Dirtbag billionaire : how Yvon Chouinard built Patagonia, made a fortune, and gave it all away / David Gelles.
Founded in 1973, Patagonia has grown into a wildly popular producer of jackets, hats, and fleece vests, with a cultlike following among hardcore alpinists and Wall Street traders alike, posting sales of more than $1 billion a year. But it's not just the clothes that make Patagonia unique. For decades, the company has distinguished itself as a singular beacon for socially responsible business, the rare company that can legitimately claim to be doing its damnedest to make the world a better place, while also making a profit. From its early efforts to take exemplary care of its employees, to its extensive work trying to clean up its supply chain, to its controversial activism, Patagonia has set itself apart from its peers with one unorthodox decision after another, proving that there is another way to do capitalism. At the heart of the story is Patagonia's founder, the legendary rock climber Yvon Chouinard. A perennial outsider who forged one of the most impressive resumes in the outdoor world, Chouinard also established himself as a pivotal figure in the history of American business. Guided by his anti-authoritarian streak and his unwavering commitment to preserving the natural world, Patagonia came to exert a powerful influence on other companies, paving the way for a new era of social and environmental responsibility. He started out as a dirtbag--a term affectionately bestowed on poor, itinerant outdoorsmen so uninterested in material possessions they are happy to sleep in the dirt--and he became a billionaire. Chouinard also proved that there was another way to be a philanthropist. In the twilight of his career, he gave away Patagonia, renouncing his wealth and committing all its future profits to fighting the climate crisis.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781668032268
- ISBN: 1668032260
- Physical Description: 310 pages ; 24 cm
- Edition: First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster, 2025.
- Copyright: ©2025
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 283-294) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Introduction -- A rhythm all his own -- Dirtbags -- Pushing the limits -- Patagoniacs -- Winning back the wild -- A critical time -- Leaps of faith -- Leadership -- Fights -- Giving it all away -- The next 50 years.
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Available copies
- 12 of 13 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at McDowell County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 0 current holds with 13 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Fort Branch Library | BIO CHO (Text) | 37810438166315 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| Bordeaux Library | B CHOUINARD (Text) | 31781069182374 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Cliffdale Library | B CHOUINARD (Text) | 31781069182390 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| East Asheville Library | B CHOUINARD (Text) | 0020514005733 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| Fletcher Branch | CHOUINARD (Text) | 33258010496698 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| Henderson Main Branch | CHOUINARD (Text) | 33258010496689 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| High Point Library | B Chouinard Y Gelles (Text) | 30519010988668 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library | B CHOUINARD (Text) | 39523000441408 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library | B CHOUINARD (Text) | 39149008488322 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| Lexington Public Library | B Chouinard (Text) | 25908004512062 | Adult Biography | Checked out | 08/22/2026 |
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| 250 | . | ‡aFirst Simon & Schuster hardcover edition. | |
| 264 | 1. | ‡aNew York : ‡bSimon & Schuster, ‡c2025. | |
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| 504 | . | ‡aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 283-294) and index. | |
| 505 | 0 | . | ‡aIntroduction -- A rhythm all his own -- Dirtbags -- Pushing the limits -- Patagoniacs -- Winning back the wild -- A critical time -- Leaps of faith -- Leadership -- Fights -- Giving it all away -- The next 50 years. |
| 520 | . | ‡aFounded in 1973, Patagonia has grown into a wildly popular producer of jackets, hats, and fleece vests, with a cultlike following among hardcore alpinists and Wall Street traders alike, posting sales of more than $1 billion a year. But it's not just the clothes that make Patagonia unique. For decades, the company has distinguished itself as a singular beacon for socially responsible business, the rare company that can legitimately claim to be doing its damnedest to make the world a better place, while also making a profit. From its early efforts to take exemplary care of its employees, to its extensive work trying to clean up its supply chain, to its controversial activism, Patagonia has set itself apart from its peers with one unorthodox decision after another, proving that there is another way to do capitalism. At the heart of the story is Patagonia's founder, the legendary rock climber Yvon Chouinard. A perennial outsider who forged one of the most impressive resumes in the outdoor world, Chouinard also established himself as a pivotal figure in the history of American business. Guided by his anti-authoritarian streak and his unwavering commitment to preserving the natural world, Patagonia came to exert a powerful influence on other companies, paving the way for a new era of social and environmental responsibility. He started out as a dirtbag--a term affectionately bestowed on poor, itinerant outdoorsmen so uninterested in material possessions they are happy to sleep in the dirt--and he became a billionaire. Chouinard also proved that there was another way to be a philanthropist. In the twilight of his career, he gave away Patagonia, renouncing his wealth and committing all its future profits to fighting the climate crisis. | |
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