Discovery Communications founder John Hendricks, with Paula Zahn, to discuss his new book June 27

Media titan John Hendricks, founder and chairman of Discovery Communications, will discuss his new book, "A Curious Discovery: An Entrepreneur's Story," on June 27, at 6:30 p.m. in the Ballroom. A book signing will follow the discussion.

He will appear in conversation with award-winning journalist Paula Zahn, former CNN anchor who now hosts "On the Case with Paula Zahn, a newsmagazine series on Investigation Discovery Channel, one of Discovery Communications cable TV channels.

This is a ticketed event. Registration is required by clicking here. Cost is $5 for National Press Club members, $10 for the public.

NPC members should log in to get the discounted ticket. This event is a fundraiser for the National Press Club Journalism Institute. No outside books will be permitted.

In his book, Hendricks tells the story of building one of the most successful media empires in the world, Discovery Communications. In 1984, Hendricks had $75,000 of debt on his wife’s American Express card and took all but $511 of out of his family’s bank account to fund an audacious idea for a cable channel, the Discovery Channel, that featured science and education programming.

Today, Discovery Communications is the world’s number one nonfiction media company with global operations in more than 220 countries and territories with more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers.

Hendricks reveals in the book that his professional achievements would not have been possible without one crucial quality that has informed his life since childhood: curiosity.

"A Curious Discovery" takes you behind the scenes of some of the network’s most popular shows including "The Deadliest Catch," "Mythbusters," "The Crocodile Hunter," "Planet Earth," "Dirty Jobs" and "Trading Spaces."