A Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of Napoleon Hill

Rating:
Summary: N. Hill was human too....
Review: Having been a student of Napoleon Hill for many years I find Hill's own writing both brilliant, and inspirational.

Through this book I have come to learn Hill is human too, he had to learn some of his lessons the hard way. While the book lacks the brilliant motivational style of Hills own writing, we must remember that it is a biography. I question that Napoleon Hill could have been quite as honest about his life and some of its tragedies if he had written the book himself.

A Lifetime Of Riches provides good insight to the life of the man who has been such an inspiration to so many people, myself included. It offers a chronological view of the life of Hill. Granted, some of the detail of Hill's actual formulation of the success philosophy is missing. Still, the book reminds us that we strive for progress not perfection. If we fall down we must get back up.

My thanks to Mr Ritt, Mr Landers, and The Napoleon Hill Foundation for giving me the opportunity to have a greater understanding of Napoleon Hill.

Rating:
Summary: A needed book but disappointing
Review: Hill's "Think & Grow Rich" may be the best self-help book ever written. So many of his readers will be glad to have any biography about him, even though this first one came 25 years after his death. I commend the authors for not whitewashing Hill, but there is so much missing. A major reason T&GR has become an enduring classic is the underlying spiritual outlook. When Hill was a young man New Thought was blooming in America and he must have been influenced by such books as "In Tune With the Infinite." There is virtually no mention of Hill's spiritual development in the book. Secondly, Hill commented ad nauseum how Andrew Carnegie gave him a 20-year commission to study and interview successful peoople, that Carnegie would provide letters of introduction to Hill and pay his travel expenses. If this was so there must be a letter of introduction somewhere, somplace filed away. The authors quote none. Suppose Hill made that up. I don't think it cancels the value of his book, but it sure belongs in a biography. Finally, since there is so little readily accessible about Hill why not provide a bibliography of the books, magazines and newspapers where the best interviews and comments on his work exist. Still, I recommend this book because there is nothing else.

Rating:
Summary: N. Hill was human too....
Review: Hill's "Think & Grow Rich" may be the best self-help book ever written. So many of his readers will be glad to have any biography about him, even though this first one came 25 years after his death. I commend the authors for not whitewashing Hill, but there is so much missing. A major reason T&GR has become an enduring classic is the underlying spiritual outlook. When Hill was a young man New Thought was blooming in America and he must have been influenced by such books as "In Tune With the Infinite." There is virtually no mention of Hill's spiritual development in the book. Secondly, Hill commented ad nauseum how Andrew Carnegie gave him a 20-year commission to study and interview successful peoople, that Carnegie would provide letters of introduction to Hill and pay his travel expenses. If this was so there must be a letter of introduction somewhere, somplace filed away. The authors quote none. Suppose Hill made that up. I don't think it cancels the value of his book, but it sure belongs in a biography. Finally, since there is so little readily accessible about Hill why not provide a bibliography of the books, magazines and newspapers where the best interviews and comments on his work exist. Still, I recommend this book because there is nothing else.

Rating:
Summary: PIONEER OF SUCCESS
Review: When I first saw this book on the shelf I didn't hesitate to purchase it. I was an avid reader of Napoleon Hill's books and was always curious about his life. That curiousity has been somewhat satisfied by reading this biography of him written the executive director of the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

A Lifetime of Riches chronicles the roller coaster life of one of the pioneers of success programs. Born of modest circumstances Napoleon Hill rose to become one of the greatest promoters of personal and material success. His rise to fame didn't come easy. In fact he would fail many times but would get right up again for another try.

His tenaciousness, vision and audacity to try new ideas are the hallmarks of a personality that wouldn't accept defeat. Authors Michael Ritt and Kirk Landers provide the reader with a view of a man who had both his faults and weaknesses. Hill is obsessed with his mission for success and unfortunately placed everything else (including his wife and children) as third or fourth place. He paid for that mistake but still was able to bounce back in his later life.

I certainly enjoyed this book for its realistic portrayal of Hill (he was both saint and sinner) in both his good times and bad times. From his life the reader can learn it is never to late to start over regardless of age ( this was true of Hill and his father), financial setbacks or other impediments. Hill's life sets the standard for success even if it appears to allude you in time it will come.

A Lifetime of Riches is a good book to get some idea of Hill's life but it is not very detailed. Much of its information comes from Hill's unpublished "autobiography". Absent are any interviews or insight from those who worked with him. Very little is mentioned about his estrangement with his father and brothers or his importance in history as part of the motivational industry that is now a thriving industry. Perhaps someday more details will be given but for now enjoy this work of one of life's greatest motivators.