Success
ACRES OF DIAMONDS: Our Every-Day Opportunities (Wisdom & Empowerment Series)
This carefully crafted ebook: "ACRES OF DIAMONDS: Our Every-day Opportunities (Wisdom & Empowerment Series)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. The original inspiration for his most famous essay, "Acres of Diamonds", occurred in 1869 when Conwell was traveling in the Middle East. The central idea of the work is that one need not look elsewhere for opportunity, achievement, or fortune?the resources to achieve all good things are present in one's own community. This theme is developed by an introductory anecdote, credited by Conwell to an Arab guide, about a man who wanted to find diamonds so badly that he sold his property and went off in futile search for them. The new owner of his home discovered that a rich diamond mine was located right there on the property. Conwell elaborates on the theme through examples of success, genius, service, or other virtues involving ordinary Americans contemporary to his audience: "dig in your own backyard!". The book has been regarded as a classic of New Thought literature since the 1870s. Russell Conwell (1843-1925) was an American Baptist minister, orator, philanthropist, lawyer, and writer.
Ambition and Success
"Ambition is the spur that makes man struggle with destiny: it is heaven's own incentive to make purpose great, and achievement greater." IN a factory where mariners' compasses are made, the needles, before they are magnetized, will lie in any position, wherever they are placed, but from the moment they have been touched by the mighty magnet and have been electrified, they are never again the same. They have taken on a mysterious power and are new creatures. Before they are magnetized, they do not answer the call of the North Star, the magnetic pole does not have any effect upon them, but the moment they have been magnetized they 'swing to the magnetic north, and are ever after loyal and true to their affinity.' Multitudes of people, like an unmagnetized needle, lie motionless, unresponsive to any stimulus until they are touched by that mysterious force we call ambition. Whence comes this overmastering impulse which pushes human beings on, each to his individual goal? Where is the source of ambition, and how and when does it gain entrance into our lives? This book is about finding that ambition within you!
Andy Gordon, Or, the Fortunes of a Young Janitor
Horatio Alger Jr. (1832-1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, best known for his many young-adult fiction novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty. His writings were characterized by the "rags to riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on America during the Gilded Age. Essentially, all of Alger's juvenile novels share the same theme, known as the "Horatio Alger myth" a teenage boy works hard to escape poverty. Often though, it is not the hard work itself that rescues the boy from his fate, but rather some extraordinary act of bravery or honesty. The boy might return a large sum of lost money or rescue someone from an overturned carriage. This brings the boy , and his plight , to the attention of a wealthy individual. Alger secured his literary niche in 1868 with the publication of his fourth book, Ragged Dick, the story of a poor bootblack's rise to middle-class respectability. This novel was a huge success. His many books that followed were essentially variations on Ragged Dick and featured casts of stock characters: the valiant hard-working, honest youth, the noble mysterious stranger, the snobbish youth, and the evil, greedy squire.
Bernard Brooks’ Adventures: The Experiences of a Plucky Boy
1903. Alger is the original rags-to-riches guy, often credited with inventing the strive-and-succeed spirit that inspired boys to work hard and advance themselves in order to achieve the American Dream. This theme resonates throughout his numerous writings. In this book Alger tells the tale of Bernard Brooks, a fifteen year old orphan, who is sent to Ezekiel Snowdon's rural boarding school by his New York guardian, Cornelius McCracken, who has secretly appropriated money from the young man. To escape being beaten Bernard runs away from the school. After leaving the school he meets many characters along his travels who he helps with their troubles. Bernard attempts a reconciliation with his guardian, but is rebuffed. Now he must overcome the obstacles thrown in his path by his guardian and others to reclaim what is rightly his. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.
Bob Burton; Or, the Young Ranchman of the Missouri .
Horatio Alger Jr. January 13, 1832 - July 18, 1899) was an American writer, best known for his many young adult novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on the United States during the Gilded Age.All of Alger's juvenile novels share essentially the same theme, known as the "Horatio Alger myth" a teenage boy works hard to escape poverty. Often it is not hard work that rescues the boy from his fate but rather some extraordinary act of bravery or honesty. The boy might return a large sum of lost money or rescue someone from an overturned carriage. This brings the boy-and his plight-to the attention of a wealthy individual.Alger secured his literary niche in 1868 with the publication of his fourth book, Ragged Dick, the story of a poor bootblack's rise to middle-class respectability. This novel was a huge success. His many books that followed were essentially variations on Ragged Dick and featured casts of stock characters: the valiant hard-working, honest youth, the noble mysterious stranger, the snobbish youth, and the evil, greedy squire.In the 1870s, Alger's fiction was growing stale. His publisher suggested he tour the American West for fresh material to incorporate into his fiction. Alger took a trip to California, but the trip had little effect on his writing: he remained mired in the tired theme of "poor boy makes good." The backdrops of these novels, however, became the American West rather than the urban environments of the northeastern United States.
Boy Wanted, a Book of Cheerful Counsel
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