Think and Grow Rich

Rating:
Summary: Think and Grow Rich is a classic.
Review: Written while he was on staff at the White House helping FDR keep the country from going insane during the depression. Hill had studied the most successful people in the country at the time: Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, William Wriggley, etc. He not only studied them, he LIVED with them, got to know them intimately. He was commissioned by the richest man in the world at that time, Andrew Carnegie, to study these successful people and figure out what they had in common, and to formulate it into principles anyone could use to become successful. And he did it. Think and Grow Rich is the culmination, and THOUSANDS of successful people owe their success to this book, and they're happy to tell you so. Some of the language is arcane, some of the explanations aren't the most scientific you've ever read, but the principles are sound. They work. It's a fun book to read, too.

Another fun book to read with substance AND references is "Self-Help Stuff That Works" by Adam Khan (Youme Works; ISBN: 0962465674).

Rating:
Summary: Not concrete???
Review: For those who think there is nothing concrete in the book. Consider this: Warren Buffet who made 33 billion bucks says that his investment strategy is perfectly described in Ben Graham's Intelligent Investor. I've met a bunch of people who think there is no description of perfect investment strategy in Graham's book. They don't have 33 billion bucks though, in fact they are mostly losing money in the stock market. Morale: one doesn't see anything unless he wants to see it.

Rating:
Summary: Proof the Master Mind Alliance works!
Review: I was introduced to Napoleon Hill's Master Mind Alliance in 1971 while working as a DJ at WWOK, in Miami, Florida which was one of the nation's first Contemporary Country Music stations. We played the hits and played a major role in crossing country music over to mainstream. As Loretta Lynn sang in one of her songs, we "were country before it was cool." The Program Director introduced all of us to the Master Mind Alliance principle from "THINK AND GROW RICH" in one of our first meetings and stated our definiteness of purpose was to be number one. This goal with a 5,000-watt station at 1260 on the dial was no small act. However, he emphasized that two or more minds in complete agreement on a purpose can achieve anything. We all bought in. Within the year, a new competitive FM station playing rock came into the market to knock off the established FM rock station. In THEIR sales kit, they included the latest ratings that posted their number three and four positions, which was a great move on the other rocker. However, in my daypart 10am to 3pm there was something significant. The number one station was WWOK. The little country station driven by the Master Mind Alliance. I have become a lifetime student of Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone and other authors that know the power of the statement, "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve." Joe Nuckols

Rating:
Summary: The Secret is only available to those who are ready
Review: Napoleon Hill's book is the only tool that people can use to actually change their lives. However, he clearly states in the book that only a select few will ever understand the Secret that he has made mention of. Dr. Hill's hope was that these few people out of the millions that bought his book would make the world a better place.

Napoleon Hill placed a premium on Ideas, and as you know there are only a few original ideas each decade, and ever fewer men and women who know how to turn them into reality. Think about much suffering is still going on today around the world. Clearly, Dr. Hill's objective that people can rid themselves of poverty through Thinking has not been achieved yet.

There are still great strides required in Health Research, Computer Technology, Pollution Prevention, Political Science, etc... to make the world a more livable, safer place. Much of what is going on today in Universities and Corporations does not pass for true, groundbreaking thinking and as such does not fall under Dr. Hill's requirements for Think and Grow Rich.

As an example of people Dr. Hill would approve of, Issac Newton would come to mind as an original thinker. Similarly, Dr. James Naismith, who invented basketball. How about Dr. Salk, who invented to Polio vaccine. Then there are the people who ran with these ideas and created fortunes. Are there any people out there who are willing to go to this type of level to change their lives? If there are, this book is for you!

Rating:
Summary: The bible of Personal Development!
Review: While there may be many "how to" books out there, this is the best. Principlesnever change. And while this book was written over 60 years ago, the technique's are still in vogue. In fact, most of the newer books are "peppered" with Napolean Hill, perhaps the best testiment to the effectiveness of Mr Hill's techniques. This is a extraordinary book. I alsorecommend "Life Strategies" by McGraw and "Superself" by Givens. Two more great books.

Rating:
Summary: This is one of the best books on success that you can own.
Review: I've read this book several times and everytime I seem to get something more that I did not get in the previous. I wish I had this book when I was in High School my life would be a lot different then it is now. I've applied some of the principles in Hill's book and I'm proof to tell you that they do work when you apply them properly. You must first read the book with a open mind to be able understand what he is talking about and use wisdom.

Rating:
Summary: I agree with the gentleman from Estonia. This book is pap!
Review: There is absolutely nothing concrete in this book. What are the steps necessary to achieve wealth? "Visualize being rich". Give me a break! And to the gentleman who says he can find verses to back up Mr. Napoleon, I would first ask what happened to "seek first the kingdom of God"? I gave it 1 star because zero was not a choice! There are much better books. Try Covey's 7-Habits. Get the basics down first.

Rating:
Summary: I disagree with the reader from estonia
Review: The principles outlined by napoleon hill are sound and practical. But they do require the reader to put in the effort. The book provides the guidelines, the reader must provide the effort. In Dr. Hill's own words - ' nature frowns upon the idea of something for nothing'

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money. This book's a cheat.
Review: Mr. Hill knows how to be mysterious. (In fact, that's all he knows.) There's a secret, you know. A secret he heard as a young boy from an old millionaire. The secret's so powerful that it can't be written down black on white. It's hidden in the book - when you read it, it will (or won't) suddenly jump into your mind sometime. When this has happened, all the world lies at your feet. Wow!

You might wonder why Mr. Hill's parents named him Napoleon. After reading this book, you'll know it was his destiny. It would be a disappointment if a person who writes a book like Think And Grow Rich would be called anything else. (Well, maybe I'd accept Caesar.)

Oh... wanna know what the secret is? That's very simple: IN ORDER TO GET RICH, YOU HAVE TO BE OBSESSED WITH MONEY. That means that money must be the most important (no, sorry, the only important) thing in the world for you. You must be ready to give up anything else in order to get money.

Sounds imbecile? It should, because it's ridiculous to consider money as your life's ultimate goal, an end in itself. Money's just pieces of paper or numbers in a bank computer. It has no value in itself, it's only good as a means for getting things you need in order to be happy.

This book contains no concrete advice on making money. There are no mental techniques or exercises either. The book consists of success stories of people who made it by burning all bridges behind them. They risked everything they had in order to get rich and they succeeded. However, if you want to try the same, you should consider the possibility that you might become one of those people Mr. Hill's not writing about - the ones who also put everything on one card, but lost it all.

Even if you're absolutely desperate and have nothing to lose - there are still many realistic make-money books available. There is absolutely no reason why anybody should waste his money and time on Napoleon Hill.

Rating:
Summary: This book turned my life around
Review: In 1990, I returned home (Orlando,Fl) after a crashing business failure in Hawaii. I had read Think & Grow Rich many years before along with other mind books including "You can if you Think you can" by Norman Vincent Peale. Frustrated, I decided to go back to my "roots" and dug out the old dog eared copy of "Think and Grow Rich" that I had packed away and began to read and most importantly apply the techniques. Within weeks, I found a new opportunity and within months, my income had grown to a personal high. I really can't say enough about Think and Grow Rich, except read it and apply the principles. The other book that came into my life at the same time I began to reread Think and Grow Rich was "More Wealth without Risk" by Charles Givens and oh yes, I also reread You can if you Think you can by Dr. Peale. I highly endorse all three books for anyone serious about success.