Charles L. Novak - 26 Feb

THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT THE greatest man Ive ever known.

If you come from a humble background, this book will give you hope. If you come from a life of privilege, it will help you never take what you have for granted. If you want a look at how vastly this nation has changed over the course of one mans lifetime, youll find that in these pages, too.

As the cofounder, chairman, and CEO of Yum! Brandsthe owner of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFCIve had the good fortune to meet world leaders, international celebrities, and countless phenomenal people over the course of my lifetime. But for me, the man who stands head and shoulders above the lot is my father, Charles Novak. Hes an authentic man with uncanny common sense and a wicked sense of humor, and he comes from Haddam, Kansas, a little farming town that youve probably never heard of.

Youll see in these pages that my father has had an amazing life: crisscrossing America, living in trailers and tents, in small towns and out-of-the-way locales, all across this great nation. He lived this unconventional life because of his job as a surveyor mapping America for the federal government. He married my mom Jean, and she joined him and the other families on his survey party, traveling with him from place to place. When they had my two sisters, Susan and Karen, and me, we came along for the ride. All in all, Dad has lived in more than sixty small towns in more than twenty states over the course of his career. I dont know anyone else who has lived a life like that.

So what can be learned from a life like his? Well, just about everything that matters most. Youll learn that hard work, an adventurous spirit, and a can-do attitude can take you pretty far in this life, even if you come from the humblest of beginnings. Youll see just how far one man can travel, both literally and figuratively. To think that when Dad was born, you couldnt even locate many of this countrys small towns on a map, and nowthanks to the work of my dad and people like himany one of us can navigate ourselves to just about any location in the fifty states with the help of GPS... well, thats a pretty amazing thing to contemplate.

It wasnt always an easy life, but Dad has never been one to complain. He and my mom were always clear about their main goal in life: to give their kids a chance to live the American Dream. My sisters and I are proof that my parents more than succeeded. Yet as I read the details of his lifeincluding some stories Ive never heard beforesomething occurred to me: My dad lived the American Dream as well. And given where he started out, his was the biggest achievement of all.

Most of all, Ive learned from my parents that home is something you can create for yourself, wherever you are and whatever your circumstances. All you need is the right intention and the company of people you love. I still remember the five of usmy parents, my sisters, and mespending evenings together in our trailer in Dodge City or someplace like it. Because we were packed in such a small space, wed always end up clumped together on the couch, watching programs on television like The Ed Sullivan Show . No matter how big our homes have gotten since then, or how much our families have grown, when were together these days, we still find ourselves all clumped together like thatbecause for us, thats what home is all about. Thats why, as long as were together, home can be anywhere and everywhere.

For these reasons and more, I believe that everyone should read this book (and Im not just saying that because my dad wrote it). Plus, Dads a heck of a storyteller, so I have no doubt youll enjoy this story of the greatest man Ive ever known.

David Novak