Average customer rating:
- Great book...well paced and an excellent horror story
- A Phantasmagoric Phenomenon
- Not Bad But I Expected More Somehow
- shocker in more ways than one
- Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
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Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel
Joe Hill
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 United States
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Ghosts
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ASIN: 0061147931
Release Date: 2007-02-13 |
Amazon.com
Do you sleep with the light on? Are you in the habit of checking your doors and windows before you go to bed? Maybe even checking under your bed? If you are about to crack open Joe Hill's chilling thriller Heart-Shaped Box, you might want to rethink your nighttime habits--Hill's story about an aging rock star (with a penchant for macabre artifacts) who buys a haunted suit online will scare you silly. But don't take our word for it. We asked bestselling authors (and masters of dark terror tales themselves) Scott Smith, and Harlan Coben to read Heart-Shaped Box and give us their take. Check out their reviews below, and you might want to pick up a nightlight while you're at it. --Daphne Durham
Guest Reviewer: Scott Smith
In 1993, Scott Smith wowed readers with his stunning debut thriller, A Simple Plan. Thirteen years later, he spooked us again with The Ruins, a horror-thriller about four Americans traveling in Mexico who stumble across a nightmare in the jungle.
The set-up for Joe Hill's novel, Heart-Shaped Box, is appealingly simple. Jude Coyne, an aging rock star, buys himself a dead man's suit. He acquires it online, lured by the promise that the dead man's ghost will be included in his purchase. Jude thinks this is a joke, of course. He also assumes the seller is a stranger. We soon discover that he's wrong on both counts, however, and from this point on the story moves with an exhilarating urgency. Jude wants the ghost gone; the ghost wants Jude dead. We watch, chapter-by-chapter, as they battle for survival. "Watch" is the appropriate word, too, because this is an extremely visual book. Hill's prose is lean and precise, and he renders Jude's world with impressive confidence. It feels solid, every detail both correct and fresh. And this physicality provides a firm platform for the book's otherworldly happenings, which seem all the more frightening for being so securely grounded.
Hill has a flawless sense of pacing. His narrative never flags, nor does it ever move so quickly as to outrun itself. And one can sense his literary ambition pushing at the margins of the genre. There are times when his writing, for all its spare efficiency, seems to jump away from him, stopping one small step short of poetry. An e-mail to Jude from the ghost (trust me, it's not as absurd as it sounds) could even pass for something ee cummings might've written, in an especially morbid mood. And toward the end of the book, when Hill describes a trip down death's "night road" in a '65 Mustang, the passage has a startlingly lyrical beauty.
The story's horror ultimately has as much to do with Jude Coyne's past--his mistakes, abandonments and betrayals--as with anything supernatural. Jude has caused a lot of pain over the years, moving through life with a carelessness that verges on the callous. His battle with the ghost brings this behavior into sharp relief, forcing him to reflect upon his own capacity for cruelty. This dawning self-awareness leavens the book's bleakness and gore (and it is delightfully gory in places) with an unexpected sweetness. Despite our initial impression, Jude is gradually revealed--both to himself and the reader--as an essentially decent, even kind man. It's this kindness, this fledgling ability to love and be loved, that will ultimately be of crucial consequence in his death struggle with the ghost. And it's what makes Hill's debut not only well-written and terrifying, but also--as it draws to its close--surprisingly moving. So go ahead, take a chance, and open his Heart-Shaped Box. I think you'll be happy you did. --Scott Smith
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Guest Reviewer: Harlan Coben
Harlan Coben is the author of the beloved Myron Bolitar series about a wisecracking sports agent, as well as stunning stand-alone novels like The Innocent and his breakout thriller Tell No One. His new novel The Woods releases on April 17, 2007.
You, dear reader, are obviously somewhat versed in making online purchases, so today, immediately after you click on the yellow "Add to Shopping Cart" on the top right hand corner of this page, why not do an online search and buy something totally unique?
Like, say, a vengeful ghost.
That is what rock-star Judas Coyne does, thinking it will be a laugh, fun for his "sick-o" collection of such things. It seems a random buy, but Judas soon learns that it is anything but. This particular ghost is one Craddock McDermott, step-father to recent suicide victim and boy, is he cranky. He demands revenge for his step-daughter's death, which he blames on Judas's shabby treatment of her.
Or is he after something else?
There are Amazon readers who will give you a better plot summary. Don't read them too closely because Joe Hill provides plenty of fun surprises. Heart-Shaped Box is a true spine-tingler. I don't use that hyphenated word much anymore. We have seen and read it all, haven't we? But right away, in the first chapter, there was a subtle line that made the hairs on the back of my neck go up in a way I haven't experienced since I first discovered great horror as a teenager.
