When Twelve When I Stop Talking You'll Know I'm Dead / Paperback / 2011

Maverick movie producer Jerry Weintraub's hilarious, autobiographical account of what it takes to make it to the top, in life and business: a de facto primer in the Art of Persuasion.



A fast-talking wise-ass from the Bronx, Jerry Weintraub became a millionaire at 26 by handling some of the biggest acts in show biz, most famously Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. The last of the great Hollywood moguls, Jerry is probably best known as the producer of such classic films as Nashville, Diner, Oh, God! and The Karate Kid, as well as the more recent Oceans 11, 12, and 13, which have together grossed over a billion dollars. Less celebrated, however, is Jerry's work behind the scenes as confidant to presidents and titans of finance. As he sees it, 'There is no difference between politics and Hollywood. The world is very small when you get to the top.' George H. W. Bush, George Clooney, and country singer George Strait all have Jerry on speed-dial - because Jerry is the guy you call when you want what money can't buy. The stories he tells and the lessons we learn are essential ones, not only for film buffs and music fans, but for businessmen, entrepreneurs, artists, or anyone at all who's ever had a dream and the moxie to make it happen.