Today is World Book Day and a plethora of writers and philosophers are being remembered for their literary contributions to the world. From ancient stories in the form of tomb paintings, religious scripts such as the Bible and the Quran to the new age spiritual teachings, science fiction or fantasy novels, it is safe to say that creative writing and books have always served its purpose, showing their importance to humans throughout history.
Here are 3 of our favourite books of all time!
1) Think and Grow Rich – Written by Napoleon Hill in 1937. This book was promoted as a personal development and self-improvement book. Napoleon Hill was inspired after speaking with business magnate and later-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. While much of the book focuses on increasing one’s personal income, Hill insists that the philosophy he teaches in the book can help people succeed in any line of work.
Think and Grow Rich also teaches that people can be and do anything they can imagine. Published during the Great Depression and at the time of Hill’s death in 1970, Think and Grow Rich had sold more than 20 million copies. In 2015 that sales number had impressively risen to over 100 million copies sold worldwide. It remains the biggest seller of Napoleon Hill’s books to date.
2) The Secret – Written by Rhonda Byrne. The Secret is a best-selling 2006 self-help book by Rhonda Byrne, based on the earlier released film of the same name. It is based on the pseudoscientific teachings of the law of attraction which claims that thoughts can change the world directly. The book has sold 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 50 languages. This book is not as in-depth in regards to the law of attraction teachings as other books, but it is a great introduction to the philosophy. I personally have read over 50 self-help books after being inspired by ‘The Secret’ back in 2007.
3) The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment – By Eckhart Tolle. This book was written to be a guide for day-to-day living and highlights the importance of living in the present moment.
The book draws from a variety of “spiritual traditions” and Tolle used these traditions to describe a “belief system based on living in the present moment”. The most important message in the book is that people’s emotional problems are deeply rooted in their identification with their minds. Tolle stresses that all people should learn to be aware of their “present moment” instead of losing themselves in worry and anxiety about the past or future.
Published in the late 1990s, the book was recommended by Oprah Winfrey and has been translated into 33 languages. It was estimated that three million copies had been sold in North America to date.
There are many other books that I have read over the years but Think and Grow Rich, The Secret, and The Power Of Now, have all greatly inspired me contributing to my spiritual growth, allowing me to learn techniques, change my self-talk and build my self-confidence, helping me to become the woman I am today.
