I couldn't hold back the tears.

His story is truly remarkable. It is that of the continuous pursuit of hustle, filled with countless challenges and sacrifices. It made me think a lot, about the harsh reality of how much one has to endure and strive for in order to have something in this world. And yet, even when we manage to obtain something, it can be so easily taken away.

I just...

I just loved the book. It not only tells a captivating story but also makes the reader reflect on the meaning of life and the value of our pursuits. It shows us that in the face of difficulties and setbacks, we should never give up, but continue to hustle and strive for our dreams.

The book has left a deep impression on me and will surely stay with me for a long time.

In the search for happiness, the autobiography of Chris Gardner details his life experiences from childhood, hardships, and misfortunes to adulthood and success.

I do like this kind of books, which are classified as self-help and inspiring. However, I didn't establish much connection with this book. My patience was wearing thin, and it was tiring for me.

Perhaps it was because the story didn't resonate deeply with my own life. Or maybe the writing style didn't capture my attention as much as I had hoped. Nevertheless, I can still appreciate the challenges that Chris Gardner overcame and the determination he showed in achieving his goals.

Although this particular book didn't have a profound impact on me, it serves as a reminder that everyone's journey to happiness is unique, and there are many different paths to success.

I really enjoyed this movie, which led me to check out the book.

The first half of the book vividly describes his life during the growth process. It was far from a happy life. Some of the scenes are extremely graphic, and there is a great deal of foul language. I had hoped that the second part would be better in this regard, but unfortunately, it was even worse.

Really, it seems that what is being pursued in this story is a carnal, sensual, and devilish kind of happiness, which is not what I truly consider as happiness. (There are lots of women, drugs, and behavior that I firmly believe should not be emulated.)

If I had to recommend anything from it, it would only be the last 50 pages. However, in that case, it would probably be better to just watch the movie.

I must applaud Chris Gardner for having overcome so many difficulties. Especially for his determination to be a good father, despite growing up knowing that he was abandoned by his biological father, abused, and unwanted by his stepfather. He recognized that he could achieve anything, regardless of what others thought about him, his color, or his background. This is indeed a valuable lesson for all of us.

However, I did not find this to be the kind of success story that the world might envision. Although he becomes quite wealthy, his life appears to lack many of the values and characteristics that I believe lead to true happiness.

An inspiring autobiography of a common man with the usual frailties but an unusual ambition.

However, this is one of the rare incidents when the movie outshines the book.

It is also a bit difficult for an Indian to identify with the earlier part of the book as family ties in India are not as weak as they seem in the West.

Nevertheless, the book still has the power to sweep you off your feet.

Some of the events described within its pages are truly touching.

The ultimate compliment to the father comes from the son when he says, "You are a good Poppa," and the one from Nelson Mandela as Chris attempts to "walk the walk" is equally significant.

This is not just a simple story of going from rags to riches.

It is a true story of someone who was able to dream while keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

Truly inspiring, it serves as a reminder that anyone can achieve great things with determination and hard work.

I did not manage to complete the pursuit of happyness. The reason was that the book was rather long and extremely heavy for a person of my age.

I believe the writing style was quite mature and weighty. Each chapter consisted of approximately 15 - 30 pages. This made it more difficult to read as there was an abundance of detail within a single chapter, which in turn made it rather dull.

There were numerous paragraphs on each page, and the writing was relatively small. It appeared to be an interesting story, yet it was challenging to read and enjoy because it was far too mature for me.

I intend to return to this book when I become an adult. I would only recommend this book to adults.

4.5 stars, but I will up it to 5 only because I would actually read this again.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio version and highly recommend it. It felt personal and intimate, like having lunch with an old friend from a long time ago. The story was raw, but it was balanced with honesty, and the author offered no excuses. I can completely respect that.

I usually hate foul language, especially when it's used in books. I think it's often a weak substitute for better writing and is used to shock the reader. I always think, 'you're a writer, find a better way to say it.' But, for some reason, it didn't bother me as much in this book. It felt real. It wasn't my story, but I felt like a captivated listener as this particular story unfolded before me.

I think those who are brave enough to write auto-biographies or memoirs open themselves up to harsh criticism when their story reaches delicate or sheltered ears. I've read some of the negative reviews this book has received, and I struggle to understand how people can condemn a man and his book given his circumstances. When I consider where he started and his journey towards something different and better than anything he had ever known, I am in complete awe. He had come so far and accomplished so much. And he even managed to take some huge steps to reach back and help others.

The movie version of this book was a warm and fuzzy movie. It was the glossy, picture-perfect Hollywood version. Seriously, it didn't even begin to cover the dark and gritty parts of this man's life. The movie was the 'feel-good' version. I did see the movie, and I liked it, but it wasn't anywhere near as good as the book. So if you read this, don't expect the warm fuzzies.

