The Art of the Interview

Lawrence Grobel distills four decades of interviewing experience into a practical guide for journalists and writers. His work conducting over 2,000 interviews with celebrities and cultural figures forms the foundation for this comprehensive manual. The book covers interview preparation, question formulation, subject research, and techniques for handling difficult personalities. Grobel includes excerpts from his conversations with figures like Marlon Brando, Barbra Streisand, and Al Pacino to illustrate key concepts and approaches. Each chapter addresses specific aspects of the interview process, from establishing rapport to maintaining control of the conversation. The text incorporates both technical instruction and real-world examples that demonstrate successful and unsuccessful interview strategies. This work serves as both a practical handbook and an examination of the interview as an art form, exploring how meaningful dialogue can reveal truth and create understanding between interviewer and subject.

Readers appreciate Grobel's firsthand experiences and practical interview techniques drawn from his career interviewing celebrities. Many note the book's value for journalists and writers, with specific tips on research, question formulation, and handling difficult subjects. Positive reviews highlight: - Detailed preparation strategies - Real interview transcripts and examples - Advice for building rapport with subjects - Technical aspects of recording and note-taking Common criticisms: - Too focused on celebrity interviews - Some find the tone self-congratulatory - Dated references and technology discussions - Repetitive in certain sections Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (156 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (89 ratings) Notable reader comment: "Offers concrete techniques rather than just theory. His preparation methods transformed how I approach interviews." - Amazon reviewer Critical comment: "Spends too much time name-dropping and rehashing his famous interviews rather than teaching fundamentals." - Goodreads reviewer

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🎙️ Lawrence Grobel conducted what turned out to be John Huston's last major interview before the legendary director's death - a session that lasted three days 📝 The book draws from Grobel's decades of experience interviewing celebrities for Playboy, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times, including conversations with Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro 🎯 Grobel spent two weeks studying everything he could find about Barbra Streisand before interviewing her, resulting in a Playboy interview that ran 20,000 words ✍️ In the book, Grobel reveals that the best interviews often come from allowing silence to linger, as subjects will often fill the void with unexpected revelations 🗣️ The author teaches that successful interviews are actually conversations, not interrogations, and recommends spending the first 15 minutes building rapport before asking any serious questions