Hill writes with a sure hand. The prose is compelling. Like most memorable tales of horror, this book is more about redemption than scary moments--though Heart-Shaped Box has plenty of scares. They are visceral, shocking and very well done. The characters are flawed and real. The father-son relationship adds texture and surprising poignancy.
So here's the thing. My guess is, you won't find a ghost to buy online, but if you read the Heart-Shaped Box, you will be getting something that will haunt you and startle you and stay with you and yes, visit you in your dreams.
Sleep well, dear reader. --Harlan Coben
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Book Description
Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet.
I will "sell" my stepfather's ghost to the highest bidder. . . .
For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts—of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more?
But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing.
And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . .
A multiple-award winner for his short fiction, author Joe Hill immediately vaults into the top echelon of dark fantasists with a blood-chilling roller-coaster ride of a novel, a masterwork brimming with relentless thrills and acid terror.
Customer Reviews:
Great book...well paced and an excellent horror story.......2007-10-13
This is one of the best ghost stories I have read in quite some time. The story is well paced, the characters are well written and the whole read was very enjoyable. Sorry Joe; this is one that I will be letting my friends borrow. You'll lose the sale but expand your fan base.
A Phantasmagoric Phenomenon.......2007-10-13
A horror first, then morphing to thriller - this book is an excellent page turner, and doesn't fall into many cliches unwillingly. This is high praise for a novel of this genre, a genre very hard to break ground in. I hope its not just knowing who his dad is that led me to draw many comparisons between their work, but its pretty much impossible not to do so. Apologies for that, but Mr. Hill starts that ball rolling with his dedication on page 1. Nods/tributes to Steven King seemed to fill the book - maybe its just because SK has so fully explored all the horror archetypes, while building a number of his own along the way. Joe knows the language - and breaks a good deal of new ground himself. It ends well, if a little too cleanly (I'm not saying 'happily')- which is something many horror/thriller writers fail to do.
I'd say the original concepts only carry the book about halfway - and that the second half of the book has outgrown the plausibility established in the first half. The subject matter is handled with a lot of maturity - depending far more on very real human psychology rather than supernatural crutches.
It read as a screen play - with lots of camera direction, I strongly suspect that this was intentional and a businessman's approach to writing (less reworking/reinterpreting to do when/if a movie comes along, which I think is inevitable for this book). This was distracting at times - especially when time motion flicker effects are described (think The Ring or House on Haunted Hill). A novel limited by camera effects - or a novelist calling upon the readers visual vocabulary, you decide.
I give it an 8.5 out of 10 - and though people do seem to love it a bit more because of its 'royal' heritage (Neil Gaiman gives an orgasmic review that comes across to me as excessive and comical), it is defiantly a good read. His comparisons to Clive Barker's first turn out of the gates are apt (Damnation Game is good stuff - highly underrated Barker).
I too have a fascination with the upstarts in the fiction industry - and there is plenty of magic in the idea of Joe Hill following in some very big footsteps.
Not Bad But I Expected More Somehow.......2007-10-09
Many people have already spoken about Heart-Shaped Box, so I won't go into enormous detail in my review. I can say that in general I did enjoy the book, yet I felt somehow disappointed. I know Joe Hill was King's son before I read the book and for me that did not necessarily add any appeal, but it built some expectation in me that the book would be perhaps in the tightly-crafted vein of Stephen King's youthful work. It was and it wasn't.
In the first section of the book, in the initial discovery of the ghost and subsequent run from it, I felt the suspense and characterization was fairly well done. Jude was an aging rock jerk with too much time and money, his girlfriend was attractive, young, and apparently with little self-esteem, his manager was a tool. As the book progressed, however, the reader was clearly meant to see that Jude was undergoing character development and realizing he did indeed love Georgia (and Florida too). But it felt forced to me. Especially **SPOILER**the end, in which Jude and Georgia become a cozy married couple and he is a kindly elder gent. Meh, it did not ring true. Why does Georgia give 2 figs for this guy? Why are they still together? Why does anyone care about him?**SPOILER OVER**
In addition, I can't get over the idea that Jude looks like Lemmy from Motorhead and behaves like Ozzie Osborne (prior to unintelligibility). And frankly, being an unrepentant NIN fan, I just can't imagine, even in fiction, Trent Reznor working with this guy. What would the two possible have in common? And Coldplay references, for heaven's sake?! The cringe-worthy band name dropping Hill does is so like his dad though.
