Curious

The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It

By: Ian Leslie

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

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

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)

revealing how much we give up to grow up

the voice of the narrator makes it a little difficult to follow, but the information is worth it

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.

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.

Good not great

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

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.

Disappointing

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

A very good book, but HORRIBLE narration!

What’s the deal with this narrator? His tone is almost hypnotic…like a preacher in a church delivering a sermon to a congregation. He seems to have no excitement or even interest in the topic. It’s like he’s in some kind of trance, quietly reading along, pausing in weird places. The weird thing is that he doesn’t really sound…curious. A curious narrator would convey a lot more energy and enthusiasm. This guy is the opposite of that. It made me wonder: did the author listen to this narrator before he agreed to using him? Ugh. It almost ruins a very interesting book. But I had to buy the Kindle version to finish it because I couldn’t stand the Audible version.