Publisher Description

#1 New York Times bestselling author and Oscar–winning producer Brian Grazer has written a brilliantly entertaining and eye-opening exploration of curiosity and the life-changing effects it can have on every person's life.

From Academy Award–winning producer Brian Grazer, New York Times bestseller A Curious Mind offers a brilliant peek into the "curiosity conversations" that inspired him to create some of the world's most iconic movies and television shows. He shows how curiosity has been the "secret" that fueled his rise as one of Hollywood's leading producers and creative visionaries, and how all of us can channel its power to lead bigger and more rewarding lives.

Grazer has spent most of his life exploring curiosity through what he terms "curiosity conversations" with some of the most interesting people in the world, including spies, royals, scientists, politicians, moguls, Nobel laureates, artists…anyone whose story might broaden his worldview. These discussions sparked the creative inspiration behind many of his movies and TV shows, including Splash, 24, A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Arrested Development, 8 Mile, J. Edgar, Empire, and many others.

A Curious Mind is not only a fascinating page-turner—it also offers a blueprint for how we can awaken our own curiosity and use it as a superpower in our lives. Whether you're looking to strengthen your management style at work, uncover a new source of creativity, or become a better romantic partner, this book—and its lessons on the power of curiosity—can change your life.

Author Biography

Brian Grazer is an Oscar Award­–winning producer and New York Times bestselling author. His films and television shows have been nominated for forty-seven Academy Awards and 242 Emmy Awards. His credits include A Beautiful Mind, 24, Apollo 13, Splash, Arrested Development, Empire, 8 Mile, Friday Night Lights, American Gangster, and Genius, among others. He is the author of Face to Face and the #1 New York Times bestseller A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life, which won the 2016 Books for a Better Life Award. Grazer was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World and is the cofounder of Imagine Entertainment along with his longtime business partner, Ron Howard.

Charles Fishman is the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller One Giant Leap, A Curious Mind (with Brian Grazer), The Wal-Mart Effect, and The Big Thirst. He is a three-time winner of the Gerald Loeb Award, the most prestigious prize in business journalism.

Review

"A Curious Mind is a window on Brian Grazer's restless, relentless, remarkable imagination. It is a captivating account of how the simple act of asking questions can change your life." -- Malcolm Gladwell * Bestselling Author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, and David and Goliath *
"I love Brian Grazer's soulful message about the power of curiosity. He inspires, entertains, and shows how we can use curiosity to tap into the power of wonder and wisdom we are all born with." -- Arianna Huffington * Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post and Author of Thrive *
"Curiosity leads to insights and fuels the creative process – and nobody knows more about curiosity than Brian Grazer. In his delightful book, A Curious Mind, we get to see that curiously creative process in action." -- Dick Costolo * CEO of Twitter *
"A Curious Mind is not a classic autobiography but a rumination on how one trait, curiosity, reinforced by a readiness to pay attention and then to act, has forged such a remarkable career.... It's like spending a couple of hours in the bar of a Hollywood hotel with an amusing raconteur." * The Wall Street Journal *
"The greatest of all graduation speeches." -- Chris Matthews * Hardball with Chris Matthews *
"If you feel stuck in your business or career, or if your company is failing to stay ahead of its competition, perhaps Grazer's method of "curiosity conversations" might provide the spark you need to ignite your best ideas." * Forbes *
"In A Curious Mind, Brian Grazer not only captures the essence and the potential of a great, curious mind, but he provides a wonderful perspective on what curiosity has meant to him and how it shaped his long and very successful career. As a close friend, I've had a front row seat to Brian's curious mind, and the energy his curiosity generates is infectious and thoroughly enjoyable to observe and experience." -- Bob Iger * Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company *
"As Brian's friend and partner, while reading A Curious Mind I was returned to many key turning points in our movies and TV shows that were inspired by experiences he gained on his unique quest for understanding. I also learned a hell of a lot that I didn't actually know, even after thirty years. How is that possible? Well, Brian is a hell of a storyteller." -- Ron Howard * Chairman of Imagine Entertainment and Academy Award-Winning Director *
"To read a book written by one of the most creative and high quality human beings talking about his love affair with curiosity and how it can help you to have a more rewarding life is a real privilege." -- Robert K. Kraft * Owner of the Kraft Group/New England Patriots *
"To have a great life, you need to be curious. Curiosity is what makes us human and moves our world forward. Brian Grazer tells this story in an exceptional way and demonstrates how everyone can tap into curiosity to live a bigger life." -- Eric Schmidt * CEO of Google *
"A powerful tribute to the ways innovation and disruptive thinking stem from a common trait: curiosity. Because the little girl who asks 'Why is the sky blue?' becomes the woman who can change the world." -- Sheryl Sandberg * COO of Facebook and Founder of LeanIn.Org *
"A very stimulating blend of behind-the-scenes Hollywood machinations and business and personal self-help. VERDICT This unusual and quick read is ideal for public libraries and as nonrequired reading in business schools." * Library Journal *
"An appealing argument for maintaining open-minded receptivity, with special appeal for film buffs." * Kirkus Reviews *
"Lively…. As Grazer further explores how curiosity has shaped his life, he sprinkles in numerous anecdotes about the hundreds of people whom he's sought out for one-on-one sessions he terms "curiosity conversations." * Publishers Weekly *
"[A Curious Mind] is straightforward and full of great advice for anyone trying to rise and shine. You don't have to try to become a movie producer. In its own way, the book could be a guide for anyone with ambition, nerve and common sense. But first comes curiosity." * The Huffington Post *
"Grazer himself comes across as a humble seeker, who never let his huge Hollywood success crush his inner child – the child who wants to know everything." * 2paragraphs *
"Stories like de Negri's take Grazer's book beyond Hollywood dish into the mysteries of existence. What makes you curious, it turns out, can also make you stronger." * 7x7 *
"Grazer knows that curiosity doesn't merely kill the cat, it morphs it into a roaring lion worthy of a Hollywood logo — in this case, a cool cat with a wild, spiky mane after a career of petting his projects against the grain." * WTOP *
"It'll encourage you and your partner to engage in novel conversations." * Bustle *
"Grazer's book is conversational, funny and inspiring. A business book like this one can be an excellent resource when it provides a different perspective of thinking and taking action." * Palm Beach Post *

