Patagonia: Let My People Go Surfing

Overview

In this newly revised 10th anniversary edition, Yvon Chouinard—legendary climber, businessman, environmentalist, and founder of Patagonia, Inc.—shares the persistence and courage that have gone into being head of one of the most respected and environmentally responsible companies on earth.

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Features

About the Author: Yvon Chouinard is the founder and owner of Patagonia, Inc., based in Ventura, California. He began in business by designing, manufacturing, and distributing rock climbing equipment in the late 1950s. His tinkering led to an improved ice ax that is the basis for modern ice ax design. In 1964 he produced his first mail-order catalog, a one-page mimeographed sheet containing advice not to expect fast delivery during climbing season. In 2001, along with Craig Mathews, owner of West Yellowstone's Blue Ribbon Flies, he started One Percent for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that contribute at least 1 percent of their net annual sales to groups on a list of researched and approved environmental organizations.

From the Foreword by Naomi Klein: “This is the story of an attempt to do more than change a single corporation—it is an attempt to challenge the culture of consumption that is at the heart of the global ecological crisis.” - Naomi Klein, author of the bestselling book This Changes Everything

From the Preface: “The original intent in 2005 for writing Let My People Go Surfing was for it to be a philosophical manual for the employees of Patagonia. I never expected at that time that this simple book would be translated into more than ten languages, be used in high schools and colleges and even be influential in large corporations. . . . We have always considered Patagonia an experiment in doing business in unconventional ways. None of us were certain it was going to be successful, but we did know that we were not interested in “doing business as usual.” Well, we have survived and even thrived for close to half a century. As the evils of society become stronger and more numerous, we recognize that as a larger and more influential company our responsibilities to society and our efforts to be an even more responsible company have also increased. What we have done in the last decade to achieve this and what we plan to do in the next decades is the purpose of the revised edition of this book."

Endorsement: “Three wonderful books rolled into one: a moving autobiography, the story of a unique business, and a detailed blueprint for hope.” - Jared Diamond, author of Guns and Steel and Collapse, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize

Specifications: 272 pages, full color throughout; over 130 photos, including 70 new to the second edition; dimensions: 6.5” X 9.5”; printed on 100% postconsumer-waste recycled paper; paperback book; made in the USA

Published by Penguin Random House

About the Book: From his youth as the son of a French Canadian handyman to the thrilling, ambitious climbing expeditions that inspired his innovative designs for the sport's equipment, Let My People Go Surfing is the story of a man who brought doing good and having grand adventures into the heart of his business life-a book that will deeply affect entrepreneurs and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Made in the USA.

Note

For an audio edition of Let My People Go Surfing, click here.

If you would like to reflect on the ideas presented in Let My People Go Surfing, click here for our Reader’s Guide.

If you are a teacher or a professor, click here for a Teacher’s Guide.