Some Stories: Lessons from the Edge of Business and Sport
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both." -- LP Jacks
For nearly 80 years, Yvon Chouinard has followed this advice, pursuing, with equal fervor, sports adventures, business excellence, and environmental activism. Since 1950, he has captured the lessons and revelations he's learned in articles and books, personal letters and poetry, introductions and eulogies. In this fascinating inside look, Chouinard himself has selected his favorites from years of reflection, all accompanied by illustrative photos, many never published before. The results is both more of Chouinard's iconoclastic and provocative thinking, his skilled storytelling and sense of humor, and a picture of the evolution of his thoughts and philosophies. With articles on sports, from falconry to fishing and climbing to surfing, with musings on the purpose of business and the importance of environmental activism, this very personal book is like sitting on the couch with this amazing man, flipping through his photo album as he tells the stories of his life. Some Stories is an eclectic portrait of a unique life lived well. Yet the final pages of the book indicate that Chouinard will continue to challenge people, business, and the world. He presents the company's new simple but direct mission statement, revised for the first time in 27 years: "We are in business to save our home planet." With it he emphasizes the urgency of the climate crisis then entreats every person's obligation to reflect on, commit to, and act on this mission.
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"Yvon Chouinard says he's more of a storyteller than a writer, but Some Stories, Chouinard's brick of a beautiful coffee-table book about his life at Patagonia, and in Patagonia, and in all the other places the company founder and climbing iconoclast has made his mark, shows that his writing chops hold up. It's filled with tales of his early days in Yosemite and kicking around South America with his friend Doug Tompkins, the late conservationist and founder of the North Face, and the scrapes he got into along the way." --Outside
Yvon Chouinard says he's more of a storyteller than a writer, but Some Stories, Chouinard's brick of a beautiful coffee-table book about his life at Patagonia, and in Patagonia, and in all the other places the company founder and climbing iconoclast has made his mark, shows that his writing chops hold up. -- Outdoor Magazine
It is easy to get lost in each story, to imagine oneself sitting next to Chouinard, gazing into a roaring campfire, regaling you with an incredible tale. Envying his life, you'll want to close the book and step outside. He wouldn't be offended. --BookTrib
"Even some of the more technical climbing entries are lyrical in their appreciation for the stunning beauty of his surroundings, a feeling that is mirrored in the awe- inspiring photos of places and perspectives that most of us will never get to see in person." "Chouinard's impassioned conclusion-- impossible to ignore--is that our planet is increasingly under threat, and we must join together to actively defend it." -- 805 Living
"There is nobody that knows the edge of business and sport better than Yvon Chouinard." "...you will be challenged by provocative thinking within the pages of this skillfully crafted book." -- Mountain Weekly News
"...the thoughts and the example set by Chouinard may also upset the equilibrium of any reader who has become stuck in their work or in how they spend their days. It's an essential read and a worthy successor to Chouinard's previous work, the well-known Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman." ----Micah Solomon "Forbes.com "
"Chouinard's storytelling shines, providing an intimate look at a life 'focused neither on the past or future, but on the present.'" Climbing magazine
"This truly is a special book and one that can be read, revisited, and cherished for many years. It is a book about a man, but it is really about all of us -- how we ought to live, what is of value, and what the natural world really means. After all, isn't this what we are really focused on when we head off into the wilderness?" " And for this reason, Chouinard's new book, Some Stories: Lessons from the Edge of Business and Sport, is as good as gold." --The Venturing Anglermagazine
"Some Stories is worth the read for amazing adventure alone, the road trip to Patagonia from California, with its surfing, storms, river fords, and of course the climbing. It illustrates the true character of a man who was living the exact life he wanted, and for whom success would come thanks to a quiet excellence; there's not a touch of flashy salesmanship to be found here, nor any of it luck -- there's no room for counting on that when you're 1,000 feet up on a flat face of granite." --TheMANUAL (website)
"What comes through in Some Stories is plenty of adventure, some lessons in good business (namely, be honest, do your best, and don't screw anyone or anything over, including the planet), and a reassuring sense that in America, a person can make much of himself or herself if they try hard enough. It's never a guarantee, but if you're the kind of person who simply refuses to give up climbing the most challenging rock on the planet, then you've definitely got a leg up." -- TheManual (website)
"His new book Some Stories: Lessons from the Edge of Business and Sport, offers an inside look at how outdoor adventure made him the outspoken environmental advocate he is today. The collected stories are in turn insightful, touching, provocative and funny, and it's easy to imagine Chouinard recounting them around a campfire." -- Mountain Outlaw
"The hefty book is generously illustrated with professional looking landscape photos, but the real joy for many readers will be the more casual snapshots of Yvon and friends hanging out in younger days, with full beards and thick heads of hair. And there are also plenty of terrific action shots of the author and companions literally hanging out from beneath outcrops and while performing other wild manoeuvres." "Perhaps after all the adventures, the ones he got and the ones he went for, it comes down to just believing in your own capabilities. Chouinard believed he could climb a cliff and ski a mountain and surf a break. And that he is capable of turning a business into a force for good. He believed he could do it all, and he has." -- Atlantic Salmon Journal
"But besides plain enjoyment, one will find epiphanies, advice, "ultra-penetrating perception," and wisdom. Chouinard gives us much more than merely a good read." "By purposefully seeking to "muddle through," Chouinard has lived a remarkable, even exemplary life. Some Stories lets its readers understand that it is a life that has had value for them, as well." -- California Fly Fisher
