Balancing Acts: Unleashing the Power of Creativity in Your Life and Work (HarperCollins Leadership, January 2022, $28.99) by Daniel Lamarre is a book for those who need creative inspiration. Part business memoir and part self-help/motivational, the appeal of this book will land squarely on the aspiring businessman who needs an icon. It not only celebrates the business braggadocio commonly attributed to male CEOs but also focuses its energy on the business deals of Cirque du Soleil (starting in 2001 when Lamarre arrived) with relatively few musings on the company’s artistic impact in the performing arts—and even less recognition of the creative contributions of its artists, let alone artists outside of the Cirque aesthetic. Apart from a token mention of a female creative (and one POC artist), the mention of almost any woman in the book is often tied to their status as wives (Beatles’ wives included). .. .link to full length review at Chicago Reader.