Think and Grow Rich: The Original Classic (Capstone Classics)

Those who have read one or more of the volumes that comprise Tom Butler-Bowdon's "50 Classics" series already know that he possesses superior reasoning and writing skills as well as a relentless curiosity when conducting research on history's greatest thinkers and their major works. For these and other reasons, I cannot think of another person better qualified to provide the introductions to the volumes that comprise a new series, "Capstone Classics." Think and Grow Rich was based on two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill (concluded in 1928) after being retained by Andrew Carnegie to complete an analysis of 500 of the most successful people in the United States and elsewhere. The title of his original report, "Laws of Success," consisted of 1,500 pages in a series of seven volumes, in which Hill lists and discusses 17 "principles of achievement." It is worth noting that this volume in the "Capstone Classics" series also contains both the "Publisher's Preface to Original Edition" and the "Author's Introduction to the Original Edition" (published in 1937) and a list of those interviewed by Napoleon Hill over a 20-year period. Unlike so many others, Butler-Bowdon provides more, much more than a flimsy "briefing" to the given work. For this volume, he creates a context, a frame-of-reference, for Napoleon Hill's insights in a 16-page introduction in which he addresses subjects, themes, and issues such as these: o A brief but remarkably insightful review of pertinent details in Hill's circumstances when retained by Carnegie o His magazine ventures, notably Hill's Golden Rule and Napoleon Hill's Magazine o Hill's DRAFT of a book, The 13 Steps to Riches, based on material introduced in "Laws of Success" o Original title of DRAFT was changed to Use Your Noodle to Win More Boodle and then, final, to Think and Grow Rich o Hill's "four clear elements of success" (i.e. desire, faith, plans, and persistence) o The moral and spiritual foundation of Think and Grow Rich o 31 reasons why people fail o The self-defeating aspects of personality that many (most?) people do not recognize So what is "The "Supreme Secret" of success revealed by Hill in a later work, Grow Rich with Peace of Mind, published in 1967, three years before his death? "Anything the human mind can believe, the human mind can achieve." Although it may now be fashionable to dismiss (often with ridicule) all such aphorisms, the fact remains that every success in life does indeed require an idea, an insight, that someone then makes a reality. Thomas Edison was right: "Vision without execution is hallucination" but execution without purpose is merely effort without value. As Butler-Bowdon suggests, "Hill was saying that there were [begin italics] no limits [end italics] to what a person can do [unless self-imposed], and history has proved it so thousands of times with the stories of any remarkable person." As indicated earlier, Tom Butler-Bowdon's purpose in this introduction is to create a context, a frame-of-reference, for Hill's insights. He does so brilliantly in this instance and in each of the other volumes in the Capstone Classics series that have been published thus far.

I have read a lot of leadership, personal development books and courses and gained a lot of insights about how to develop oneself and the personal environment - private and business. Yet, there was always some depth missing. N. Hill manages to show the complexity which makes success and boils it down to 13 principles, which - by concequent and balanced application - lead you to your personal goals, whatever they are. In my perspective it firstly is written to accumulate richess in terms of financial wealth, but can in the same time also be applied for goals generating richess in another, probably more extent sense. The book provides in-depths and condensed insights from profound studies over a period of 25 years, which makes it so precious. And for those, who might argue the book is outdated: Wrong assumption; there are principles which are everlasting as they apply for mankind in general. As an example, Hill refers to the corrupt banking industry after the financial crisis and the great depression in the 1930th of the 20th century, to demonstrate wrong application of the principles. What he describes in that context ist equally if not even more applicable nowadays. Hence, cycles repeat over time, as driven by mankind. It is a profound masterpiece, not only providing hope in times of economic crisis around the globe for those who are willing to make a positive impact, but also showing the way there. Markus Hammer

The text is the same across any platform, which is excellent, however this copy was made with a durable cover, very soft but thick pages of premium paper, and the binding is excellent. The pages dont bleed through to the other side when marked with a highlighter and the entire book has a feel of quality when you handle it, print is very easy on the eyes but not too big. Well worth my hard earned money.

This book is really amazing! Read this book, you will not regret it! Author really elaborates on what it takes to be successful. He has written a very well planned systematic way of doing it in this book too. This book inspires people who have the burning desire but do not know how to put it into action or even know where to begin. It teaches individuals who are burned out or give up to discipline themselves to keep pushing harder to finish their goal. Of course the book has examples of Henry Ford with the automobile and Andrew Carnegie with the steel industry but the same idea can be applied to anything. It is all about setting yourself up a goal of where you want to be in life and then use creativity with determination to achieve it. The book also gives you a systematic way of how to discipline yourself. All you need really is the burning desire, a goal in your life, and read this book and the Bible, faith, creativity, self-discipline, and determination to achieve your life desires.

a great book for sure

I still can't believe I hadn't read this book before. I've been an entrepreneur for years and I'd always heard that it was required reading if you strike out on your own. I recommend it to anyone who's looking for inspiration to better themselves. It's funny, this book was published in 1937, so you think it would be a bit dated (it is in parts, but it's not distracting), however the lessons are timeless. It almost feels like Mr. Hill is reading today's headlines and extracting the lessons we need to learn and applying them in this book. Some parts get a little hokey pokey at the end, but hey, I figure whatever worked for him he's passing on to us. Take out of the books what works for you, leave the rest if your not comfortable with it.

Some good nuggets of info, but its buried and difficult to pull out. You can probably find the same info better organized, but it's a classic. Highly motivational, but I think it could be more motivational if it was more organized and to the point. I did enjoy the read, but wouldn't read it again as the author suggests. I'd rather read a re-hash of someone who can put it together better. I'm shocked that he claims he took so long to write it because its actually poorly written. Just good info.

This book was introduced to me more than 30 years ago and EVERY time I read it and follow the instructions, like reading my statement before I go to bed and first thing in the morning, something huge and almost miraculous happens! It has to do with how it changes your mindset and you really do attract more of what you're focused on! I've given over 100 away as a gift because I know it works! Don't listen to me, try it for yourself. I'm telling you, it will change your life! Blessings to all who see this!