When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead

Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man

By: Jerry Weintraub, Rich Cohen, George Clooney - foreword

Narrated by: Jerry Weintraub

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the story of Jerry Weintraub: the self-made, Brooklyn-born, Bronx-raised impresario, Hollywood producer, legendary dealmaker, and friend of politicians and stars. No matter where nature has placed him - the club rooms of Brooklyn, the Mafia dives of New York's Lower East Side, the wilds of Alaska, or the hills of Hollywood - he has found a way to put on a show and sell tickets at the door.

"All life was a theater and I wanted to put it up on a stage," he says. "I wanted to set the world under a marquee that read: 'Jerry Weintraub Presents.'"

In When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead, we follow Weintraub from his first great success at age 26 with Elvis Presley, whom he took on the road with the help of Colonel Tom Parker; to the immortal days with Sinatra and Rat Pack glory; to his crowning hits as a movie producer, starting with Robert Altman and Nashville, continuing with Oh, God!, the Karate Kid movies, and Diner, among others, and summiting with Steven Soderbergh and Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen.

Along the way, we'll watch as Jerry moves from the poker tables of Palm Springs (the games went on for days), to the power rooms of Hollywood, to the halls of the White House, to Red Square in Moscow, and the Great Palace in Beijing - all the while counseling potentates, poets, and kings, with clients and confidants like George Clooney, Bruce Willis, George H. W. Bush, Armand Hammer, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, John Denver, Bobby Fischer...the list goes on forever.

And of course, the story is not yet over. As the old-timers say, "The best is yet to come." And as Weintraub says, "When I stop talking, you'll know I'm dead."

With wit, wisdom, and the cool confidence that has colored his remarkable career, Jerry chronicles a quintessentially American journey, one marked by luck, love, and improvisation. The stories he tells and the lessons we learn are essential, not just for those who love movies and music, but for businessmen, entrepreneurs, artists...everyone.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2010 Jerry Weintraub (P)2010 Hachette

Great stories

From Elvis to Bush, from Sinatra to Clooney...Jerry's stories put a smile on my face and gave me some interesting perspectives on my business. I loved the energy and emotion in his voice

Touching, Hilarious, Informative

There's things in this book I'm going to remember for the rest of my life. This made me think about the safety of my life and how much I really need to step outside my comfort zone. The later chapters brought tears to my eyes as Jerry's voice wavered talking about the end of life and people he's loved. I admired him reading this for himself, I feel like I knew him and sat with him tell me his life story. This is one of the most fascinating stories I've ever heard, I'm not kidding. Gave me a new outlook on my life which is why I listen and read in the first place. Thanks Jerry.

A Fabulously Entertaining and Thought-Provoking Book

Two suggestions, first, get the audio book over buying the book. This is one where you just have to listen to Jerry speak the stories. Second, give it 1.2-1.5x speed. He’s a little slow as a speaker but you really should listen and understand the stories. At this speed you still get the accent and you can listen faster.

The stories behind this man are amazing! Stuff you knew happened but didn’t realize that he was the one behind it!

Excellent book!

Awesome

Wonderful book, seems like an intimate one sided conversation with an amazing character. I listen to and read lots of books this would be in my top 3, so many stories so many learnings. Read/listen to this book

my new favourite book!

great story, great production. inspirational and remakable story.

why do I have to write 20 words??

My Number One Favorite

I’m writing this six years after listening to this the first time. And I think at this point it’s worth writing a review to say that by each year that has passed since then, the position this book holds as my favorite of all time, has only grown stronger. I quote this book all the time when I want to encourage someone to “just do” the things they want to do without overthinking things. And I often remind myself to be like Jerry. To be as free as him. He was not held back by the things so many of us are held back by, like fear of what others might think of us, fear of failure, and so on. The more I act the way Jerry did in the stories of this book, the more like myself I feel. It’s not about taking the same actions as he did, but about taking whatever actions I take in that same confident way. And the great thing is that the advice he gives in this book, he doesn’t give in bullet points or divided up by chapters, he gives it regularly through the book in the form of a tag on to a memorable story, so it’s very easy to remember the advice and apply it in life. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing principles and stories

amazing read beginning to end. loved that it was in his voice. things he touched on applied to business and in life. He lived life his way and had a great time of it.

Amazing Man

Extraordinary Role Model and Legendary Spirit. Stories are entertaining and insightful. Jerry's soul and heart could be felt when listening.

love it

I just finished listening to this book and I just want to start it again so good so many good lessons great stories I will definitely be buying the physical book as will be helpful in my everyday life.

Greatest hustler on earth

Having spent my career in sales, only time I have heard a hard core do it alone kinda story from the time he started until his death. Did not appreciate the limitations on his education nor his place in the line, but just kept working. And admitted running a company was not his cup of tea. He failed and he changed as he says every 10 years or so. Worth a read. I liked it