Review Quote

"To read a book written by one of the most creative and high quality human beings talking about his love affair with curiosity and how it can help you to have a more rewarding life is a real privilege."

Excerpt from Book

A Curious Mind CHAPTER ONE There Is No Cure for Curiosity "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." --Dorothy Parker1 ONE THURSDAY AFTERNOON, THE SUMMER after I graduated from the University of Southern California (USC), I was sitting in my apartment in Santa Monica with the windows open, thinking about how to get some work until I started law school at USC in the fall. Suddenly, through the windows, I overheard two guys talking just outside. One said, "Oh my God, I had the cushiest job at Warner Bros. I got paid for eight hours of work every day, and it was usually just an hour." This guy got my attention. I opened the window a little more so I wouldn''t miss the rest of the conversation, and I quietly closed the curtain. The guy went on to say he had been a legal clerk. "I just quit today. My boss was a man named Peter Knecht." I was amazed. Sounded perfect to me. I went right to the telephone, dialed 411,2 and asked for the main number at Warner Bros.--I still remember it, 954-6000.3 I called the number and asked for Peter Knecht. An assistant in his office answered, and I said to her, "I''m going to USC law school in the fall, and I''d like to meet with Mr. Knecht about the law clerk job that''s open." Knecht got on the line. "Can you be here tomorrow at 3 p.m.'" he asked. I met with him on Friday at 3 p.m. He hired me at 3:15. And I started work at Warner Bros. the next Monday. I didn''t quite realize it at that time, but two incredible things happened that day in the summer of 1974. First, my life had just changed forever. When I reported for work as a legal clerk that Monday, they gave me a windowless office the size of a small closet. At that moment, I had found my life''s work. From that tiny office, I joined the world of show business. I never again worked at anything else. I also realized that curiosity had saved my ass that Thursday afternoon. I''ve been curious as long as I can remember. As a boy, I peppered my mother and my grandmother with questions, some of which they could answer, some of which they couldn''t. By the time I was a young man, curiosity was part of the way I approached the world every day. My kind of curiosity hasn''t changed much since I eavesdropped on those guys at my apartment complex. It hasn''t actually changed that much since I was an antsy twelve-year-old boy. My kind of curiosity is a little wide-eyed, and sometimes a little mischievous. Many of the best things that have happened in my life are the result of curiosity. And curiosity has occasionally gotten me in trouble. But even when curiosity has gotten me in trouble, it has been interesting trouble. Curiosity has never let me down. I''m never sorry I asked that next question. On the contrary, curiosity has swung wide many doors of opportunity for me. I''ve met amazing people, made great movies, made great friends, had some completely unexpected adventures, even fallen in love--because I''m not the least bit embarrassed to ask questions. That first job at Warner Bros. studios in 1974 was exactly like the tiny office it came with--confining and discouraging. The assignment was simple: I was required to deliver final contract and legal documents to people with whom Warner Bros. was doing business. That''s it. I was given envelopes filled with documents and the addresses where they should go, and off I went. I was called a "legal clerk," but I was really just a glorified courier. At the time, I had an old BMW 2002--one of the boxy two-door BMW sedans that looked like it was leaning forward. Mine was a faded red-wine color, and I spent my days driving around Hollywood and Beverly Hills, delivering stacks of important papers. I quickly identified the one really interesting thing about the job: the people to whom I was bringing the papers. These were the elite, the powerful, the glamorous of 1970s Hollywood--the writers, directors, producers, stars. There was only one problem: people like that always have assistants or secretaries, doormen or housekeepers. If I was going to do this job, I didn''t want to miss out on the only good part. I didn''t want to meet housekeepers, I wanted to meet the important people. I was curious about them. So I hit on a simple gambit. When I showed up, I would tell the intermediary--the secretary, the doorman--that I had to hand the documents directly to the person