Bueno, the truth is that it is very different from the movie.

It tells his story from the time he has memory, from his childhood. All that he had to go through while growing up in a dysfunctional home, where domestic violence was the order of the day, moments of an empty stomach, fears and insecurities.

And the part of his adult life is not very consoling either. But I admire the fact that he never gave up, under the motto that he can still achieve more, and he did it.

And it must be a reason for smiles for him, to know that all those moments where he only shared a plate of food with his son to not spend the only 20-dollar bill in his wallet were worth it, because if he had not made those sacrifices, he would not be where he is.

His journey is one of struggle and perseverance, filled with hardships and challenges.

Yet, through it all, he has managed to rise above and create a better life for himself and his family.

It is an inspiring tale that shows that no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, with determination and hard work, anything is possible.

I saw the movie which glorified the author.

However, after reading the book, I had a completely different perspective. The book delved into a plethora of details regarding the author's childhood, marriage, and life.

To my surprise, I found myself a lot less enamoured with him. It became evident that many of the author's poor choices were driven by his libido.

This realization made me feel a lot less empathy for him.

While it is indeed horrible to be homeless, it cannot be ignored that he made some devastating choices on his own, which had a significant impact on the people around him.

These choices not only affected his own life but also caused pain and suffering to others.

It is important to see the author in a more realistic light and understand the consequences of his actions.

By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of his character and the events that shaped his life.

Overall, the book provided a more comprehensive and nuanced view of the author, which was in stark contrast to the glorified portrayal in the movie.

All we know about Chris Gardner from the movie "Pursuit of Happiness" reflects just a short period of his life.

Those heartbreaking events in which Will Smith struggles to get a job as a broker while taking care of his baby son in an utterly hopeless situation seem almost tolerable when compared with what he went through according to the biography.

The stories of his childhood were a little long and redundant, but he was in every way sincere about who and what kind of philosophy helped him to become who he is. This should be a good lesson for young people starting their career, smirking at low salaries and looking for shortcuts to their destination.

If we follow the so-believed social contexts, Chris Gardner wasn't supposed to be where he is. He didn't have an MBA, not even a bachelor's degree, and was in a time when racial issues were still intense. A fine man with a big heart, he never once said that all his accomplishments were achieved through his own strength; there was always so much gratitude and appreciation. As he said, Chris did create wealth and fortune not in a monetary sense but in terms of something more profound such as his philanthropic activities.

Following Chris' mother's advice, let's keep in mind that the two most important words in English are 'please' and 'thank you'.

I think my last book truly burnt me out. It was an intense experience that drained a lot of my energy.

As a result, I made the decision to take a little break. This break was essential for me to freshen up and rejuvenate.

The book I had just completed was actually really solid. It was well-written and engaging.

However, when I watched the movie adaptation, I was disappointed to see that it missed out on a lot of the genuine story.

Reading the book allowed me to get a much firmer grasp on the highs and lows of Chris Gardner's life and career.

His story is seriously motivating. It shows that with determination and hard work, anything is possible.

At times, the events in his life were pretty outrageous, but that only made the story more fascinating.

Overall, it was an awesome story that left a lasting impression on me.

Since going through a plethora of tragic events throughout his lifetime, Chris Gardner had the courage and determination to pen down The Pursuit of Happyness. This is a story that delves deep into his own life and all the arduous struggles he endured. Every single event in this book actually happened to Chris, making him the most qualified person to narrate his own life's journey.

The novel commences during Chris’ childhood, taking us through his stints of being homeless, which seemed to be a result of sheer bad luck. It meticulously analyzes his life struggles, providing the reader with a comprehensive understanding of everything he has been through. Not only does Chris inform the reader about his life, but he also does so with great detail. By doing this, he manages to entertain them with vivid descriptions of everything, from his childhood to his desperate struggles of finding a place to stay for him and his young son.

The book successfully achieves its goals of vividly describing the events of Chris’ life through major character development, text-world connections, and minor character development. When the novel opens, Chris is living with his foster family, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. As a young child, he was sent to live with them, and he and his sister Ophelia spent most of their young lives in ignorance about their actual family. Chris remarks early in the book, “Our situation - where our real parents were and why we didn't live with them, or why we sometimes did live with uncles and aunts and cousins - was as mysterious as the situations of the other foster children living at the Robinsons’” (Gardiner 16).

With a childhood as tumultuous as his, Chris spends his adult life striving to make his own son's life easier than his was. Times are not always easy for him and his son, but Chris is always determined to make his son's life as good as it possibly can be. In the book, he has to figure out how to provide a stable home for his son without them having to constantly move in and out of hotels and homeless shelters, and also has to discover how he will reach his ultimate potential.

