Do you have a book or a top few books that you would consider as ‘Classic’ books or ‘must read books’? The great part about this question is it is purely in the mind of the beholder. There is not an age requirement, educational level, business achievement which makes one opinion more relevant than another opinion.
What gets a bit fuzzy is the assigned ‘Best Seller’ status or making it to the New York Times Best Seller list. All of a sudden we all feel peer pressure to read and enjoy or experience this anointed book due to an outside ‘expert’ giving everyone their opinion.
Feel free to offer your book titles and why these books are your classic books in the comments section of this article.
It is my opinion that one of the reasons to say a book is a classic book is when it is life changing. The impact of reading and studying the book has changed one’s life. The book is read over and over again by the person and studied by the person and potentially even the concepts from the book are taught to others by the person.
An example would be the classic work by Napoleon Hill, “Think And Grow Rich”.
There are some who scoff at the book due to the title and their own perception of what the words in the title may mean in regard to the content. These people when questioned have never studied the book and some have never read the book one single time.
The book, “Think and Grow Rich”, is based upon Napoleon Hill studying the characteristics of 500 high achievers, in direct interviews, introduced to him by Andrew Carnegie or through his association with Andrew Carnegie. Readers are provided with thirteen principles in the form of a philosophy of personal achievement.
The book points out that an individual with desire, faith and persistence can reach great heights by eliminating negative energy and thoughts and focusing on the greater goals at hand.
The thirteen steps listed in the book are:
- Desire
- Faith
- Autosuggestion
- Specialized Knowledge
- Imagination
- Organized Planning
- Decision
- Persistence
- Power of the Master Mind
- The Mystery of Sex Transmutation
- The Subconscious Mind
- The Brain
- The Sixth Sense
In this book are exact details of what to do and how to do it which may be applied to any aspect of your life. For Example – One chapter is called PERSISTENCE.
From the book, “Think and Grow Rich” – “Lack of persistence is one of the major causes of failure. Moreover, experience with thousands of people has proved that lack of persistence is a weakness common to the majority of men. It is a weakness which may be overcome by effort. The ease with which lack of persistence may be conquered will depend entirely upon the intensity of one’s desire.”
Is it fair to say this is a fact which if studied and taken apart word by word might, this one single paragraph, could change the lives of thousands, no millions of people, if they understood the exact meaning and consequences of their behavior?
Do you have a desire for something? Would you continue through a failure or two or three to continue to achieve the desire?
The book, “Think and Grow Rich” should be read beginning in High School. The book should be discussed together with a group of fellow students. It is a book which should be read over and over again. It is a life lesson book. A way to live book.
What is your classic book and why? Click to like my Facebook page and share with us on Facebook more about what you consider your classic book.
Mitch Tublin is an advanced and certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford, CT.
