Additional information
by Chris Gardner (Author)
The red Ferrari was a symbol of everything he'd never had: freedom, options, a way out. For Chris Gardner, a bright but struggling man trying to keep himself and his toddler son afloat on the streets of San Francisco, it was the spark that ignited an impossible dream.
In this powerful, inspirational memoir, Gardner recounts the true story of his stunning transformation from a homeless father to a Wall Street legend.
While pushing a rickety stroller that held his most precious cargo--and all their worldly possessions--Gardner faced a reality that would have broken most people. He and his son slept in public transit stations, in parks, and even in a locked public bathroom. Every day was a battle for survival, a desperate search for food, and a constant fight to maintain his dignity while pursuing an unpaid internship as a stockbroker. This gripping tale of overcoming adversity is a testament to the strength of a father's love and the relentless spirit of a man who refused to let his circumstances define him.
This is the true story of a man who never gave up on his dream, or his son.
- A Rags to Riches True Story: From sleeping in a public bathroom at a BART station with his toddler to reaching the heights of Wall Street, Gardner's journey is an unforgettable testament to the power of self-belief.
- Unbreakable Father-Son Bond: At the heart of this memoir is the powerful relationship between a father fighting for a future and the young son who became his reason for everything.
- Overcoming Homelessness: Experience the raw, unfiltered reality of being a working poor, homeless father in San Francisco, navigating shelters, soup kitchens, and the kindness of strangers.
- The Ultimate Underdog: With no college degree and no connections, see how a chance encounter with a man in a red Ferrari ignited a relentless drive to become a successful stockbroker against all odds.
Back Jacket
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.
