Trailblazer
From the Mountains of Kashmir to the Summit of Global Business and Beyond
by Farooq Kathwari
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Sep 03 2019 | Archive Date Sep 06 2019
Greenleaf Book Group | Greenleaf Book Group Press
Talking about this book? Use #Trailblazer #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
Farooq Kathwari’s extraordinary life began in politically divided Kashmir, where his family was separated by government decree. He had to leave home as a refugee, helped his mother survive shock therapy, joined student activists in street demonstrations, and faced down a gun-wielding security officer—all by the age of seventeen.
Forced to become self-reliant, Kathwari journeyed to the United States, talked his way into a bookkeeping job, and earned a degree from NYU graduate school. He launched his first entrepreneurial venture selling Kashmiri crafts out of his Brooklyn apartment. When Kathwari’s best customer, the iconic furniture maker Ethan Allen, needed fresh leadership, he was asked to become its president. He transformed the company and become one of America’s most successful—and admired—CEOs.
Meanwhile, spurred by the tragic loss of his teenaged son in war, Kathwari dedicated himself to the cause of peace in Kashmir and around the world. He hosted meetings with diplomats, shuttled messages between heads of state, and worked with global leaders on issues from human rights to refugee resettlement.
Brimming with drama, insight, and unexpected humor, Trailblazer recounts a unique life story, offering readers not just an engrossing journey but also the wisdom of an exceptional leader.
From Trailblazer—
"When the American journalist told me he hoped to report the truth about the Kashmir uprising, I decided to help. “The government people won’t let you see what is really happening,” I said. “Why not let me take you around?”
It was foolish of me to make such an offer. I knew I was risking retribution by the security forces. But I was a headstrong, independent young man. I wanted the truth to get out, and I would do what I could to help that happen."
Advance Praise
“Farooq Kathwari’s leadership journey has been a remarkable one. From revitalizing a great American company to leading a quest for peace and justice in one of the world’s most troubled regions, Kathwari’s story shows the power of integrity and courage to change lives for the better.”
—STEPHEN J. HADLEY, former National Security Advisor
“To say that he’s one of a kind greatly underplays what Farooq Kathwari has accomplished. The way he rebuilt an old business into a contemporary company flexible enough for a continually changing environment has been a truly unique accomplishment!”
—GARY WENDT, former Chairman and CEO, GE Capital
“My friend Farooq Kathwari rose from humble beginnings in the mountains of Kashmir to international leadership, all while retaining the human touch that makes him such a charismatic figure. I’m delighted that he has told his compelling story in the pages of his book, Trailblazer.”
—REPRESENTATIVE NITA LOWEY, New York, 17th District
“Farooq Kathwari embodies the American dream of success. He’s also an inspiring model of character and contribution across sectors and continents. His powerful lessons of experience and wisdom prove there are no insurmountable boundaries between industries, ethnicities, religions, gender, or age.”
—JEFFREY SONNENFELD, Senior Associate Dean, Lester Crown Professor in the Practice of Management, Yale School of Management
“Farooq Kathwari has had an incredible life. Trailblazer recounts his remarkable reinvention from the cricket fields of India and the riot-torn streets of Srinagar, to Wall Street, and then to the doors of Ethan Allen. The pages of Kathwari’s story turn on their own, powered by superb prose, and buoyed by his deeply held principles of family, faith, humanitarian engagement, and pride in the United States and his native Kashmir.”
—FRANK WISNER, former US Ambassador to India
“Farooq Kathwari’s journey from the mountains of Kashmir to the highest levels of influence in business and international diplomacy has as many twists and surprises as a fiction thriller. His story demonstrates that when energy, dedication, and values meet American opportunities, remarkable things can happen. No matter your stage in career or life, you’ll enjoy and learn from his story.”
—JAMES SCHMOTTER, President Emeritus, Western Connecticut State University
“Trailblazer takes us through the remarkable journey of a courageous man who came to America with nothing but dreams, avoided deportation, and ultimately rose to lead one of America’s iconic corporations. It is a narrative of optimism, hope, and inspiration.”
—JOHN HAMRE, President, Center for Strategic and International Studies
“A searingly honest and riveting memoir by an iconic corporate leader who became an American statesman. Farooq Kathwari is a role model for top executives who, having achieved success in the boardroom and the marketplace, are destined for even greater contributions and challenges.”
—WILLIAM O’SHAUGHNESSY, President & Editorial Director, Whitney Global Media
“In his engaging autobiography Trailblazer, Farooq Kathwari tells the gripping tale of his remarkable life from his volatile youth in Kashmir to his indisputable successes as a leader in global business and international relations. This book is an enormously informative and inspiring account of a life lived to the fullest.”
— GEORGE RUPP, Former President of the International Rescue Committee, Columbia University, and Rice University
“Trailblazer is the story of a young mountain climber from Kashmir who becomes a captain of industry in America and a passionate global activist for world peace. It’s a compelling page-turner full of adventure, passion, and lessons of leadership in life.”
— JOHN DOONER, Chairman Emeritus of McCann Worldgroup
“Trailblazer is the unlikely story of one man’s unique journey across many worlds, offering lessons in the value of luck, the importance of creative thinking, the power of passion, the centrality of love and family, the pain of tragedy, and the triumph of integrity.”
— GARY ACKERMAN, former US House of Representatives, Representative, New York
“An inspiring life story of leadership, courage, determination, hope, and humanity. Farooq Kathwari perfectly exemplifies the best of the spirit of America.”
— STANLEY M. BERGMAN, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Henry Schein, Inc.
Marketing Plan
National Trade Marketing and Sales Campaign
Advance distribution of Digital ARC via NetGalley to reviewers, bloggers, journalists, librarians, booksellers, and media
Online marketing campaign including targeted advertising, advance giveaways, and trade advertising
Watch for author and book updates at www.farooqkathwari.com
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781626346451 |
| PRICE | $24.95 (USD) |
