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It's extremely down to earth and empowering at the same time. I have specially liked its message that it's all about DOING: working hard and persevering to achieve your goals and keeping focused.
I was looking for inspiration to get myself into action and to overcome quite a few important challenges in my life, and this book has really done it. I have really loved this book.
The book is full of memorable and inspiring moments of his first 50 years of life, without ever loosing HOPE and his wonderful sense of humour. I can really relate to the author Chris Gardner on so many aspects.
For a start, I too am a single mother, and I could really feel for him when he was homeless with his toddler in the streets of Chicago, at the same time as trying to achieve his dream of starting a career as a broker (and getting out of poverty). No magical thinking.
Thank you so much Chris Gardner for sharing so much about yourself.
Even with a terrific premise like his rags-to-richs story, he was unable to inspire me with his narrative.The Chris Gardner in this book is nowhere near the man that Will Smith portrays. An inspirational movie but an awful book.I saw the movie first, then the book ruined it. He may be good at bagging chicks and selling stocks, but Chirs Gardner's writing is dreadfully uninspiring. Hollywood has never let the truth stand in the way of making a good movie, but the movie execs outright lied when they claimed the motion picture is based on a true story. Okay, there was a own-on-his luck black man who made it in the financial Someone hand Gardner a Rubik's cube, I'd like to see that.
is a gift. it didn't made. it's perfect. AND THE THE END MY BOOK GIFT GOT THERE WITHOUTH THE BIRTHDAY CARD I HAD WRITTEN.
I recommend the book but not the service since it was suppose to arrive there at the most in may (month of the birthday) but they lost track of my shippment. I read this book in portuguese. The person loved the book but just got it in the last week of JULY. So. i had to contact them many times and see what happenned and they offered me REFOUND or wainting more ONE MONTH.
Even the birthday WAS MAY. here's my advice: buy the book not the service. that's why i bought it as a gift for someone outside Brazil as a birthday present. REALLY SAD. Anyway.
i sent it of course. A SHAME. ;)
"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. SDR - Stop, Drop & Roll. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood," -Frank McCourt, from the book Angela's Ashes.Things that I liked about Start Where You Are:- Lesson # 19 "No test, no testimony"- Drawing a line like a stock graph as a visual to help determine your past performance- Lesson # 34 Money isn't the answer OR the problem- Bible reference of Moses as an example of resourcefulness- The phrase "evergreen" marketplace lessonsThings that I did not like:I guess it's not bragging if you can do it - and he did however I'm not sure Mr. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. shows prove that for 99% of those seeking their 'furthest star' are self dullusional.
The subject matter falls under Amazon's Self Help section but moves around quite a bit and covers: selling, motivation, inspiration, public speaking and business. For example, the number of people that show up to risk it all for auditions for ALL the talent related t.v. In seems many people with world class ambition choose to go too far - ie Major Leagues Baseball's Sammy Sosa, Mark McQuire or US Track and Field's Marian Jones or most recently Michael Jackson.I am still not sure why the door was opened to Mr. Make them work like a post-it note, they need to be presented in a fashion that they can mentally be easily pulled out and recalled for everyday use. In this case, it may just be the opposite.As for covering a 30 plus year timeline, the subject matter comes off as a surprisingly bland depiction of Mr.
Surprisingly 317 reviewers for the movie and just 137 for the paperback only 6 for the hard cover book. NOTE: See any of Frank McCourt's books for really good story telling. Most of the the unwashed masses are sifted during this process. Key word Risk This may not be completely applicable to everyday choices. In addition, I am not sure what the intended target audiance for this book is. (ie stockbroker Red Ferarri owner Bob Bridges, heart surgeon Robert Ellis, Gary Shimano & Marshall Gellar at Bear Stein, TV/radio host Glynn Beck, as well as Barbara Scott Priscall, and Bill Lucy.
Rappers, singers, actors, and performers are used as examples of "happy" people and this seemed to run contrary to the books intended message of happyness. Gardners happyness experience can be replicated. Gardners experience. Suggestions for additional information on similiar topics covered in this book:Peter Lynch - Starting now (on something like investing)Jack Welch - Differentiation being a key value to getting ahead Lee Iacocca - People don't change after age 21Lou V. Key word marketable. They are given their shot at 15 minutes of fame and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are in the wrong field and possess little or no "marketable" talent. Is it for the every day rank and file. It is unclear to me why his Wall Street wizards and the others decided to mentor him.
Gerstner - Having a sense of urgency (Planning & analysis is secondary to action) Zig Ziglar -SellingDale Carnegie - Winning friendsTony Robins - Mastery & asking questions, Harvey Mackay - On networkingJohn Maxwell - "Mentoring their is no success without a successor"Lance Armstrong - On how to "exhaust the possibility"Two questions for the author:How did he get pass the No Solicitation signs on the front door of most places of business he visited. When comparing a book and a movie, I hear all the time that the book is better than the movie. It doesn't matter how many 'baby steps' they take or how much love for the game they claim - their talent will NEVER prove marketable. It is like a jockey trying to become an NBA star or vice-a-versa. So I am not sure if mentioning all these things adds to the importance of his story.Lesson # 30 Seek the furthest Star. How did he prevent himself from appearing to be a paparazzi that is stalking his prey when selling his wares.Two suggestions for the author:As a bonus the audio book would be better if at the end it included short interviews with Mr. For example think of how the fire department teaches kids about the dangers of fire. In McCourt's book, he described a desperate childhood marked by severe poverty, malnutrition, neglect, infectious disease and loss.
Finally, I wish the 44 take away lessons at the end of the book had some "tactiness" to them. Gardner. There seems that there was no particular reason stated.Most people are not Olympic athletes, most people don't know or meet famous people, most people don't have a limo, most people do not have a willing/knowledgable mentor, and finally most people do not have San Francisco, Chicago and New York as their playground/backdrop. Gardners mentors or his two adult children to get their perspective. Like that.Overall Rating: Definitely watch the movie and if you have the time maybe borrow the book from a friend or get a used copy
Gardner's written confessions of his youthful petty crimes and his occassional adulterous, but more often simple, mutually satisfying, fornicative conquests of beautiful soul sisters. I think Mr. In any event, I can certainly see the point many have made lamenting Mr. First the editorial remarks--I haven't seen the movie, so this review is not prejudiced by that. Mr. Gardner writes about it amounts to little more than lawyers call "obiter dictum" anyhow.
Besides given today's culture all what Mr.
As a Christian like Mr.Gardner, obviously one might hope to hear more of repentance and reconciliation--and more importantly of humility--especially in regard to the beautiful gift God bestows to mankind within the grace of a good and healthy sexual philosophy.That being said, as an author myself, in this case I can overlook his subjective idiosyncratic need to perhaps vent if not brag a little, even when it isn't objectively advisable or righteous to do so, because after having been forcibly sodomized by a homosexual predator in his youth, Mr.
We could all benefit by going after the things God gave us talent to achieve.
I Will (pun intended)see it, I am sure.
Gardner is who he is, and he is a go-getter.
Gardner's words are at least forgivable.
I've read far worse than his words and have heard far more bragging from way less credentialed.
America would be a better place.
Gardner tells us it is completely possible.
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