Anyway, a decent read in general. The spirit was there, and I like a little goth in my horror, but the execuion was a little off.
shocker in more ways than one.......2007-09-26
i found this book by reading recommendations months ago. Picked it up out of my "to read" pile of books for plane trip. finished in 2 days.
i thought WHAT A GREAT STORY! i am always intrigued about the author pic.
i kept thinking...gee...who does he look like???
i hand it to my husband and say, "read the first chapter and you will be hooked". he was and finished...last night...i said...wasn't that such a "visual" book...so gooood. he agrees...goes online and looks at me and says....
"you know who the author is don't you?"...i said...no who? he says..
welllllll.....its stephen king's son. my mouth fell open, i got teary eyed for a minute, and said...WOW! genetics!
so read this book and if you get a little ferklempt that stephen king's son is gonna be successful too then all is right in the world.
the bookreader
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill.......2007-09-19
One thing I admire greatly about Joe Hill King, son of famous bestselling author Stephen King, is that he didn't get a leg up from his father like our President did. While I'm sure he's had plenty of help and advice, Joe Hill has earned his own success through his own writing. Having won a Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection with his first book 20th Century Ghosts, he now returns with his first novel, Heart-Shaped Box, which was naturally making a tremendous amount of buzz before the book even came out. And the congratulatory quote on the back of the book from Neil Gaiman just made it that more popular.
Our main character, Judas Coyne, is a famous guitarist of a band that was once up there with Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, but after the sudden deaths of two band members, the guitarist is now a successful solo artist whose eccentricities range into the banal, naturally. His favorite is to collect items and trinkets of the most unusual - the weirder the better! So when Jude sees a ghost for sale on an auction site, he immediately jumps on it, chooses the buy it now option and soon has the package on its way. The single mother is very happy to get rid of the ghost of her grandfather who has been haunting her and her son for so long, and Jude now has his very own ghost.
The package arrives in a large black heart-shaped box and inside he finds an ancient but impeccable suit. Judas is impressed by it, closes the box and soon forgets about it. Then the haunting begins: strange noises and soon they see the ghost, walking around. Then things take a turn for the worse, as the ghost comes after Judas and his friends.
Sadly, when it is revealed where this ghost has come from the story kind of goes downhill. It turns out the ghost is the deceased grandfather of the sister of a former girlfriend of Jude's who killed herself after he dumped her. While the supernatural element of the ghost remains, and it is on their tail trying to catch them, the reasoning behind it is weak and destroys the foundation of the plot. Nevertheless there is a darkness and depth within this novel that reveals a talented writer with a bold future ahead of him. Like Carrie, this is not the best first novel, but with the talent in Hill's genes, we know there will be many more stories for him to tell that will be great and terrifying.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com
Book Description
From world-renowned motivational author Napoleon Hill comes the definitive unabridged version of his classic work that has inspired millions, Think and Grow Rich. Anything your mind can conceive and believe you can achieve. That is the philosophy of Napoleon Hill, author of the world's #1 motivational book, Think and Grow Rich. Inspired by the lessons he learned while a proteacute;geacute; of Andrew Carnegie, Napoleon Hill gives you the money-making secrets that earned Carnegie, and many of the world's other most prominent people, unprecedented riches. Think and Grow Rich tells you what to do and how to do it. Apply Hill's basic techniques to your life and you too can master the secret of enduring success.Success is not an accident, it's a habit. Think and Grow Rich is where that habit begins. Throughout this inspirational masterpiece, which has influenced men and women on every continent, Hill gives examples and detailed analysis of how hundreds of exceedingly wealthy people earned and maintained their fortunes. It has sold millions of copies by laying down a blueprint for a life of prosperity, and helping people become the winners they've always wanted to be. Napoleon Hill's plan will inspire you, motivate you, and enable you to make your dreams come true!
Customer Reviews:
Best if used with a printed copy.......2007-08-23
If you have never read Think and Grow Rich before, I would suggest reading the print version first (or at least have a copy handy). Since you will more than likely want to re-read or refer back to certain passages (i.e., the exercises that you are asked to perform).
I've read it several times over the years and thought that the audio book would be a good way to turn my 40 minute commute to work into more productive time.
Unlike the abridged version, there are no anecdotes from Napoleon Hill interspersed throughout this audiobook. However, there is a great introduction by W. Clement Stone.
I would recommend getting this version along with the abridged version simply because I think it's fascinating to hear Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone speak about this philosophy in their own words.
A timeless classic.......2007-07-03
Think and grow rich is a must read for anyone with a dream. Hill describes in inspiring detail how a determined and thoughtful human can achieve virtually anything with the right attitude, plans and of course...thoughts. Dollar-for-dollar the best buy on the Internet.
