Having interviewed Gary Fong earlier this year for the PIF photography resource blog (interview here), I eagerly awaited the arrival of Gary’s memoir The Accidental Millionaire. After getting to know Gary a bit, I’ve concluded that the Gary Fong we know in the photographic community is only tip-of-the-iceberg to the character he is.
We know he’s a diverse businessman, but to see how his mother and father’s meager wig business shaped him is enlightening. We know he’s an inventor, but to learn that his mother was his first unknowing guinea pig is endearing. We know he’s the “storybook” man, but to hear his voice as storyteller filling the pages with his own vivid imagery and unusual circumstances is delightful. His memoir brings to light the man below the surface with poignant clarity and charming humor.
The Accidental Millionaire is the story of the mutable man who upends life’s negatives into positives. The book covers photography, family life in L.A., invention, love, remorse, business best and worst practices. It reads quickly, yet you’ll pause to laugh loudly and to jot down sage advice. An exerpt:
I learned karate so I could kick more schoolyard ass, but what it really did was prepare me to be calm in times of business turmoil. I bought my Desert Survival Kit to prepare me for homelessness never came, but the self reliance I learned in that adventure has served me over and over. When you’re passionately preparing for one thing, the universe may be preparing you for something else. As long as you’re actively and creatively preparing for something, you’re usually on the right track.
I applaud those who have the courage to peel away pretense and expose their true selves. It’s refreshing to read how in the face of adversity, pliability is everything. Gary’s memoir is taut, touching, and authentic. You don’t have to be a photographer to appreciate his comic often metaphysical approach to life at large. The Accidental Millionaire is a worthy read indeed.