Viewfinder
A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen
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Narrated by:
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Jon M. Chu
About this listen
From visionary director Jon M. Chu comes a powerful, inspiring memoir of belonging, creativity, and learning to see who you really are.
“A must-read for aspiring artists and dreamers of all kinds.”—Ava DuVernay
Long before he directed Wicked, In The Heights, or the groundbreaking film Crazy Rich Asians, Jon M. Chu was a movie-obsessed first-generation Chinese American, helping at his parents’ Chinese restaurant in Silicon Valley and forever facing the cultural identity crisis endemic to children of immigrants. Growing up on the cutting edge of twenty-first-century technology gave Chu the tools he needed to make his mark at USC film school, and to be discovered by Steven Spielberg, but he soon found himself struggling to understand who he was. In this book, for the first time, Chu turns the lens on his own life and work, telling the universal story of questioning what it means when your dreams collide with your circumstances, and showing how it’s possible to succeed even when the world changes beyond all recognition.
With striking candor and unrivaled insights, Chu offers a firsthand account of the collision of Silicon Valley and Hollywood—what it’s been like to watch his old world shatter and reshape his new one. Ultimately, Viewfinder is about reckoning with your own story, becoming your most creative self, and finding a path all your own.
©2024 Jon M. Chu (P)2024 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.
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Critic reviews
“With Viewfinder, Jon Chu has written a profoundly inspiring book that reminds the reader of the power of dreams and the importance of remaining determined and focused even when—especially when—faced with adversity. A story of identity, creativity and the spirit of an artist, this vicarious journey is moving, funny, heart-wrenching, and relatable to anyone trying to carve out their place in this world.”—J.J. Abrams
“On any given day of filming, Jon Chu finds what’s magic about the day and finds a way to capture it. He takes big swings and dreams big dreams but never loses sight of the beating heart at the center of the story he’s telling. I wish this book had been around when I was younger. I’m so grateful it’s here now.”—Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Heartfelt, candid and wise beyond words, this deeply insightful and wonderfully inspirational memoir by a true storyteller is an absolute must-read.”—Michelle Yeoh
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By: Jack Weatherford
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The Parole Room
- By: Ben Austen
- Narrated by: Ben Austen
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Will Johnnie Veal—convicted of the murder of two police officers in 1970—be granted parole after 50 years in prison? How can he convince the parole board he’s reformed when he insists he’s innocent? What is prison time even supposed to accomplish? These are the questions that propel The Parole Room forward as it builds toward Johnnie’s 20th parole hearing—after 19 rejections.
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Enlightening story & a must read
- By Patsy on 10-07-24
By: Ben Austen
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Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
- A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
- By: Lori Gottlieb
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but.
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It was like a hallmark movie being waterboarded into my ears for 15 hours
- By Amazon Customer on 10-01-19
By: Lori Gottlieb
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The Madman's Hotel
- By: Niall Breslin
- Narrated by: Niall Breslin
- Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
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In the heart of the rolling green hills of Ireland a huge abandoned psychiatric asylum looms large and holds its secrets close, until one family fights to find the truth about their long lost great grandmother. Presented by Irish celebrity and mental health advocate Niall Breslin - this is the untold story of the quest to find patient Julia Leonard, alongside many others, who came to die in St Loman’s Hospital near Dublin. Why was Julia in St Loman’s? And what happened to her and other patients who found themselves within its walls?
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Heart felt Remembrance
- By RosaInGlousta on 11-05-24
By: Niall Breslin
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Elvis and Me
- By: Priscilla Beaulieu Presley
- Narrated by: Priscilla Beaulieu Presley
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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The inspiration for the major motion picture Priscilla directed by Sofia Coppola, this New York Times best seller reveals the intimate story of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley, told by the woman who lived it.
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What a story!
