"I have always argued that change becomes stressful and overwhelming only when you've lost any sense of the constancy of your life. You need firm ground to stand on. From there, you can deal with that change." -- Richard Nelson Bolles
Richard Nelson Bolles (born March 19, 1927 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a former Episcopal clergyman, and the author of the best-selling job-hunting book, What Color Is Your Parachute? Bolles is the brother of investigative journalist Don Bolles, who was murdered in June 1976. His paternal grandfather, Stephen Bolles, was a U.S. member of Congress from Wisconsin (died 1941), and his father was for many years an editor with the Associated Press (died 1972).
"Not for nothing is their motto TGIF - 'Thank God It's Friday.' They live for the weekends, when they can go do what they really want to do.""There is a vast world of work out there in this country, where at least 111 million people are employed in this country alone - many of whom are bored out of their minds. All day long."
He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, and after a brief stint in the U.S. Navy, attended M.I.T., studying chemical engineering, and Harvard, where he graduated with a B.A. in Physics, cum laude. He attended General Theological Seminary (Episcopal) in New York City, from which he graduated with a Master's Degree in the New Testament. After ordination, he served as a Fellow and Tutor at the Seminary, and then served churches in New Jersey. Following this, he served as Canon Pastor of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. He also served on the National Staff of United Ministries in Higher Education for a number of years,
Honors
He has received many honors. He was the 2006 recipient of the National Samaritan award, joining such prestigious company as Karl Menninger, Peter Drucker, Norman Vincent Peale, Betty Ford, and Sir John Templeton. The Library of Congress in 1996 named his book as one of 25 that have shaped reader's lives. His book has appeared on the New York Times best-seller list (paperback non-fiction) a total of 288 weeks.
Bolles makes public speaking appearances and leads workshops around the United States. He releases updated editions of his Parachute book every year, as well as working on new titles. The latest title is "The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide", a short 100 page book. He has had various co-authors for some of his other books, including Howard Figler, Carol Christen, Dale Brown, and one of his sons, Mark Bolles. Mark is the principal author of their book Job Hunting on the Internet ISBN 1-58008-652-7. He is also a member of high-IQ society Mensa.
He lives in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area and is married in 2004 to the former Marciana Garcia Mendoza Navarrete, who is from Cavite in the Philippines see dedication for his 2009 edition of What Color is Your Parachute. He has four children by a previous marriage, and his wife has two.