Through a compilation of his many articles on sports, from falconry to fishing and climbing to surfing, along with musings on the purpose of business and the importance of environmental activism, the author reveals his extraordinary and varied life experiences.
The people who use Patagonia gear have explored the furthest extremities of wildness from the icy waters of the Labrador Sea to the baking hot, vertical granite of El Capitan. Notes from the Field delivers an intense glimpse of those front lines in a spectacular collection of essays and photographs commissioned for Patagonia. Authors such as Paul Theroux, Gretel Ehrlich, Russell Chatham, Rick Ridgeway, and Tom McGuane offer first-hand perspectives often off-beat and sometimes unsettling on our relationship to the natural world. Their words capture life-threatening moments and sudden insights into the soul of a sport. The accompanying images may command silence (the tiny silhouettes of climbers on a distant snowy ridge) or elicit a whoop of joy (a kayaker dropping off a 20-foot waterfall). Editor Nora Gallagher has collected the best essays and images from Patagonia's award-winning catalog and melded them with newly commissioned material to create an intelligent, powerful, and vital portrait of "life out there." Notes from the Field will appeal to adventurers, travelers, and dreamers everywhere.
"Wonderful . . . a moving autobiography, the story of a unique business, and a detailed blueprint for hope." —Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel In this 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. 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.
Details the business policies undertaken by the outdoor sports clothing company Patagonia to make environmentally responsible practices a priority, including using organic cotton and manufacturing recycled fleece.
Follows a group of young adventurers as they echo an expedition first made 40 years ago by Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) and Doug Tompkins (original founder of The North Face). Navigating from California to Chile, with an unplanned stop at Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the modern day adventurers explore the wild coasts and mountains of Patagonia. During their quest to surf and climb, they are exposed to the harmful effects of industry on the environment, as well as the courageous efforts of local people who are trying to preserve the wilderness. Book parallels the film 180° South trip, and tells of the journey with words and images not seen in the film.