Think and Grow Rich [Abridged] [Mass Market Paperback]

If you asked me to recommend to you the single best book I have ever read, my answer would be a very definite "Think and Grow Rich".
First published in 1937, this is the end product of two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill. His research started when Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon who was then the richest man on earth) gave him the assignment of organizing a Philosophy of Personal Achievement. Hill, who was a poor journalist, armed with just an introductory letter from Carnegie, set out to interview over five hundred successful people including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, John D. Rockefeller, George Eastman, William Wrigley Jr. and Charles M. Schwab. Hill then revealed the priceless wisdom of his research in the form of the thirteen steps to success (in Think and Grow Rich) and the seventeen principles of success (in courses and lectures he conducted).
The concepts taught by Napoleon Hill transformed my life. Some of these include developing a definite purpose, building a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), channeling the power of the sub-conscious mind and dealing with adversity. Everything he wrote about or talked about is thought provoking. He was wise, humble and funny. His philosophy is universal; he did not mix it with religion. The riches he referred to were more than money, for the Philosophy of Personal Achievement can be applied to anything in life.
Hill was well ahead of his time. This book has a chapter dedicated to some of today's most important issues - Specialized Knowledge, Decision Making, Imagination and Organized Planning (in which he deals with Leadership). He also has principles for Teamwork, Creative Vision, Health, etc.
This is a classic, and hence the examples are old (not to be confused with outdated). But they are as relevant today as they were in the early twentieth century. Here is an example from T&GR in the chapter on Desire:
On the morning after the Great Fire of Chicago (1871), a group of merchants on Chicago's State Street went into a conference to decide whether to rebuild their stores or leave Chicago. All but one decided to leave. The merchant who decided to stay pointed a finger to the remains of his store and said "Gentlemen, on that very spot I will build the world's greatest store, no matter how many times it may burn down." His name was Marshall Field and his store still exists, and in Hill's words is "a towering monument to that state of mind known as a burning desire." I lived in Chicago from 2002 through 2004 and worked three blocks away from this impressive store on State Street. Sometimes I would visit it or stand outside it to derive inspiration and be reminded of the power of desire. It is amazing that Hill describes "burning desire" with a story based on the Chicago Fire.
There are thousands of self-help books out in the market and hundreds of self proclaimed "gurus" who have made a living by copying the wisdom in Hill's books. As I went through some of those books I realized that there was not much in them that Hill had not already written about. I recommend quality over quantity. Instead of reading through many books, I recommend that you study the following works of Hill and internalize his wisdom:
1. The Think and Grow Rich Action Pack (1937) - I recommend the Action Pack edition,
2. Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement - this is an excellent guide to his principles,
3. Your Right To Be Rich [Unabridged] - this consists of 12 hours of live lectures covering the 17 principles, that Hill conducted in Chicago in 1954.
By internalizing, I mean studying in depth - analyzing the ideas, making notes and summaries. I own more CDs by Hill, but I believe that these 3 items make the perfect study plan on the Philosophy of Personal Achievement.
I am greatly indebted to Napoleon Hill. The purpose of my writing this is to spread awareness of his work so that more people can benefit from it. This, I believe is the best way in which Hill would have liked to have been repaid.
If my review was helpful to you, I request you to select "Yes" so that the rating is improved and more readers will get to read it. Please also see the website of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, naphill dot org, which has helpful resources.

I bought this book two years ago. It turned my life around. Following the principles Napoleon Hill teaches in this great book enabled me to overcome a serious, long-term drinking problem, in a matter of weeks. It also gave me the courage to quit a dead end job and start my own business. Not a week goes by that I don't pick up this book and re-read a section related to some problem that has come up. I also re-study a chapter and the endnotes each week to keep my motivation hitting on all cylinders. When I finish, I start over again with the first chapter. I will read this book and study it in this fashion for the rest of my life, just as I do with my Bible. Those two resources are the blueprint and the foundation for leading a purposeful, meaningful life. I give copies of Think and Grow Rich to people whom I think it will help. I recommend it to anyone who is seeking the key to success in life in all its aspects.

I have read many hundreds of books over the past 14 years in my quest for success. Think and Grow Rich stands at the top. It has made a positive impact on my life that is second to none. To the degree that I have applied the principles in this book, I have reaped incredible results.

As I was going through this new edition for the first time, I was comparing it to an old original edition that I have. The editor, Ross Cornwell, has stayed true to the original, especially compared to some other editions. It is amazing to me some of the text that was left out of the other editions. Some of that information is incredibly powerful.

I can imagine how difficult it was to revise the book while staying true to Napoleon Hill. We all have our biases and opinions. I don't necessarily agree with every thing Napoleon Hill said, but when I read Think and Grow Rich, I want to trust that I am reading what Hill meant to say and not what someone thought he meant or thought he should have meant.

The sad part is when someone comes across one of the other editions, they will read it and not really be reading the true Think and Grow Rich, and they won't even know it. This new edition has done it justice, and where the editor interpreted

what Hill meant or would mean (in the endnotes), he clearly states this, and that is key.

I believe Mr. Cornwell is doing a great thing by getting this information out there in its true and intended form for other people, because the principles explained in this book have produced, in me, an inner strength and confidence that has allowed for massive growth in all areas of my life. I have a long way to go to reach my full potential, but these principles have put me on the upward path. I truly believe I can become and achieve anything I TRULY desire because of what I learned from Think and Grow Rich!.