Composing Temple Sunrise: Overcoming Writer's Block at Burning Man by Hassan El-Tayyab

Sportochick's Musings ~ Every once in a while you read a book that shifts your perception of life. This is that book. 

Composing Temple Sunrise: 
Overcoming Writer's Block at Burning Man
by Hassan El-Tayyab
Alice Guo (Illustrator), Melody Shirazi (Illustrator),
Stephanie Wong (Illustrator)

Find This Book At ~ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Publisher ~ poetic matrix press 
Categories ~ autobiography

Composing Temple Sunrise is a coming-of-age memoir about a 26-year-old songwriter’s journey across America to find his lost muse.

Triggered by the Great Recession of 2008, Hassan El-Tayyab loses his special education teaching job in Boston and sets out on a cross-country adventure with a woman named Hope Rideout, determined to find his lost muse. His journey brings him to Berkeley, CA, where he befriends a female metal art collective constructing a 37-foot Burning Man art sculpture named “Fishbug.” What follows is a life-changing odyssey through Burning Man that helps Hassan harness his creative spirit, overcome his self-critic, confront his childhood trauma, and realize the healing power of musical expression.

In this candid, inspiring memoir, singer-songwriter Hassan El-Tayyab of the Bay Area’s American Nomad takes us deep into the heart of what it means to chase a creative dream.

After experiencing multiple losses (family, home, love, job, self-confidence) , El-Tayyab sets out on a transcontinental quest that eventually lands him in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. His vivid descriptions capture both the vast, surreal landscapes of the Burning Man festival and the hard practice of making art.

Every once in a while you read a book that shifts your perception of life. This is that book. It made me cry, empathize, reminded me of a time or two when I almost did the same thing the author almost did (sorry can't tell you need to read the book), it brought up aspects of my life that I am struggling in currently, it shattered my heart, gave me hope and opened my eyes to infinite possibilities. But the main thing it did was cause me to think deeply on what do I want my life to look like, what am I willing to give up and what is the root cause that drives my unsettledness. 

I have to say the title threw me off a little because my mind put writer in the category of author and not song writer. It didn't matter to me because I have always been intrigued with "Burning Man" and really wanted to read this book. I have friends that go yearly and because I am a costumer I have been mesmerized by the things they wear and all the wildness I hear about.

What I enjoyed about this book is how the author shared his brokenness in a manner that was filled with compassion and clarity exposing his inner self to the reader. The reader will commiserate with some or all of his situations and there will be parts of the story that will impact the reader in his personal life.

His vivid descriptions of working on "Fishbug" and later "Burning Man" showed the spiritual side of Burning Man and drew the reader so deeply into the story that they could of been him. Further more, his journey through letting go of beliefs about himself or others that did not suit him was done very compassionately.

Bravo author, songwriter Hassan El-Tayyab for writing an autobiography with great impact to the reader. I give this 5 STARS.

Will you read this book? I hope so I am curious of it's impact on you.

 Voluntary review of copy via Poetic Book Tours

Hassan El-Tayyab is an award-winning singer/songwriter, author, teacher, and cultural activist currently residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. His critically acclaimed Americana act American Nomad performs regularly at festivals and venues up and down the West Coast and beyond and he teaches music in the Bay Area.

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