- By Pen Name on 08-28-22
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The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
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Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
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The Last Days of Cabrini-Green
- By: Ben Austen, Harrison David Rivers
- Narrated by: Ben Austen, Patina Miller, Harry Lennix, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
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In 1992, the deadliest year in Chicago’s history, seven-year-old Dantrell Davis was shot and killed in front of his elementary school inside the public housing complex Cabrini-Green. What happened to Dantrell led to a truce among Chicago’s gangs, but it also ignited a national panic about poverty and violence in America’s cities. Dantrell’s name would soon be used to demolish all of Chicago’s high-rise public housing, displacing tens of thousands of low-income families.
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A Gripping and Necessary Work
- By booklover on 11-24-24
By: Ben Austen, and others
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San Miguel Kidnappings
- By: Erick Galindo, Roger Vela
- Narrated by: Karla Souza
- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
- Original Recording
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The close knit community in San Miguel de Allende Mexico was plagued by a string of sophisticated kidnappings for nearly a decade. When the police finally made an arrest the townspeople were shocked by who was accused of masterminding the criminal enterprise. It's everyone's favorite neighbor and a pillar of the community, Ramon Guerra. Except Ramon isn't who he says he is.
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Insightful
- By Tara on 12-11-24
By: Erick Galindo, and others
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The Book of Murder
- A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death
- By: Matt Murphy
- Narrated by: Matt Murphy
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Examining murder from an insider’s perspective, Matt Murphy—a former senior deputy district attorney and current ABC News legal analyst—discusses cases from his career, how they strained his personal life, and how he found peace seeking justice for victims and their families. Part taxonomy of murder, part prosecutor’s handbook, and part personal memoir, The Book of Murder goes through a dozen cases and his recollections of his 26 years in the Orange County DA’s office (17 in the Homicide Unit).
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Fascinating true crime
- By RueRue on 12-19-24
By: Matt Murphy
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- By: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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it's Nearly perfect
- By Kerry on 09-16-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
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Evil Has a Name
- The Untold Story of the Golden State Killer Investigation
- By: Paul Holes, Jim Clemente, Peter McDonnell
- Narrated by: Paul Holes, Jim Clemente
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
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For his victims, for their families and for the investigators tasked with finding him, the senselessness and brutality of the Golden State Killer's acts were matched only by the powerlessness they felt at failing to uncover his identity. Then, on April 24, 2018, authorities arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo at his home in Citrus Heights, Calif., based on DNA evidence linked to the crimes. Amazingly, it seemed, evil finally had a name. Please note: This work contains descriptions of violent crime and sexual assault and may not be suitable for all listeners.
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Audible Raises The Bar On True Crime Genre
- By R. Squyres on 11-16-18
By: Paul Holes, and others
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The Meaning of Mariah Carey
- By: Mariah Carey
- Narrated by: Mariah Carey
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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It took me a lifetime to have the courage and the clarity to write my memoir. I want to tell the story of the moments - the ups and downs, the triumphs and traumas, the debacles and the dreams - that contributed to the person I am today. This book is composed of my memories, my mishaps, my struggles, my survival, and my songs. Unfiltered. I went deep into my childhood and gave the scared little girl inside of me a big voice. I let the abandoned and ambitious adolescent have her say, and the betrayed and triumphant woman I became tell her side.
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Entertaining glitz glam smoke and mirrors - not the whole story.
- By Anonymous User on 10-04-20
By: Mariah Carey
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The Man Who Invented Christmas
- How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits
- By: Les Standiford
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Just before Christmas in 1843, a debt-ridden and dispirited Charles Dickens wrote a small book he hoped would keep his creditors at bay. His publisher turned it down, so Dickens used what little money he had to put out A Christmas Carol himself. He worried it might be the end of his career as a novelist. The book immediately caused a sensation. And it breathed new life into a holiday that had fallen into disfavor, undermined by lingering Puritanism and the cold modernity of the Industrial Revolution.
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Beautifully Told!
- By JodyB on 12-01-17
By: Les Standiford
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What listeners say about Viewfinder
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Abg
- 08-23-24
The real story of a storyteller
Better than I could have hoped. It takes you from Jon’s start to the present time. I’m excited to read the sequel.
