“Hope is optimism with a broken heart.”—Nick Cave

I have to catch myself sometimes. I’ve become such a disciple of Nick Cave’s second-act that I get redundant in conversation. I’m constantly saying, “Nick Cave says this, Nick Cave said that…Have you read The Red Hand Files? Did you listen to this record? Or this musical score? Have you watched this Nick Cave documentary? Did you know this about Nick, etc, etc.”

Nick has a way of understanding youth and aging through lived experience and a way of articulating it that I find enlightening. From his music to his philosophy to his Red Hand Files blog to his ceramic art — he has managed to “walk through the flames of life so well” and we know that’s what matters most.

“We’re often led to believe that getting older is in itself somehow a betrayal of our idealistic younger self, but sometimes I think it might be the other way around. Maybe the younger self finds it difficult to inhabit its true potential because it has no idea what that potential is. It is a kind of unformed thing running scared most of the time, frantically trying to build its sense of self – This is me! Here I am! – in any way that it can. But then time and life come along, and smash that sense of self into a million pieces. And then comes the reassembled self, the self you have to put back together. You no longer have to devote time to finding out what you are, you are just free to be whatever you want to be, unimpeded by the incessant needs of others.” —Nick Cave from Faith, Hope and Carnage

After tragically losing his son Arthur in 2015, Nick and his wife Susie went through what must have been an unfathomable period of grief. In fact, I know it was, he speaks about it often — first in the film One More Time with Feeling (see below), then through his blog, then through his “In Conversation” series, then through his transcendent album Ghosteen and now in this new book Faith, Hope and Carnage.

This new book reads more like a conversation that you feel privileged to be eavesdropping in on. Created from more than 40 hours of intimate conversation with journalist Seán O’Hagan, the book explores both the enlightenment Nick’s been experiencing and the pot-holed, often tragic and dark journey it took to reach it.

“Vulnerability is essential to spiritual and creative growth. Finding enormous strength through vulnerability. You're being open to whatever happens, including failure and shame. The two are connected, maybe - vulnerability and freedom.”—Nick Cave, from Faith, Hope and Carnage

Nick is unafraid to walk out on branches that most people avoid — for fear of cancellation, censorship or just saying something most people don’t agree with. He has no problem being vulnerable. He dives into faith, childhood and adult trauma, grief, love, freedom, art, music and the work ethic that seems to have been the catalyst for his dramatic transformation personally and creatively over the past 8 years since Arthur’s death.

I encourage you to read this book and fall down the Nick Cave rabbit hole. First and foremost, subscribe to The Red Hand Files ASAP. Then get some nice noise cancelling headphones and set everything aside and listen to Ghosteen (I found that listening on a plane is tresncendental experience). It is such a unique record and one that truly feels like it was channeled and delivered via Nick from some ethereal place (and he feels the same way). You’ll understand Nick’s spiritual and religious beliefs more after you listen to Ghosteen closely.

From there, watch the two great documentaries on Nick and the Bad Seeds: 2016’s One More Time with Feeling and 2014’s 20,000 Days on Earth. Both terrific in totally different ways.

Trailers below:

When you reach the bottom of the rabbit hole (you probably never will actually) so let’s just say soon, read Faith, Hope and Carnage. It will unlock so much more. It sews up all loose ends and leaves you with a sense of calm deep inside. You will feel more prepared for life’s flames more than ever before. Fall in and catch fire, you’re going to be OK.—Travis Ferré

*PS: I would loan you my copy but it’s signed by Nick and Sean. So, you’re gonna have to get your own. (Thanks Emma!)