Awards

• Long-listed for Financial Times and Schroder Business Book of the Year Award 2025 (UK)

Overview

New York Times bestselling author Gelles reveals how Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, turned the business world on its head and became a global leader in ethical business practices before giving away the source of his wealth. 'In Dirtbag Billionaire, David Gelles chronicles the life of Yvon Chouinard in a manner that is as spirited and unflinching as his subject.' FORMER US VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE Dirtbag Billionaire is the inside story of one of the most extraordinary brands in the world. Founded in 1973, Patagonia has grown into a wildly popular producer and retailer of jackets, hats and fleece vests, posting sales of more than a billion dollars a year. For decades, it has also been a beacon for social change and corporate activism. At the heart of the story is Patagonia's founder, the legendary rock climber Yvon Chouinard. Guided by his anti-authoritarian streak and his commitment to preserving the natural world, Patagonia exerted a powerful influence on other companies, paving the way for a new era of environmental responsibility. Chouinard started out as a dirtbag-an affectionate term for someone happy to sleep outdoors-and he became a billionaire. But, in the twilight of his career, he gave away Patagonia, renouncing his wealth and committing the company's profits to fighting the climate crisis. Drawing on exclusive access to Chouinard and the Patagonia team, bestselling author David Gelles describes the key moments that shaped the company and its leader, creating a new model for corporate life and ethics. 'A riveting behind-the-scenes look at Patagonia-and how the trailblazing company redefined business and purpose....essential reading.' CHARLES DUHIGG, bestselling author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit 'Highly entertaining.' HARRY WALLOP, Times Chouinard's fascinating, daring and contradictory life is unique in the annals of modern business, and Gelles shows us why in vivid, sympathetic detail.' JOHN VAILLANT, bestselling author of Fire Weather 'A rebel's guide to giving a damn. Brilliant and real. Excellently written. A must must-read!' NICK BILTON, New York Times bestselling author of American Kingpin 'You will want to read David Gelles's outstanding saga in one sitting. Yvon has made an extraordinary contribution to humankind.' PAUL HAWKEN, author of Carbon 'More than a simple biography of an enigmatic business figure, Dirtbag Billionaire is a case study in the cultural and political potential - and limitations - of corporate design and ownership in today's extractive economic system. Gelles presents Chouinard as a revolutionary in sport, commerce and philanthropy - an imperfect and often paradoxical founder whose story shows that building a sustainable world requires not perfection but persistence.' Washington Post

Full Product Details

9781923058682

Table of Contents

Reviews

'In Dirtbag Billionaire, David Gelles chronicles the life of Yvon Chouinard in a manner that is as spirited and unflinching as his subject.' * Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore *

'In Dirtbag Billionaire, David Gelles chronicles the life of Yvon Chouinard in a manner that is as spirited and unflinching as his subject.' * Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore * 'Highly entertaining….good on the inherent tension at the heart of Patagonia’. * The Times * ‘A riveting behind-the-scenes look at Patagonia—and how the trailblazing company redefined business and purpose….Essential reading.’ * Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit * ‘Chouinard’s fascinating, daring and contradictory life is unique in the annals of modern business, and Gelles shows us why in vivid, sympathetic detail.’ * John Vaillant, bestselling author of Fire Weather * ‘You will want to read David Gelles's outstanding saga in one sitting. Yvon has made an extraordinary contribution to humankind.’ * Paul Hawken, author of Carbon * ‘This is a book the world has been waiting for. Its subject is proof that you can have a good time on this earth, and make it a far better place—if you wanted the opposite of Elon Musk, that would be Yvon Chouinard.’ * Bill McKibben, author Here Comes the Sun * ‘A rebel’s guide to giving a damn. Brilliant and real. Excellently written. A must-must read!’ * Nick Bilton, bestselling author of American Kingping * ‘Dirtbag Billionaire shares the magic of what happens when visionary business leaders commit to doing well by doing good. Read it if you are interested in reforming capitalism—and especially if you think capitalism is irredeemable.’ * Lynn Forester de Rothschild, founder and CEO of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism * ‘Dirtbag Billionaire is a powerful reminder that business, at its best, can be a tool for good. Gelles captures the complex, often conflicting pressures founders face—and the courage it takes to lead with conviction. It’s an inspiring call to dream big, do the right thing, and use success as a lever for lasting impact. I couldn’t put it down.’ * Sali Christeson, founder and CEO of Argent * ‘More than a simple biography of an enigmatic business figure, Dirtbag Billionaire is a case study in the cultural and political potential — and limitations — of corporate design and ownership in today’s extractive economic system. Gelles presents Chouinard as a revolutionary in sport, commerce and philanthropy — an imperfect and often paradoxical founder whose story shows that building a sustainable world requires not perfection but persistence.’ * Washington Post * ‘This is a powerful and timely book that reimagines the role of business in society. Chouinard’s life is both fascinating and instructive, offering a blueprint for future corporations striving to become better stewards of the planet.’ * Library Journal * ‘Chouinard’s—and Patagonia’s—stories are inspirational, and the reader will come away wishing that more of today’s über-rich people and corporations would follow his example.’ * Booklist *

Author Information

David Gelles is an award-winning reporter for the New York Times. He currently writes for the climate desk and previously wrote for the business section and was the ""Corner Office"" columnist. His latest book, The Man Who Broke Capitalism, was a New York Times bestseller. He lives in New York City with his family.

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