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- jennifer j patel
- 10-17-24
“Navigating Two Worlds: A Reflective Journey Through Viewfinder”
Viewfinder by John M. Chu deeply resonated with me. As a filmmaker, husband, father, and Chinese American, Chu captures the complexities of growing up between two worlds—immigrant life at home and “American” culture outside. Though he grew up in the Bay Area and I in a small Arizona town, the shared struggle to balance these identities feels familiar.
Chu’s journey of self-acceptance, especially in a world where few looked like him, is powerful. He also reflects on how his relentless drive for success ultimately left him unfulfilled, showing the double-edged sword of ambition.
For Gen X readers, this book offers a nostalgic look back at simpler times while prompting reflection on where we’re headed. Highly recommend!
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- Anonymous User
- 12-08-24
Such a Fantastic Book!
Loved Jon’s life story and as an Asian/Hispanic American, felt like I could relate in many ways. His storytelling about his parent’s background was my absolute favorite part of the book! I also appreciate the message of resilience, grit, and presence. Such important pieces of advice in our day and age.
My only complaint is that sometimes his narrative voice dipped and I had a hard time discerning what he was saying. Other than that, it was fantastic and I highly recommend giving it a listen!
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- Sannah McDonough
- 12-12-24
Entertaining, just like Chu’s movies!
I liked Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights, and was impressed with Wicked, so I was excited to give this a listen! Entertaining and enjoyable. He is blessed to have had great parents and family.
A few minor gripes: 1. “Latinx” is a term that is on its way out, though some Spanish-speakers found it offensive or irritating all along. I’m sure Chu has had personal contact with people who prefer it though. 2. As someone from the outside looking in reading this book, I think the “don’t complain” advice of his parents was actually extremely valuable and counter-cultural in a way that gives someone an advantage if they follow it when they experience set-backs. Seems like that is an attitude that leads to success. I’d just be careful about rejecting that wholesale.
Overall enjoyable listen. Excited to see what he works on in the future, and Hollywood is lucky to have him.
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- seligmanor
- 09-13-24
Life lessons for Jon, life lessons for us all.
Entertaining engaging
from beginning to end. Perseverance, resilience, unending examination of self others and world —. Love it.
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- David Ortiz
- 12-18-24
A biased review of Jon M. Chu’s book
I know Jon so I want to be transparent about the fact that his book somehow exceeded my expectations despite knowing how hard he has worked on everything he has accomplished. I genuinely believe everyone aspiring to create in whatever medium takes the time to extract the invaluable lessons he shares here. And if you’re in NorCal, stop by Chef Chu’s!
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- Anonymous User
- 08-14-24
Relatable, Emotional, and Inspiring!
I've never written a book review before, but I wanted to do so for this book. I knew I had to listen to it when I heard you mention it during an interview you did on NPR! As an African and struggling businesswoman, your parents' chapter in your book gave me hope in my entrepreneurial journey. Your parents' chapter and your hero, Steve Jobs, sections kept me emotional, and I sometimes found tears coming down my eyes. Your book means so much on many levels and it leaves me feeling very grateful and inspired for what is to come in my life as a business owner. Thank you for your storytelling. I wholeheartedly relate to your book.
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- Gosei
- 09-17-24
Excellent story and incredible quality
A must read/listen or any emerging filmmaker. What a story. breaking in with Spielberg at 22yo
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- Jana Kellam
- 12-22-24
Powerful, thought provoking memoir
I loved this book, especially because I just saw the Wicked movie and adored it! There’s so much here to inspire, to move, to become more understanding… I highly recommend it, particularly if you’re an artist or storyteller of any kind.
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- Marla Garren
- 07-29-24
I could identify with his family background since I also grew up with my parents owning a Chinese-American restaurant.
Loved his chapter in regards to how his parents met and how they decided to work together to manage the restaurant to become a successful one.
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1 person found this helpful