About this item
Bestselling author Jesse Itzler could easily be voted the least likely to sit still. The successful entrepreneur, endurance athlete and father of four only knows one speed: FULL BLAST. He's also one of the most unconventional people you'll ever meet. So, when Jesse felt like the world around him was getting too hectic, he didn't take a vacation or get a massage, he moved into a monastery and gave himself a self-imposed time-out. In LIVING WITH THE MONKS, the follow-up to his New York Times bestselling LIVING WITH A SEAL, Jesse Itzler takes us on a spiritual journey like no other. Jesse doesn't believe in traditional resumes-he believes in life resumes: collecting experiences and creating memories. His life is full of business success and adventure. Jesse went from being a rapper, to starting the world's largest jet card company (and selling it to Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets) to running 100 miles non-stop in under 24 hours, to becoming an owner of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team. And now, it's all about to slow down. Thinking all monasteries are like the ones he sees on TV, Jesse arrives at the New Skete religious community in the isolated and snowy mountains of upstate New York with a shaved head and a suitcase filled with bananas. To his surprise, New Skete monks have most of their hair. They're Russian Orthodox, not Buddhist, and they're also world-renowned German shepherd breeders and authors of dog-training books that have sold in the millions. As Jesse struggles to fit in amongst the odd but lovable monks, cheesecake-making nuns, and the strange professional intern in the cell next to his, self-doubt begins to beat like a tribal drum and he questions his motivation to embark on this adventure, missing his family and phone. But in the end, Jesse discovers the secrets of the monks and their wisdom, the power of shutting off, being alone and taking time to simply think. Equal parts memoir and road map to living a less stressful and more vibrant life, LIVING WITH THE MONKS is an illuminating, entertaining, and unexpected trip for anyone looking to feel calmer and more controlled in our crazy, hectic world.
About the Author
Jesse Itzler only eats fruit until noon, loves Run-D.M.C., and enjoys living life "out of the box," actually, he doesn't even have a box. He cofounded Marquis Jet, the world's largest prepaid private jet card company in 2001, which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. He then helped pioneer the coconut water craze with Zico coconut water, which he and his partners sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2013. He is a former rapper on MTV and he produced both the NBA's Emmy Award-winning "I Love This Game" music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem "Go NY Go." When he is not running ultra marathons or being a dad to his three kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA's Atlanta Hawks games, where he is an owner of the team. He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely and the couple and their 3 boys live in Atlanta, Georgia.
