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Summary
Summary
In the spirit of The Last Lecture, The Secret, and The Alchemist, this small book presents BIG ideas for turning your "one day" into today, including the generational transfer of a dream and a powerful blueprint for a masterpiece life--from the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir and major motion picture The Pursuit of Happyness.
On a winter's day, Chris Gardner set off with his nine-year-old granddaughter Brooke to find the harmonica of her dreams. The search sends them North "beyond the wall" into a foreboding Chicago neighborhood and, soon, on a harrowing adventure that will change both of their lives--and ours.Chris is still mourning the loss of his girlfriend to brain cancer. Her question haunts him: "Now that we know how short life can be, what will you do with the time you have left?" After five years, he feels an urgency--what he calls, "Atomic Time" in which every second counts--to find an answer, but is stuck. Even while giving Brooke permission to aspire to one day become President of the United States, he knows it's time to reclaim his own permission to dream.
Lost, Chris and his granddaughter board a bus, reminding him of earlier rides through dark times when dreams of a better life kept him alive. As the two wind through a changing cityscape, Chris reflects on past lessons that offer powerful guidance for dreaming your way to monumental success.
At its heart, this book lays out a blueprint for building a dream-come-true life--even during uncertainty. Gardner delivers the secrets to achieving a prosperous career--from a method for identifying your ultimate dream to a playbook for becoming world class at it. His tools include the "new 3 R's"--or the Rep, the Rap and the Rolodex--which reveal how to earn a stellar reputation, develop a rap for marketing yourself, and amass a Rolodex of rewarding relationships. No matter how much wealth you achieve, Chris notes, true success comes from enriching the lives of others--so all can still have access to the American Dream.
Toward the end, Brooke observes that in Atomic Time it's never too late for anyone to reinvent themselves and change their fortune. Chris, hearing her, realizes what his next pursuit will be--to go back to high school and give permission to dream to the next generation of problem solvers and change makers.
A true fable, Permission to Dream is a timeless and timely manifesto for turning dreams into action--beginning right now.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Gardner (The Pursuit of Happyness), a philanthropist and CEO of the brokerage firm Gardner Rich & Co., shares how he has lived his dreams in this peppy work. Gardner frames his advice within a bus ride he takes with his granddaughter, during which he shares his own philosophies of success ("plans, like dreams, have to be adaptable, enough so that you can allow them to evolve as your circumstances change and your vision grows"), as well as those of such revered thinkers as Martin Luther King Jr. To that end, Gardner champions King's notion that dreams must be met with determination to achieve excellence and a commitment to justice. In his most prescriptive section, Gardner explores how "The Rep, the Rap, and the Rolodex" (one's reputation, ability to make easy small talk, and network of contacts) form the core of a successful life. In the end, Gardner's infectious optimism will encourage readers to think deeply about goals. These supportive affirmations for finding the confidence to dream big will appeal to readers who enjoy Paulo Coelho's work. (Apr.)
Library Journal Review
On a bitterly cold day in Chicago, businessman Gardner takes his granddaughter to a music shop to buy her the harmonica of her dreams. What might have been a simple errand becomes a transformative exploration of the power of dreams, which Gardner retells in this work of narrative nonfiction. In the tradition of oral storytelling, Gardner, along with co-author Rivas, easily weaves history, spirituality, and philosophy into biographical stories shared in conversation with his granddaughter. Believing in and pursuing his dreams helped the author survive a troubled childhood and inspired him to join the navy, which in turn led to a career in finance. Gardner's dreams also helped him get through a difficult period of single fatherhood while experiencing homelessness, as detailed in his previous best-selling work, The Pursuit of Happyness. By sharing his experiences with his granddaughter, he realizes what his own next step in life should be--to become a motivational speaker for young people--and is able to start to heal from the experience of his longtime partner's recent death. VERDICT This fable-like tale, which blends biography and self-help, is an inspirational reminder to dream big and dream often. Gardner's latest memoir will especially resonate with readers of Mitch Albom and Paulo Coelho.--Anitra Gates, Erie Cty. P.L., PA