it. What successful artists can do, as Deavere Smith discusses in this short audiobook, is share their own experiences, hoping they will be useful to aspiring artists. In a series of letters to "BZ," an imaginary artist, Deavere Smith talks about some of her own experiences: the need to work hard and take risks; the need to find mentors and friends in all kinds of places; the need to appreciate that art can come as much from joy as from pain; and, above all, the need for the artist to be relevant to today's world. "Where are the war paintings?" she pleads, citing Picasso's Guernica.

Smith reads her own book in a bright, encouraging style. This book will be enjoyed by aspiring artists and those who are interested in how artists think and pursue their difficult but vital craft. Susan Offner, Teacher, Lexington HS, Lexington, MA

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.