Read the bible then read this!.......2007-06-08
What more can I say! If you need an attitude adjustment... here it is! Think about it! If you think you can... why cant you? This book deals with that from a near clinical point of view as well as a lamen joe point of view! Everyone on earth needs this book!
Content is great, cheap , crappy paperback copy.......2007-06-07
My comment is for the production of this paperback, not the content.
This is the poorest quality paperback I've ever seen or purchased. Large chunks of pages came loose from the glue binding almost immediately after opening the book the first time. I was on a trip and constantly had to deal with more pages coming loose and trying to fly around. Really poor quality repro.
Get This Version as it was Originally Intended to Be Published.......2007-06-04
This is one of my all-time favorite books which I re-read it at least once every other year. Ask anyone who has read this book and virtually everyone will tell you this is one of the best you will ever own. If you feel you need help succeeding in anything, then use this book as a coach. If you have the ambition, but need a plan - this book will help you. If you just need a pick me up, just read some of the stories intertwined - this book will help you.
This book is an all time great dealing with success and personal management. Dealing with practical methods for creating in oneself the ability to do whatever one puts their mind to. Starting with an idea (hence the name) one can expect to use this information to create a way to approach life that should produce positive results.
---**** THE BOTTOM LINE ****---
$ Get THIS version of the book (white background cover with green and yellow title)
$ This version is the way it was originally published. It is older, yes, but newer versions seem to lose some of the original "flavor" and "intent".
$ If you haven't noticed, there's no question about whether or not you SHOULD get this book; the only decision is which version.
Average customer rating:
- Surviving
- Poetry with a twist
- Not the same Joe Hill
- Its great if you like poems
- Not Joe Hill the Fiction Writer
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Surviving
Joe Hill
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1413753019 |
Book Description
I am a thirty-six-year-old man, born in Des Moines, Iowa. I have an eleven-year-old daughter and sixteen-year-old nephew, both of whom I love very much. Without them this world would be unbearable. They give me reasons I never knew I had to live. I thank God every day for the things He has given me, even the things I don't understand. Poems and my children help ease the pain that everyday life can cause. I have recently found out that you can do anything you want when you believe in yourself. And that's what I will be teaching my children.
Customer Reviews:
Surviving.......2007-06-11
Having read the "Heart-Shaped Box" first, I was expecting more of the same. I was really disappointed with "Surviving". This publication is one of Joe Hill's first and it's bad essay/poetry at best. The "Heart-Shaped Box", on the other hand, was excellent. I am certainly not going to order "20th Century Ghosts" until I read some reviews on it first.
Poetry with a twist.......2007-06-08
I purchased this book because I loved Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. I was hoping this book was in the same genre but I was very disappointed. It was depressing and while well written, it was not what I expected it to be.
Not the same Joe Hill.......2007-05-18
Avoid this if you are looking to buy books written by the Joe Hill that wrote Heart Shaped Box or 20th Century Ghosts. This is a book of poetry. And, unfortunately, it's pretty poor poetry; quite juvenile in it's nature. Steer clear.
Its great if you like poems.......2007-05-14
Guess I didn't realize this is a book of poems - so I was disappointed. I guess if you are into poetry you would enjoy it. Not sure what type of poetry though - urban poetry?
Not Joe Hill the Fiction Writer.......2007-04-23
Despite Amazon associating this book with "Heart Shaped Box" because the authors have the same name, they are not the same author. See joehillfiction dot com for a bibliography.
I am not rating this book of poetry, which I have not read.
Book Description
Imogene is young and beautiful. She kisses like a movie star and knows everything about every film ever made. She's also dead and waiting in the Rosebud Theater for Alec Sheldon one afternoon in 1945. . . .
Arthur Roth is a lonely kid with big ideas and a gift for attracting abuse. It isn't easy to make friends when you're the only inflatable boy in town. . . .
Francis is unhappy. Francis was human once, but that was then. Now he's an eight-foot-tall locust and everyone in Calliphora will tremble when they hear him sing. . . .
John Finney is locked in a basement that's stained with the blood of half a dozen other murdered children. In the cellar with him is an antique telephone, long since disconnected, but which rings at night with calls from the dead. . . .
Customer Reviews:
Impressive Debut, Imaginative Short Fiction.......2007-10-18
Before "The Heart-Shaped Box" hit the bestseller charts, Joe Hill released this book as a limited edition short story collection. It won numerous awards in 2005--Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection, British Fantasy Award for Best Collection, and the International Horror Guild Award for Best Collection--all before Hill was "outed" as the second son of novelists Stephen and Tabitha King.
