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25 Books for Success

Read these, Achieve more.
Erin Casey

25 Must-Read Books
T he Sources of Wisdom for Generations of Achiev ers
by Erin Casey
Out of hundreds, the editors of SUCCESS hav e narrowed our list to 25 must-read books for
achiev ers. The task wasn't easy , although our criteria were simple. These are books we'v e read,
liked and that made a difference in our liv es. We chose books that take a comprehensiv e
approach to money , life and personal dev elopment because we know that one-dimensional
success really isn't success at all.
Y ou might wonder why y our fav orite book didn't make the list. Well, we could'v e filled the
magazine with dozens more books. Our top 25 are by no stretch of the imagination the only books
y ou should read. To the contrary , we know reading about and apply ing techniques and success
strategies are the best way s to discov er and stay focused on y our life's journey .
We hope our list opens y our ey es to something new, inspires y ou to pick up that v olume y ou'v e
alway s meant to read or to re-read a fav orite classic. If y ou hav e suggestions on what we didn't
include, we want to hear from y ou. Use the Contact Us page to let us know!
We encourage y ou to find a book that interests y ou and carv e out a few minutes ev ery day to read
at least a few pages. Y ou'll be amazed at the difference it will make in y our journey toward
success!
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie
(Pocket Books, 1 998)
First published in 1 937 , How to Win Friends and Influence People was an ov ernight success with
stay ing power. Today , this book is regarded as one of the all-time best for its lessons on dealing
with people.
The chapter titles seem, at first, a little manipulativ e: "Six way s to make people like y ou," "1 2 way s
to win people to y our way of thinking." But the reality of Carnegie's teachings is that none will
work if the intent is manipulation. The word "genuine" appears repeatedly throughout the book.
Only with authenticity and honesty will Carnegie's methods work consistently .
How to Win Friends and Influence People is packed with anecdotes from historical leaders and
lessons learned or taught by some of history 's greatest businessmen, making the read as
interesting as it is enlightening. And the methods-calling a person by his or her name or looking
at the situation from the other's point of v iew-work in business and in personal life with family
and friends.

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Carnegie's book is a classic. Though he credits many people for inspiring his ideas, his methods
are the foundation for many of today 's personal-dev elopment and business-management books.
The Richest Man in Babylon
George S. Clason
(BNP Books, 2007 )
Too often, life doesn't turn out as ex pected. And money , or the lack of money , play s a large role
in people's ability to handle life's ups and downs. Perhaps that's why , in the 1 920s, banks and
insurance companies decided to distribute short parables written to educate people on
important financial principles. The Richest Man in Baby lon began in 1 926 as a series of
pamphlets, the most famous ones later compiled into one of the best-lov ed money guides of all
time.
The book begins with two men realizing that, while they liv ed a meager ex istence, one of their
childhood friends had become known as the wealthiest man in Baby lon. Despite growing up in
similar circumstances, their friend seemed to hav e created a life of gold while they barely
scratched out a liv ing.
The situation is all too familiar ev en today . And like the men who'd come to the realization that
they 'd failed to think bey ond the day at hand, readers hav e the opportunity to sit at the feet of the
richest man in Baby lon and learn how to build wealth. They learn how to plan for the future, make
wise inv estments and how to v iew money as a tool rather than a measure of success.
With time-tested principles and an engaging format, The Richest Man in Baby lon is an excellent
introduction to finance, and a classic.
Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill
(A v entine Press, 2004)
See the Rest of the 25 Best Books
Napoleon Hill, inspired by business
legend Andrew Carnegie, spent 20 y ears
of his life study ing the liv es of some of history 's most successful people. The culmination of his
research was the in-depth series, The Laws of Success. In 1 937 , Hill published another book,
Think and Grow Rich, founded on the same philosophies of success. This book condensed the
wealth of knowledge he's accumulated into 1 3 principles for successful liv ing.
Shorter and perhaps easier to get through than its multiv olume predecessor, Think and Grow
Rich is as applicable today as it was when it was first released. The title's principles are founded
on Hill's belief in the power of the mind, and his famous quotes, such as, "Whatev er the mind can
conceiv e and believ e, it can achiev e," hav e changed the way millions of people v iew their liv es.
When read in its entirety and its principles put into action, Think and Grow Rich not only helps
people change their v iews on life, but also the way they behav e and, ultimately , their reality .
More than 30 million copies of Think and Grow Rich hav e been bought by business students,
entrepreneurs and goal-setters around the world. When it was re-released in 2004, it rocketed
once again to the top, holding a place on BusinessWeek's Best Seller list for paperback business
books for more than 20 months.
Think and Grow Rich is a timeless classic that should be read by ev ery one interested in
improv ing their liv es and reaching their goals.
9 Steps to Financial Freedom
Suze Orman
(Crown, 1 997 )
As a financial ex pert, Suze Orman offers adv ice on the nuts and bolts of managing money . But
whether y ou're watching her on telev ision or reading her adv ice in O, The Oprah Magazine, or in
one of her best-selling books, such as 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, her message is clear: Wealth
is an attitude and money isn't the key to acquiring true financial freedom.
In this acclaimed book, Orman challenges readers to face their financial fears and acknowledge
the importance of planning for the future. With a three-pronged approach, Orman tackles the
mental, phy sical and spiritual issues that keep people from reaching financial freedom. Also
av ailable in audio format, 9 Steps to Financial Freedom encourages personal growth while
offering the education necessary to begin the process of building a rich life.
Again, it's the total approach to financial success that sets this and the other financial books on
this list apart. A cquiring wealth isn't as simple as piling up the green stuff. Y our beliefs about
money , y ourself and the world around y ou hav e as much to do with wealth as do the riches y ou
acquire.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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Stephen R. Cov ey
(Free Press, 1 989)
While Stephen Cov ey wasn't the first to write a book on becoming a better, more effectiv e person,
The 7 Habits of Highly Effectiv e People marked the beginning of a rev italized interest in personal
dev elopment. With a 1 5th anniv ersary edition released in 2004 and more than 1 5 million copies
sold, this book has helped millions change their perspectiv e and their liv es.
Unlike many authors of books in this genre, Cov ey doesn't promise a simple, quick fix for creating
a better life. In fact, mastering the sev en habits he outlines could take a lifetime. But as with many
personal-dev elopment efforts, it's what y ou learn as y ou work toward becoming a truly effectiv e
person that matters.
The habits are div ided into three sections: Priv ate Victory , Public Victory and Renewal. Priv ate
Victory focuses on the indiv idual's v iew of himself. The first three habits are: becoming
proactiv e, beginning with the end in mind, and putting first things first. These habits will
challenge y ou to take responsibility for y our thoughts, beliefs and actions. The Public Victory
section focuses on creating meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships. And because being
effectiv e requires energy and focus, the sev enth habit, "Sharpening the Saw," encourages y ou to
engage in activ ities that promote mental and phy sical renewal.
Cov ey say s that when our behav ior contradicts our beliefs or when our relationships consistently
fail, any successes we achiev e feel hollow. This book takes a total approach to success and
encourages growth and maturity beginning with self, which leads to stronger relationships and
greater success at home and at work.

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Missed One...
March 12, 2008 5:04 PM

Most of the titles on your top 25 list are familiar but I think you missed one...I would strongly recommend
"Leadership Matters...The CEO Survival Manual" by Mike Myatt. His book is a great read for any business
leader.
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