Curious Audiobook By Ian Leslie cover art

Curious

The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It

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Curious

By: Ian Leslie
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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About this listen

A fun yet provocative look at the importance of staying curious in an increasingly indifferent world

Everyone is born curious. But only some retain the habits of exploring, learning, and discovering as they grow older. Those who do so tend to be smarter, more creative, and more successful. But at the very moment when the rewards of curiosity have never been higher, it is misunderstood and undervalued, and increasingly monopolized by the cognitive elite. A "curiosity divide" is opening up.

In Curious, Ian Leslie makes a passionate case for the cultivation of our "desire to know." Drawing on fascinating research from psychology, economics, education, and business, Leslie looks at what feeds curiosity and what starves it, and finds surprising answers. Curiosity is a mental muscle that atrophies without regular exercise and a habit that parents, schools, and workplaces need to nurture.

Filled with inspiring stories, case studies, and practical advice, Curious will change the way you think about your own mental life, and that of those around you.

©2014 Basic Books (P)2021 Basic Books
Creativity Education Psychology
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Critic reviews

"Leslie...writes convincingly...about the human need and desire to learn deeply and develop expertise." (Wall Street Journal)

"Leslie delineates the various types of curiosity and what might be lost as we lean on search engines and offload our memories to cloud storage. He's at his best when considering how socioeconomic conditions impede curiosity." (New York Times Book Review)

"A refreshingly commonsensical voice in the ongoing argument over how to best mold human minds." (Scientific American Mind)

What listeners say about Curious

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Thought provoking

I liked the indictment of search engines stifling epistemic curiosity. Very few people today study to inform their decisions, but rather depend on quick answers from others.

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Good not great

I enjoyed the read. Good insights and lead sins for life, but could be better.

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Loved it.

I picked this up and had no idea what to expect and I’m eager to listen a second time. It’s inspiring and reminds me that curiosity is a muscle we can strengthen and it is also a choice. It can change everything.

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Thought-Provoking

A thoughtful presentation on the importance of curiosity and the nature of the role parents play in developing their children's minds from birth.

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Disappointing

A good topic not adequately researched or present it narrator is perfect cure for insomnia

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