Some Stories by Yvon Chouinard is the kind of book that,
after even a quick glance, makes you feel like you could have done more with
your life.  The book consists of a series
of previously published short stories and letters on adventure sports, business
and environmentalism that follows the course of Yvon���s life from childhood to present
day. 

The stories that Yvon shares with us are broken out into 13
chapters complete with amazing full-page photography.  The book showcases the extraordinary life of
Yvon Chouinard who was a pioneer of many of today���s adventure sports and the
founder of the Patagonia clothing company.

Starting from humble beginnings in southern California, Yvon
began rock climbing and forging his own gear to support his lifestyle.  Over time he was able to climb, surf, fish and
kayak his way across all seven continents. 
Over the course of his life, Yvon developed a deep connection with
nature and has been a vocal advocate for environmentalism and our need to take immediate
action to address climate change and the global pollution problem.

From simply hand forging his climbing gear by hand, Yvon was
able to eventually expand his company into a full-fledged international
clothing brand that is known in the adventure world for quality and
durability.  Today Patagonia is a
household name.

THIS BOOK IS FOR���.

This book is for anyone who is a fan of adventure sports or
the Patagonia brand.  The book focuses
heavily on rock climbing, surfing, kayaking and fishing and emphasizes
environmentalism and corporate responsibility.

In addition, this book would make an excellent ���coffee table
book��� as its large with tons of interesting photography that would appeal to
adventurists and thrill seekers alike, or anyone who enjoys risk taking or
inspirational stories.

As a traveler myself, I found it fascinating to read about
all the places that these sports took him. 
While reading the book, I consistently found myself jealous that I
didn���t grow up in the 1960���s���or have any notable athletic ability.  By the end of the book you feel as if you can
do anything you set your mind to.

THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR���

This book is not for the casual reader and probably wouldn���t
appeal to a broad audience.  For someone
who is not into adventure sports there probably is not a lot of appeal.  Some of the detail in which Yvon goes into
about the various sports would be lost on the casual reader.

In addition, some parts of the book come off as slightly promotional,
indicating the superior qualities and social responsiveness of the Patagonia
brand.  Let���s hope they live up to it.  

SUMMARY:

I wasn���t actually expecting to like this book.  I envisioned it to be a chore to read, having
to go through someone���s life stories. 
However, I was surprised that it kept my attention and I finished it much
faster than I expected.  Over all, I
would recommend this book to travelers and adventure seekers of all kinds.  But beware; you may end up feeling that
you���ve lived a mundane life in comparison. 
In the end, I walked away addicted and inspired. 

CHAPTER LIST:

North America Wall, Yosemite ValleyCathedral Rocks, Yosemite ValleyYosemite Valley, CaliforniaPatagoniaDoug TompkinsFlamingos, PatagoniaSandhill cranes, NebraskaFiordo de las Montanas, ChileHeadwaters of Lago Inexplorado, ChileBonefishing
in the Bahamas Hatchery
fish being released into San Francisco BayCoastal
Wolves, British Columbia12,000
young voters, Washington, DC