By:
John Rivera
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Every
year there are dozens of self-help books published in the US. Some are read
and soon forgotten and eventually go out of print while others go on to
become classics. A classic book is a book accepted as being exemplary or
noteworthy and has stood the test of time. This is a list of what I consider
to be the best self-help book classics.
5. It Works by RHJ
Though not as well-known as the other books on this list, Roy Herbert Jarrett
known as R. H. J. authored the little book entitled "IT Works!"
published in 1926. "IT Works!" outlined a simple, workable
procedure for obtaining one's heart's desires by focus of thought power. The
simple, powerful procedure to obtain whatsoever one desires, by right
thinking, has brought happiness and fulfillment to many as they learned how
to focus their thoughts. Virtually all books on goal setting and mind control
published since "It Works!" have followed the same basic ideas. And
nothing exceeds imitation for proof of validity!
4. The Richest Man in Babylon by
George S. Clason
The Richest Man in Babylon is a book by George Samuel Clason which gives
financial advice through a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon.
Through their experiences in business and managing household finance, the
characters in the parables learn simple lessons in financial wisdom.
Originally, a series of separate informational pamphlets distributed by banks
and insurance companies, the pamphlets were bound together and published in
book form in 1926. The most important idea in the book is this: "A part
of all you earn is yours to keep" meaning you should save a tenth of all
you make to invest, doing so will make you wealthy. Modern writers have
adopted this idea most notably David L. Bach best known for his Automatic
Millionaire Series of motivational financial books.
3. The Science of Getting Rich by
Wallace D. Wattles
The Science of Getting Rich is a book written by the New Thought Movement
writer Wallace D. Wattles and published in 1910 by the Elizabeth Towne
Company. The book is still in print after 100 years. It was a major
inspiration for Rhonda Byrne's bestselling book and film The Secret (2006).
According to USA Today, the text is "divided into 17 short,
straight-to-the-point chapters that explain how to overcome mental barriers, and
how creation, not competition, is the hidden key to wealth attraction."
The Science of Getting Rich preceded similar financial success books such as
The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel (1912) and Think and Grow Rich by
Napoleon Hill (1937). In the 100 years since its publication, it has gone
through many editions, and remains in print from more than one publisher.
2. The Strangest Secret by Earl
Nightingale
Not a book but a recording of a weekly pep talk given to Nightingales sales
force, he owned an insurance agency at the time, The Strangest Secret, earned
the first Gold Record for the spoken word, with sales exceeding 1 million
copies. Nightingale, known as the 'dean of personal development,' reveals how
he discovered and lived the secret to success. Nightingale partnered with Vic
Conant to market the recording due to popular demand for it and is also
credited with starting the self-help/personal development field.
1. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon
Hill
Considered by many to be the greatest self-help book ever published, Hill’s
Think and Grow Rich first published in 1937, 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).
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John
Rivera is a professional blogger having been blogging since blogging was in
its infancy. John has always had an insatiable curiosity about the world ever
since he can remember. Always asking why, John was attracted to self-help
books from an early age become a voracious reader in the process. He
currently blog about self-help books at The Self-help Books Guide.
He has a degree in Philosophy.
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