Synopses & Reviews
The astounding yet true rags-to-riches saga of a homeless father who raised and cared for his son on the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crown prince of Wall Street
At the age of twenty, Milwaukee native Chris Gardner, just out of the Navy, arrived in San Francisco to pursue a promising career in medicine. Considered a prodigy in scientific research, he surprised everyone and himself by setting his sights on the competitive world of high finance. Yet no sooner had he landed an entry-level position at a prestigious firm than Gardner found himself caught in a web of incredibly challenging circumstances that left him as part of the city's working homeless and with a toddler son. Motivated by the promise he made to himself as a fatherless child to never abandon his own children, the two spent almost a year moving among shelters, "HO-tels," soup lines, and even sleeping in the public restroom of a subway station.
Never giving in to despair, Gardner made an astonishing transformation from being part of the city's invisible poor to being a powerful player in its financial district.
More than a memoir of Gardner's financial success, this is the story of a man who breaks his own family's cycle of men abandoning their children. Mythic, triumphant, and unstintingly honest, The Pursuit of Happyness conjures heroes like Horatio Alger and Antwone Fisher, and appeals to the very essence of the American Dream.
Review
"[T]he quintessential rags-to-riches American dream story amazing and inspirational, but at the same time slightly depressing." San Francisco Chronicle
Synopsis
In a candid memoir, a successful entrepreneur traces his journey from growing up with an abusive stepfather, to life on the streets as a homeless man with a small toddler in tow, to his triumphant battle to the top as a self-made millionaire.
Synopsis
The Pursuit of Happyness is the powerfully inspiring story of Chris Gardner, a homeless father turned millionaire who refused to let his dire circumstances define him. Never giving in to despair, Gardner made an astonishing transformation from being part of San Francisco's invisible poor to being a powerful player in its financial district.
Motivated by a promise he made to himself as a fatherless child to never abandon his own children, Gardner found himself homeless, working an incredibly demanding entry-level job in finance, and raising his toddler son alone. Mythic, triumphant, and unstintingly honest, The Pursuit of Happyness tells the story of how one man and his son navigated the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crowned prince of Wall Street
"In this stirring autobiography. . . Gardner recounts his 'long walk to Wall Street, ' a journey that took him from a childhood in the ghettos of Milwaukee to an enormously successful career as a stockbroker in New York City."-Library Journal
Freshman Common Read: University of Findlay
Synopsis
A triumphant, modern-day Horatio Alger story based on the life that inspired the major motion picture
The Pursuit of Happyness is a memoir that will have you rooting for the underdog as it stirs you to pursue your own dreams.
Abandoned by his own father and left to the vicious rage of a mean-spirited and abusive stepfather, Chris Gardner made a vow that no matter what happened in his life, he'd be a committed father figure to his children. Yet even the most well intentioned would have been excused for breaking that vow if confronted by the challenges that Gardner faced, circumstances that left him and his toddler son homeless, living on the streets of San Francisco. But rather than give up his son, Gardner continued to pursue his dream of becoming a successful stockbroker despite having neither Wall Street experience nor even a college degree. Now a successful broker and the founder of Gardner Rich & Company, a multimillion-dollar brokerage firm, Gardner epitomizes what it takes to claim the American Dream, even when others would doubt you.
Synopsis
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Will Smith, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS is the inspiring, ragsandndash;toandndash;riches story of the charismatic Chris Gardner andndash;andndash; a once homeless father who rasied and cared for his son on the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crown prince of Wall Street
At the age of twenty, Milwaukee native Chris Gardner, just out of the Navy, arrived in San Francisco to pursue a promising career in medicine. Considered a prodigy in scientific research, he surprised everyone and himself by setting his sights on the competitive world of high finance. Yet no sooner had he landed an entry level position at a prestigious firm, Gardner found himself caught in a web of incredibly challenging circumstances that left him homeless with his toddler son. Instead of giving in to despair, the two spent almost a year moving from shelters, "HOandndash;tels", and soupandndash;lines, even sleeping in the public restroom of a subway station andndash; ultimately making an astonishing transformation from the bathroom to the boardroom.
Part "Finding Fish," part "The Pact," THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS is a mythic, triumphant, and unstintingly honest memoir whose hero will appeal to every American.
About the Author
Chris Gardner is the chief executive officer of Gardner Rich & Company, a multimillion-dollar brokerage with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. An avid philanthropist and motivational speaker, Gardner is committed to many organizations particularly those related to education and was recently the recipient of the Father of the Year Award from the National Fatherhood Initiative. A Milwaukee native, Gardner has two children and resides in Chicago and New York.