Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! A MUST-READ!

Young, eager, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and embarked on a mission: to import top-notch, affordable running shoes from Japan. From selling shoes out of his Plymouth Valiant’s trunk, Knight earned a modest eight thousand dollars in 1963. Fast forward to today, Nike reigns supreme with annual sales surpassing $30 billion. Its iconic swoosh transcends being just a logo; it represents grace and greatness, recognized worldwide.

However, Knight, the enigmatic force behind the swoosh, has always remained a mystery. Finally, in a memoir that is surprising, humble, unfiltered, funny, and beautifully crafted, he unveils his story. It all begins with a pivotal moment of choice. At twenty-four, backpacking across Asia, Europe, and Africa, grappling with life’s profound questions, Knight realizes that the unconventional path is his true calling. Rather than joining a corporate giant, he sets out to create something entirely his own, something fresh, dynamic, and different. Knight recounts the daunting risks, crushing setbacks, ruthless competitors, doubters, haters, and unfriendly bankers he encountered, alongside exhilarating triumphs and narrow escapes. Above all, he reminisces about the foundational relationships that shaped Nike’s essence—the fiery yet charismatic Bill Bowerman, his former track coach, and the initial team of misfits and geniuses who swiftly became a band of swoosh-obsessed brethren.

United by an electrifying vision and a shared belief in the transformative power of sports, they forged a brand and a culture that revolutionized everything.

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