By employing major character development in the book, Gardiner offers great detail on how he transformed as a person over the years. Chris starts as a young boy in the story. As a young lad, he has a stepfather named Freddie who has a profound impact on his life. At certain points in the beginning, Freddie nearly kills Chris and his mother. When Chris and a friend are constructing a tree house at night one day, Freddie cuts it down while the boys are still inside. Chris says about Freddie, “It was yet one more reminder of how much I hated Freddie, and how badly I wanted him gone from our lives” (Gardiner 51). Chris desires to have him removed from his family's lives so that he will stop tormenting them for good; he even goes as far as planning to kill him. Chris only wants the best for his family and will do whatever it takes to ensure their safety. But most importantly, Chris’ confidence in himself significantly develops the story. When conversing with a head stockbroker, Chris expresses how confident he is in himself. After the broker finishes explaining what the profession actually entails, Chris exclaims enthusiastically, “Yep, I can do that. And you know what? I want to do that!” (Gardiner 196). It should be noted that he has only received a brief explanation of the job and has never received any training in the field. His unwavering confidence in himself lets you know that he believes he can do anything, and this aids in the development of the story due to the extremely positive nature of the person he is, even after all he has endured.

Despite not having many truly meaningful minor characters, he effectively uses the ones he has in the book to推动 the plot forward. Chris’ sister Ophelia has a major influence on his life. Without parents, Ophelia was a significant figure to him and also taught him a great deal. Chris remarks about his sister, “Then again, because my big sister was my only resource for explaining all that was unknown, I believed her and accepted her explanations” (Gardiner 17). Ophelia taught Chris a great deal when he was young; almost all of the common knowledge he learned as a child. And due to the fact that he didn't really have parents to teach him anything, the lessons from his sister were all the more important. While Ophelia is probably the most important minor character, the development of Freddie - one of his stepdads - was also very crucial. As pointed out earlier in the review, Freddie is a very bad person and had almost killed him and his mother. At one point in the book, Chris has to make a tough choice to save his mother. He ponders, “What could I do that the police couldn’t or wouldn’t, as many times as they’d show up and either do nothing or take Freddie away and send him home when he sobers up?” (Gardiner 35). Chris is confronted with real-life situations as he grows up as a young boy, having to call the police because his mom is about to die. Even though Freddie is a very bad man, he teaches Chris to grow up and become an adult.

But most importantly, throughout The Pursuit of Happyness, there are numerous text to world connections. The book takes the reader to many new places, and they have a profound impact on Chris. Starting as a young boy, Chris’ surroundings at his foster home are what he grows up with. Gardiner grows up in the north side of Milwaukee. He describes, “In contrast to the danger that lurked at home, outside on the streets of Milwaukee's north side - with all the fun of our black Happy Days setting - I got to experience elements of a relatively normal childhood” (Gardiner 42). The streets of Milwaukee provided him with an actual escape from his chaotic life at home. Also, when he relocates to California, he describes the area in great detail and how it affects his life. His life begins to take a downward turn when he moves here, and he describes that in great detail as well. He states, “By the next Monday, I’d been able to secure some nights on various friends couches, line up some meals, borrow enough money to ride BART to work, and find a buddy willing to loan me a suit and a pair of shoes that would get me to that first check” (Gardiner 215). Even though this quote doesn't explicitly explain his surroundings, it describes some of the struggles he encounters when he moves to Cali.

Chris Gardiner masterfully uses major and minor character development and text-world connections in the novel to present the theme. If you have a penchant for an empowering story about a man's life struggle, this is undoubtedly the book for you.

This book that I read was "The Pursuit of Happyness" by Chris Gardner.

It is a remarkable account of Chris Gardner's arduous journey through life's struggles and obstacles on his path to success. He was born to a mother who endured time in jail and suffered abuse, and he had no knowledge of who his father was. This experience of lacking a father figure drove him to be an outstanding father to his own son at all times.

As an adult, he joined the Navy, underwent medical training, got married, and had a child. However, his wife left him, leaving him with financial difficulties, and at one point, he became homeless. But after seeing a Ferrari, it inspired him to become a stockbroker, work hard, and set goals. Eventually, he was hired as a stockbroker and achieved success. Later, he went on to open his own brokerage firm and became highly successful through motivation and determination.

I would rate this book 5 stars because it vividly depicts all of Chris Gardner's hardships in life and his ultimate triumph. It conveys a powerful message to all readers that they should never give up when faced with difficulties and that success is indeed worth the hard work.

"Make your vision larger than yourself." (Gardner 205) This implies that if you have a dream or a goal, you must strive to achieve it, even when you don't initially believe you are capable.

This book has imparted to me the message that I should work hard in life regardless of the circumstances and never, ever give up.

I would highly recommend this book to my fellow classmates because it is not only an excellent read but also conveys a profound and inspiring message.