Think and Grow Rich was written way back in 1937 by Napoleon Hill. Napoleon studied Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and some of the richest and most successful men on earth at that time.

Most, if not all modern business or self help books can be traced in some way back to this book. It's not all about making money as the title may suggest, but riches are defined as health, happiness, and of course material wealth as well. 

Key Takeaways

Hill proposes that there are certain laws to success. These laws are no different than gravity. When applied properly, success is inevitable. He outlines these laws in each chapter and goes into great detail. 

The more subtle takeaway though can be summed up to this. Thoughts are things. Whatever is to materialize in the world must first materialize in the mind.

Critique 

Although Hill professes faith in a Higher Being, the assumption comes across that this Being (God) has created a system in which we can completely control everything we desire. My personal belief is there should be an asterisk next to Hill's philosophy that states '*unless God wants otherwise'. I don't know if this was Hill's intention or not, but it is worth thinking about as you study the book. That being said, this book is easily in everyones top 5 of best business or self help books of all time. 

Conclusion     

This is not a light read, but it is a must read for anyone serious about attaining success in life. Some of these philosophies will no doubt appear strange, and at times you may think that Hill has completely lost his mind, but I do believe whoever reads this book will be much better prepared to attain personal success.