Book review- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Friday, March 4, 2011
This book is a timeless classic by motivational writer Napoleon Hill. It has sold more than 10 million copies to date. I came across this book on a site which helps entrepreneurs. It was voted as one of the book all entrepreneurs should read. I am not an entrepreneur but a title like Think and Grow Rich has the potential to trap anyone into reading the book.
I had expected the book to be of a technical nature, describing stock markets, how to invest in shares, what exactly venture capitalists are (I still don't know) and such things. But the book is on a completely different plane. It is mainly spiritual and motivational in nature with occult added in for a good measure.
The closest comparisons to this book are the Monk who Sold his Ferrari and The Alchemist. But those two books focus on finding one's spiritual side and applying it mainly in context of personal life, relationships, self-discovery etc.
Think and Grow Rich teaches principles which can also be applied to love, relationships, generall happiness but in the book the author describes how to use them to accumulate wealth. I was hooked into the book once I started reading it, but the latter part of the book was not as splendid as its start. Nevertheless, I still found valuable advice in this book.
Many of the principles explained in this book might sound like esoteric nonsense to those not accustomed to reading such books. I agree that the book does not really talk about things like shares, how to start you own business and such thinsg in an easy, practical way. In fact, it has no such information. It is also difficult to agree with all the principles in the book.
One of the most annoying part about the book was that it has more history than a high school History textbook. The Independence of America, the Great Depression of 1930 etc. are described in great detail. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Andrew Carnegie are given as real-life examples for every principle that the author describes.
The book has thirteen principles which if applied properly can make you rich. It is a very good book if you need a motivational push to start your dream business or have an 'etrepreneurial state of mind'. One of the biggest drawbacks of this book is that Hill's writing style is not as interesting and easily understood as Linda Goodman's. For a book so complex, good writing is a must to be able to convey the message properly to the readers.
The thing that struck me the most about this book was its startling similarity to the Secret by Rhonda Bryne. the philosophy of both is the same- Your thoughts should be positive and whatever you earnestly want, the universe will give it to you.
Rating
Style-4.2
Pros
Makes you feel good and gives you confidence
Many examples and short stories about real people add fun
Many of these principles can be applied in other spheres of life, too.
Cons
Too much history and too many boring facts
Has no practical information on how to go about starting a business