Talk to Me

How to Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers, and Interview Anyone like a Pro

By: Dean Nelson

Narrated by: Michael David Axtell

Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

From respected journalist, professor, and founder of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, an audiobook that demystifies the art and science of interviewing, in the vein of On Writing Well or How to Read Literature like a Professor.

“Dean Nelson is one of the best interviewers around.” (Anne Lamott)

Interviewing is the single most important way journalists (and doctors, lawyers, social workers, teachers, human resources staff, and really, all of us) get information. Yet to many, the perfect interview feels more like luck than skill - a rare confluence of rapport, topic, and timing. But the thing is, great interviews aren’t the result of serendipity and intuition, but rather the result of careful planning and good journalistic habits. And Dean Nelson is here to show you how to nail the perfect interview every time.

Drawing on 40 years of award-winning journalism and his experience as the founder and host of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, Nelson walks listeners through each step of the journey from deciding whom to interview and structuring questions, to the nitty-gritty of how to use a recording device and effective note-taking strategies, to the ethical dilemmas of interviewing people you love (and loathe). He also includes case studies of famous interviews to show listeners how these principles play out in real time.

Chock-full of comprehensive, time-tested, gold-standard advice, Talk to Me is an indispensable guide to the subtle art of the interview guaranteed to afford listeners with the skills and confidence they need the next time they say, “talk to me.”

©2019 Dean Nelson (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

A must read

Although this book is primarily about the craft of interviewing people as a professional, the stories and techniques (the rules, the art and science of it all) are also applicable to everyday conversations. Worth a read (or listen!).

Share humanity with the one in front of you

The topics in this book get straight to the heart of conversation. Overall this book comes at the topic of conversations from the perspective of a reporter. But the rest of us have just as much to gain from it. We all have conversations almost every day.

We should look to find the shared humanity in those conversations. Not sure how to? Pick up this book and you'll be well on your way.

Dean the Dream

how to handle narcissists...a primer in what to do when there is a challenging client.

Touching, insightful, marvellous

1) The narrator is amazing. Changing (not mimicking) voices and underlining moments.

2) Dean Nelson offers his own experience with a sense of purpose and understanding that’s not only enjoyable but also profoundly coherent.

3) Besides, it’s practical. I’ve done over 1000 interviews and until now haven’t listened such a comprehensive and useful approach to interviewing as his.

Unforgettable book.

Listen and tell better stories.

This is the go-book to learn how to write and tell better stories. it was easy to listen to an captivated my attention while I was learning.

Ask better questions get better info

good read and info. I just saw him interview Cornell West last month here in San Diego. Amazing interview. reading the book hell me understand the greatness I was lucky enough to bear witness to.

Great Advice For Anyone Who Speaks

I had the pleasure of being a student of Dr. Nelson. He left a lasting impression—in the best way possible. I read his book preparing to interview SD County Superintendent of the year. You know what, this book provides great advice for anyone who speaks with other humans—even if the conversation is not a formal interview. Thanks Dr. Nelson.

Great Advice Great Voice Acting

Talk to Me is an easily approachable book, chock-full of anecdotes and advice from a great professor and journalist. Not to mention, the voice acting is top-notch, so the audible format works great.

I came across the book a long time ago since Dean Nelson was a professor at my university; he published it when I was either a Junior or Senior. I had met him briefly a couple of times in a group setting (though he wouldn't remember me), knew a few people from his student newspaper, wrote two Pope eds for the same paper, and saw a few of his live Writer’s Symposium interviews. He was a celebrity of sorts for our small college (at least for the writing/interview nerds like me). It's grasping at straws; I know. But he always had a kind of magnetic personality and I always admired him (long before the book). Having now read the book, I think it captures his approachable, supportive personality. It reads (or listens?) like you've been grabbing coffee with a mentor, soaking up his anecdotes and gold nuggets of advice.

3 or 4 years after the book was published, I finally decided to pick it up after taking on a part-time gig writing news stories for my law school. I'm no career journalist; I haven't taken a journalism course in my life (Sorry to Dean Nelson; I dropped his department's journalism seminar 2 weeks in... Scheduling conflicts). I do have some experience interviewing though. I managed my student radio station and hosted a couple of interview-style shows. For that level of experience, this book was perfect.

Klk

Good job my Rocky Mountain friend. Muy buen trabajo. Espero poder Algun dia conocerte. Muchas gracias

gene Simmons is the boss!

gene Simmons interview as expected. woman cannot control themselves around him. many other good stories.