for the delivery to be "valid." I went to ICM--the great talent agency--to deliver contracts to seventies superagent Sue Mengers,4 who represented Barbra Streisand and Ryan O''Neal, Candice Bergen and Cher, Burt Reynolds and Ali MacGraw. How did I meet Mengers? I told the ICM receptionist, "The only way Miss Mengers can receive this is if I hand it to her personally." She sent me in without another question. If the person to whom the documents were addressed wasn''t there, I''d simply leave and come back. The guy who had unwittingly tipped me to the job was right. I had all day, but not much work to worry about. This is how I met Lew Wasserman, the tough-guy head of MCA Studios, and his partner, Jules Stein. It''s how I met William Peter Blatty, who wrote The Exorcist, and also Billy Friedkin, the Oscar winner who directed it. I handed contracts to Warren Beatty at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. I was just twenty-three years old, but I was curious. And I quickly learned that not only could I meet these people, I could also sit and talk to them. I would hand over the documents with graciousness and deference, and since it was the seventies, they''d always say, "Come in! Have a drink! Have a cup of coffee!" I would use these moments to get a sense of them, sometimes to get a bit of career advice. I never asked for a job. I never asked for anything, in fact. Pretty quickly, I realized the movie business was a lot more interesting than law school. So I put it off--I never went; I would have made a terrible lawyer--and I kept that clerk job for a year, through the following summer. You know what''s curious: throughout that entire time, no one ever called my bluff. No one said, "Hey, kid, just leave the contract on the table and get out of here. You don''t need to see Warren Beatty." I met every single person to whom I delivered papers. Just as curiosity had gotten me the job, it also transformed the job itself into something wonderful. The men and women whose contracts I delivered changed my life. They showed me a whole style of storytelling I wasn''t familiar with, and I began to think that maybe I was a storyteller at heart. They set the stage for me to produce movies like Splash and Apollo 13, American Gangster, Friday Night Lights, and A Beautiful Mind. Something else happened during that year of being a legal clerk that was just as important. It was the year I started to actively appreciate the real power of curiosity. If you grew up in the fifties and sixties, being curious wasn''t exactly considered a virtue. In the well-ordered, obedient classrooms of the Eisenhower era, it was more like an irritant. I knew I was curious, of course, but it was a little like wearing glasses. It was something people noticed, but it didn''t help me get picked for sports teams, and it didn''t help with girls. That first year at Warner Bros., I realized that curiosity was more than just a quality of my personality. It was my secret weapon. Good for getting picked for the team--it would turn out to be good for becoming captain of the team--and even good for getting the girls. * * * CURIOSITY SEEMS SO SIMPLE. Innocent, even. Labrador retrievers are charmingly curious. Porpoises are playfully, mischievously curious. A two-year-old going through the kitchen cabinets is exuberantly curious--and delighted at the noisy entertainment value of her curiosity. Every person who types a query into Google''s search engine and presses ENTER is curious about something--and that happens 4 million times a minute, every minute of every day.5 But curiosity has a potent behind-the-scenes power that we mostly overlook. Curiosity is the spark that starts a flirtation--in a bar, at a party, across the lecture hall in Economics 101. And curiosity ultimately nourishes that romance, and all our best human relationships--marriages, friendships, the bond between parents and children. The curiosity to ask a simple question--"How was your day?" or "How are you feeling?"--to listen to the answer, and to ask the next question. Curiosity can seem simultaneously urgent and trivial. Who shot J.R.' How will Breaking Bad end? What are the winning numbers on the ticket for the largest Powerball jackpot in history? These questions have a kind of impatient compulsion--right up until the moment we get the answer. Once the curiosity is satisfied, the question itself deflates. Dallas is the perfect example: who did shoot J.R.' If you were alive in the 1980s, you know the question, but you may not recall the answer.

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