The 14 stories included outshine his debut novel, featuring a wide variety of protagonists and situations outside of the norm in horror. The best story here, in my opinion, is "Best New Horror"--an inside jab at small-time horror publishers.
terrific 21st century horror anthology.......2007-10-18
This is an interesting horror short story collection with the supernatural and teen male angst playing major roles in all the tales. All were printed in various magazines over the past decade, but never brought together under one collection until now. None of Joe Hill's entries are weak, while some are excellent. All showcase how talented Mr. Hill is (see HEART SHAPED BOX). Readers will feel for John locked in a basement that's stained with blood (similar to the army physical during the draft days) of other murdered children calling him on a disconnected "Black Phone and empathize with Alec whose "paramour" Imogene is the title character a "20th Century ghost" haunting the Rosebud Theater. However, the best of the lot is "Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead" as he is an unsuccessful comedian who meets his married ex-high school girlfriend on a horror film set. 20th CENTURY GHOSTS is a terrific 21st century horror anthology.
Harriet Klausner
15 wonderful, original and bizarre stories.......2007-10-17
Joe Hill has received many, many awards. This book was originally published in Britain by PS Publishing in 2005, and it won the British Fantasy Award, The International Horror Guild Award, and the Bram Stoker Award for best collection. He is also a 2006 World Fantasy Award winner, for his novella Voluntary Committal, which appears in the same book. He is the author of Heart Shaped Box. Joe, 35, is the son of authors Stephen King and Tabitha King.
Twentieth Century Ghosts contains 15 of the most severely bizarre and original stories ever conceived. Hill has been influenced by Malamud and Kafka. These tales are the stuff of Twilight Zone, seriously creepy and macabre, full of spectral and often perverse violence. Any parent other than Stephen King might be very concerned.
I think my favorite was "Pop Art," a fable of an inflatable teen, and his best friend, who happens to have a nasty father with a vicious dog. Or maybe it was "Voluntary Committal," where seriously schizophrenic Morris Lerner, builder of elaborate basement cardboard box mazes, helps out his older brother by getting rid of a nasty pal.
"Most of my stories are really that simple. They're built around the collision of the real and the impossible..." from an interview with Joe Hill by Daniel M. Jaffe on the web site Biblio Buffet.
NOTE: Many of the stories feature threatened children. If this sort of thing bothers you, stay away.
Armchair Interviews says: Read this one with the lights on.
Book Description
If you are a CIO, or intend to become a CIO, or simply want to understand the strategic importance of IT for your entire enterprise, CIO Best Practices provides you with the best practice guidance on the key responsibilities of the CIO and its important role in modern organizations. This is the most definitive and important work you will find on achieving and exercising strategic IT leadership.
Customer Reviews:
Manual for IT Executives.......2007-09-17
I truly appreciate the straight-forward approach this book offers. Although this book does cover what a lot of us already do know, it is a great reminder of what we should be practicing. This book is a must have in any IT executives library.
Read This Book ...It Is Excellent!.......2007-05-20
As someone who has been a CIO four times, served as an interim CIO too many time to count, wrote "CIO Wisdom" and will be coming out with "CIO Perspectives", I would like to fully endorse "CIO Best Practices". Somewhere in the book it states "all CIOs live in a competitive world and excellent customer relationship management has become a competitive advantage" This book accomplished "excellent customer relationship management" by always keeping the reader in mind. It is well written, and contains depth that could only be written by CIOs.
Want to be an exceptional CIO?.......2007-05-17
This book demonstrates the special knowledge and unique skills required to succeed as an exceptional best practices CIO. It gives the rationale for the enterprise-wide scope of that position, and lays out the recommended practices and concepts as well as case studies and practical examples of the application of these ideas, testifying to the rich experience and insight of its IT executive authors. "CIO Best Practices" is a useful reference and guide for both newly appointed and experience CIOs, as well as to aspiring CIOs. It is among the top group of recommended readings for all senior executives.
CIO Best Practices.......2007-03-15
The title accurately reflects the contents of the book. There is a definite emphasis on the practical aspects of the CIO. This work is a good read both for the budding IT professional who is setting his/her sights on the CIO role or for the CEO, COO, CFO, who needs to better understand the critical role the CIO can and should play in an organization. The CIO's whose work is included in the book are a who's who of practicing CIO's. One would do well to read, and heed, what they have to say.
