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(Paul Harris' home page)

The Founder of Rotary

This Rotarian Age

My Road to Rotary

The Founder of Rotary, by Paul P. Harris

with forward by Chesley R. Perry, 1928, Courtesy of the Wolfgang Ziegler Collection.

• This rare, out of print book, was acquired at auction by Sr. RGHF Historian and life member, Wolfgang Ziegler.

• Another copy was found by RGHF Founder , Jack M. B. Selway, who will be adding some of it to "What Paul Harris Said." 

• Selway has also added the entire contents of his copy to the website

• RGHF member Carlos Calzada has added a full copy in PDF

• The New Orleans hurricane that nearly killed Harris

• From the proceedings of the 1929 Rotary International Convention in Dallas:

  Autobiography of Paul P. Harris

   

  As a mark of affection and esteem for our President Emeritus, Governor Yoneyama of Japan had Paul Harris' autobiography [The Founder of Rotary] translated into Japanese and printed and made a complimentary distribution of that edition.

   

  In order to give Spanish‑speaking Rotarians an opportunity to read this book, at President Sutton's suggestion, Special Commissioner Carvallo made a translation of it into Spanish. The Spanish edition is now being printed and copies will soon be on sale.

In the forward, Ches mentions Paul's serious illness at the end of his second term as president.

Wolfgang Ziegler

"The Founder of Rotary" 1928, was the first of three major books by Paul P. Harris. The second, "This Rotarian Age," in 1935, was a text on Rotary service and history; and the more popular "My Road to Rotary," in 1948 round out the three.  The first and last were autobiographical. Only "My Road to Rotary" continues in print today and can be ordered from Rotary International's publication department, under "books."

In the year following the publication of this book, Paul and Jean traveled in Europe, including a visit to her home of Edinburgh. Because his writing is of such excellence and because it can help all Rotarians to understand the philosophy behind his "idea" of our organization, Rotary First 100 has provided the book, on line.