"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.