Book Description
Achieve success in anything you do-this program shows you how to do it!World-renowned motivational author Napoleon Hill summed up his philosophy of success in Think and Grow Richreg;, one of the bestselling inspirational business books of all time. In Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success, Hill's seventeen essential principles of personal achievement are expanded on in detail, with concrete advice on their use and implementation.In these richly rewarding, full context tapes, you will learn the secrets of: filling your life with purpose and direction perfecting your personality fanning your creative spark building self-discipline profiting from the Golden Rule budgeting time and money discovering and preserving the source of all wealthIn this invaluable audiobook, anyone seeking personal and financial improvement will find a wealth of straightforward advice, powerful encouragement, mental exercises, and self-analysis techniques that produce results. In addition to Hill's many personal true-life stories of the seventeen principles in action, dynamos like Bill Gates, Peter Lynch , and Donna Karan serve as contemporary examples of what can be achieved.Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success is an inspiring motivational audiobook that tells people how to fulfill their ambitions and achieve success.
Customer Reviews:
Timeless Advice.......2007-09-03
Hill's book has timeless advice to help guide you on the road to success. Although this book was originally written many years ago, it has been updated with current examples and ideas.
Another "textbook" for students of life.
Book Description
You can achieve success in anything you do!This program will show you how to do it!Napoleon Hill summed up his philosophy of success in Think and Grow Rich, one of the best selling inspirational business books ever.Now in Napoleon Hill's Key to Success, Hills seventeen essential principles of personal achievement are expanded in detail for the first time, with concrete advice on their use and implementation. Anyone seeking personal and financial improvement will find invaluable mental exercises, self-analysis techniques, powerful encouragement, and straightforward advice in this illuminating guide.In addition to Hill's many true-life examples of the principles in action, there are also contemporary illustrations featuring dynamos like Bill Gates, Peter Lynch, and Donna Karan.In these richly rewarding tapes you will learn the secrets of: *filling your life with purpose and direction *perfecting your personality *fanning your creative spark *building your self-discipline *profiting from the Golden Rule *budgeting time and money *finding and keeping the source of all wealth In addition you'll discover countless other lessons to spur your efforts, steel you strength, fulfill your ambition-and make your dreams come true!
Customer Reviews:
Classic.......2007-03-25
Napoleon hill is the recognized expert on all things success. In this excellent book he discusses the 17 principles of personal achievement, including:
Using the Mastermind Principle
Focusing Your Attention
Learning From Defeat
Going the Extra mile
Improving Your Mental Attitude
This book is well worth reading. For more information on creating personal wealth, try "The 17 Principles of Creating Wealth," by Phillip Collinsworth.
Napolean Hill? Of course its good!.......2007-01-19
"Each night I burn the records of the day; At sunrise every soul is born again" WOW! That was not written by Mr Hill, but he was smart enough to add it to his book. There is so much good stuff in this book I do not know where to start. Other reviewers here have written more on the contents of the book, read theirs to get an idea.
All I can say is that if you read and understand this book, then follow what you have learned, there is no way you cannot succeed in life. This book is filled with wisdom. If you are struggling in your life or on the job and need help, the help you need is in this book. Good luck on your journey!
Among my first batch of books...greatest influence on attaining personal achievement in life!.......2006-07-21
The first batch of significant books that had the greatest influence on me in terms of attaining personal achievement includes mostly Napoleon Hill's books:
- The Law of Success;
- Think & Grow Rich;
- The Keys to Success;
- Success through a Positive Mental Attitude;
- Succeed & Grow Rich through Persuasion;
The others were from Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, & Earl Nightingale.
That was the early 70's when I had just started work as a young engineer.
The author, Napoleon Hill, had impressed me most by his relentless dedication in spending some two to three decades of his life in pursuing & researching the success secrets of the rich & famous...with a little help from Andrew Carnegie, of course.
As matter of fact, many of the famous people he interviewed were also favourite role models of mine e.g. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, just to name a few
Till this day, I have never forgotten what he said:
"The most powerful instrument we have in our hands is the power of our mind."
I have never ceased to be fascinated by the simplicity & the potency of his ABCs of personal achievement: CONCEIVE, BELIEVE & ACHIEVE!
It is certainly enlightening to note that even Stephen Covey had drew inspiration from Napoleon Hill's work even though he never made that credit. He only admitted that the 7 Habits had its origins from "200 years of success literature in the United States." That remark itself is self explanatory.
Anthony Robbin's Mastery program as embodied in his books as well as his audio/video resources is no exception, even though he has been influenced in larger extent by NLP.
If you look at & compare the 17 principles of personal achievement in 'The Law of Success' &/or the 13 Steps to Riches in 'Think & Grow Rich', one can obviously see the uncanny resemblance of the 7 Habits & the Mastery principles...in one way or another.
