The Pursuit of Happyness [Hardcover]

Chris Gardner (Author), Quincy Troupe (Collaborator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 23, 2006

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gardner chronicles his long, painful, ultimately rewarding journey from inner-city Milwaukee to the pinnacle of Wall Street. Born in 1954, he grew up like too many young blacks: poor and fatherless, with a mother strong on children and church, yet soft on men. His violent, hateful stepfather refused to accept Gardner as a stepson and thwarted him at every turn. By his own account, Gardner was a good kid who got into trouble occasionally, but stayed on a steady, upward track. After a stint in the navy, he set his sights on a medical career, but a foray into sales led him to the stock and bond market. Gardner's own weakness was women, and when one of them left him with a son, it led to a period of homelessness on the San Francisco streets. Determination and resourcefulness brought father and son not merely to safety but to the top. Gardner is honest and thorough as he solidly depicts growing up black and male in late 20th-century urban America. His story isn't especially fresh, but his voice is likable, resulting in a quality African-American/business memoir deserving a wider audience than its niche-market elements might suggest. Photos. Ad/promo to coincide with the major motion picture starring Will Smith.(On sale May 23)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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 a recipient of the Father of the Year Award from the National Fatherhood Initiative. He has two children and resides in Chicago and New York.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Amistad (May 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060744863
• ISBN-13: 978-0060744861
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (154 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #698,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deserves its top ranking and about to be a movie, May 28, 2006

By 

K. Corn "reviewer" (midwest, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Pursuit of Happyness (Hardcover)

I hear Will Smith is in the lead role in the movie based on this book. It is truly an incredible story of one man's rise from homelessness to being a millionaire! Not only that but he is forced to show up for his first important job interview on Wall Street in paint-spattered shoes, having been evicted - and he still manages to talk himself into the job!
This is one of those stories that is so incredible, so "making it against all odds". The author has a strong, passionate voice and he doesn't flinch from telling the truth, including the fact that when he lived in hotels with his young son, they played a game called, "Shhh..." which involved keeping quiet when people knocked on the door or tried to find out if they were there (to evict them). But he didn't let the trauma, the hard times, defeat him. He simply faced up to the fact that he'd have to dig himself out of a hole, hard as it was....and, miraculously, he did.
If you're feeling down, this book ought to inspire you!

119 of 134 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars If you like the movie, don't read the book..., December 30, 2006

By 

yowzers14 (Central Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pursuit of Happyness (Paperback)

I loved the grace and dignity which Will Smith portrayed in the movie, so I was inspired to read the book. To my dismay, the real Chris Gardner writes with anger, some of which revealed his pettiness, especially surrounding perceived racial issues. I am a minority who has overcome many challenges. While I applaud Gardner's mental strength and perseverance, I was disappointed that the real Gardner was cocky and brassy, lacking humility in situations which were enacted poignantly in the movie. By the way, Gardner reveals way too much information about his sexual life. If you want a good pick-me-up, buy the DVD and skip the book. Thank you.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pursuit of Happyness is Wonderful...As Inspiring as it is Entertaining, May 23, 2006

By 

Dane Sandoval "Dane Sandoval" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pursuit of Happyness (Hardcover)

This memoir is a shining example of the rags-to-riches story and the triumph of embracing a shot at success in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Mr. Gardner's tale is riddled with challenges, despair, and even violence, but it is foremost one of hope and love. It offers up a reminder that the "American dream" still exists, that given the chance, anyone can find it in themselves to reach up and climb to new heights. And this story goes well beyond professional or financial success, even that as impressive as Gardner's, to show that really, the deepest form of motivation is found in our love for another.

Whether you are facing or have overcome your own hurdles, or just need to be reminded that the demons of the past are no match for the human spirit, this book is for you.