At this juncture, let me outline the principal theme of each book:
The Law of Success: the original course on the fundamentals of success - all the seventeen essential principles of personal achievement;
Think & Grow Rich: The seventeen essential principles are reframed & condensed in terms of thirteen concrete steps to wealth creation (in actuality, this is a condensation of the Law of Success);
The Keys to Success: a further elaboration of the seventeen essential principles with concrete suggestions, exercises & advice;
Success Through Positive Mental Attitude: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing a positive mental attitude;
Succeed & Grow Rich Through Persuasion: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing master salesmanship & networking;
[It is pertinent to note that Clement Stone actually built his insurance business empire with these principles.]
My most productive, personal learning experience from Napoleon Hill's work is the understanding - & application - of his success principle #1: Develop Definiteness of Purpose.
[Very surprisingly, J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, - who had been credited for building the airline to what it is today, A GREAT WAY TO FLY! - also credited his work axiom to this same success principle, but he attributed it to an ancient Hindu scripture known as Bhagavad Gita.]
I am certainly gratified to note that Napoleon Hill's work had casted so much influence on - & empowered - so many people in the world, including myself.
The Distilled Power Of Thinking And Growing Rich..........2006-04-29
Sure, this is a wonderful starter kit (yes, I do have this book...) in addition to Hill's other books like "Think and Grow Rich", "The Master Key To Riches", et al. But more than that, it is a primer that makes you hungry for the mental nourishment of his full "Law Of Success" which I have just ordered through Amazon. And why am I giving this distillation five stars? C'mon, isn't it obvious, through these *distilled* principles you get a pretty good taste of the "spirit-voice" of Napoleon Hill. And when he says in later versions of "Think and Grow Rich" - 'through these pages we have met'. You know what he means here, even though it is shortened and edited. So, I've said enough, get started, happy reading.
Captain Josh/Joshua Clayton
Truly inspirational. Builds upon "Think and Grow Rich". .......2006-02-13
There are thousands of self-help books out in the market and hundreds of self proclaimed "gurus" who have made a living by copying the wisdom in Napoleon Hill's books. As I went through some of those books I realized that there was not much in them that Hill had not already written about. I recommend quality over quantity. Instead of reading through many books, I recommend that you study the following works of Hill and internalize his wisdom:
1. The Think and Grow Rich Action Pack (1937) - I recommend the Action Pack edition,
2. Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement - this book,
3. Your Right To Be Rich [Unabridged] - this consists of 12 hours of live lectures covering the 17 principles, that Hill conducted in Chicago in 1954.
By internalizing, I mean studying in depth - analyzing the ideas, making notes and summaries. I own more CDs by Hill, but I believe that these 3 items make the perfect study plan on the Philosophy of Personal Achievement.
This philosophy is the end product of two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill. His research started when Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon who was then the richest man on earth) gave him the assignment of organizing a Philosophy of Personal Achievement. Hill, who was a poor journalist, armed with just an introductory letter from Carnegie, set out to interview over five hundred successful people including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, John D. Rockefeller, George Eastman, William Wrigley Jr. and Charles M. Schwab. Hill then revealed the priceless wisdom of his research in the form of the thirteen steps to success (in Think and Grow Rich) and the seventeen Principles of Personal Achievement (in courses and lectures he conducted).
This particular book goes beyond the 13 steps in Think and Grow Rich. It covers the following 17 Principles of Personal Achievement (also known as the 17 Keys to Success):
1. Develop a Definiteness of Purpose
2. Establish a Mastermind Alliance
3. Assemble an Attractive Personality
4. Use Applied Faith
5. Go the Extra Mile
6. Create Personal Initiative
7. Build a Positive Mental Attitude
8. Control Your Enthusiasm
9. Enforce Self-Discipline
10. Think Accurately
11. Control Your Attention
12. Inspire Teamwork
13. Learn from Adversity and Defeat
14. Cultivate Creative Vision
15. Maintain Sound Health
16. Budget Your Time and Money
17. Use Cosmic Habitforce
The concepts taught by Napoleon Hill transformed my life. Everything he wrote about or talked about is thought provoking. He was wise, humble and funny. His philosophy is universal; he did not mix it with religion. The riches he referred to were more than money, for the Philosophy of Personal Achievement can be applied to anything in life.
Hill was well ahead of his time. "Think and Grow Rich" has a chapter dedicated to some of today's most important issues - Specialized Knowledge, Decision Making, Imagination and Organized Planning (in which he deals with Leadership). And his principles deal with Teamwork, Creative Vision, Health, etc.
I am greatly indebted to Napoleon Hill. The purpose of my writing this is to spread awareness of his work so that more people can benefit from it. This, I believe is the best way in which Hill would have liked to have been repaid.
If my review was helpful to you, I request you to select "Yes" so that the rating is improved and more readers will get to read it. Please also see the website of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, naphill dot org, which has helpful resources.
Book Description
In communities throughout precontact Mesoamerica, calendar priests and diviners relied on pictographic almanacs to predict the fate of newborns, to guide people in choosing marriage partners and auspicious wedding dates, to know when to plant and harvest crops, and to be successful in many of life's activities. As the Spanish colonized Mesoamerica in the sixteenth century, they made a determined effort to destroy these books, in which the Aztec and neighboring peoples recorded their understanding of the invisible world of the sacred calendar and the cosmic forces and supernaturals that adhered to time. Today, only a few of these divinatory codices survive. Visually complex, esoteric, and strikingly beautiful, painted books such as the famous Codex Borgia and Codex Borbonicus still serve as portals into the ancient Mexican calendrical systems and the cycles of time and meaning they encode.
In this comprehensive study, Elizabeth Hill Boone analyzes the entire extant corpus of Mexican divinatory codices and offers a masterful explanation of the genre as a whole. She introduces the sacred, divinatory calendar and the calendar priests and diviners who owned and used the books. Boone then explains the graphic vocabulary of the calendar and its prophetic forces and describes the organizing principles that structure the codices. She shows how they form almanacs that either offer general purpose guidance or focus topically on specific aspects of life, such as birth, marriage, agriculture and rain, travel, and the forces of the planet Venus. Boone also tackles two major areas of controversy—the great narrative passage in the Codex Borgia, which she freshly interprets as a cosmic narrative of creation, and the disputed origins of the codices, which, she argues, grew out of a single religious and divinatory system.
Book Description
From the multi-million selling author of Think and Grow Richreg;No matter who you are or what you do....every time you meet someone, explain an idea, talk on the telephone, or give your opinion, you are selling your most valuable asset: YOU! Let Napoleon Hill teach you how to sell yourself. The author spent thirty years investigating how the most successful people got to be that way. His studies resulted in the biggest-selling self-help book of all time, Think and Grow Rich. Now, Selling You!, a major success in book and audiocassette editions, is available for the first time on CD. It demonstrates how to put Hill's philosophy of personal achievement to work for you, every day of your life! It's fun and easy to learn how to present yourself in a positive and successful way. Here's just part of what you'll find inside this inspiring audiobook: - Napoleon Hill explains the philosophy behind his most effective theories - Joe Slattery narrates highlights from Napoleon Hill's bestseller How to Sell Your Way Through Life - Includes a special introduction by world-renowned philanthropist W. Clement Stone
Customer Reviews:
Good tape program by Hill!.......2005-10-01
This great program contains two tapes and a 32 page guidebook which include 12 little chapters and concludes with a 30 question test. Hill shows you how to build a successful sales personality. Who better to teach you than the man who walked beside the giants of his time?
Great supplement to Succeed and Grow Rich.......2004-06-11
If you have already read Succeed and Grow Rich by Hill and/or Think and Grow Rich, Selling You will show you how to put Napolean Hill's philosophy to work for you, every day of your life.
The program includes two powerful tapes with narrations by Joe Slattery. There is an introduction by Clement Stone who gives a powerful testimony to how Hill's principles benefitted him. Talk about a successful endorsement! And there is a 32 page booklet that offers additional techniques.
All in all a great program that will seriously impact any salesman's bottom line.
Not just for sales people.......2004-03-05
Napoleon Hill was ahead of his times in many ways. One of which addressed by this book is the realization that *everything* is sales. When you are talking with someone and want them to take an action or even accept something you are saying, you must sell not only what you are suggesting, but yourself as well. This insight (and its explanation) make the tape worthwhile. Beyond that are suggestions to make you more successful. The biggest downside is that some of the book/tape is hard to understand as the usage of certain words (such as faith) are far from their common usage.
Another Excellent Napolean Hill Creation.......2002-12-01
A must have for any sales professional. A timeless classic to liten to several times a year.
Book Description
Acclaimed landscape designers Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd offer a profusely illustrated month-by-month chronicle of their magnificent southern Vermont garden.
Customer Reviews:
a wonderful wonderful book.......2000-07-27
I've worked for years in the extensive gardens of children's book author/illustrator Tomie dePaola (26 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE and other books). This book has helped me appreciate what I do and has helped me "see" the value and the beauty in plants and shrubs and colors, etc., that I never before saw or understood. It's a wonderful book.
A 12 Month Delight.......1999-12-26
Never did I expect to be so conflicted about why I love a book. This one has it all. Such a beautifully written love story about a garden and the shared lives of two people who have a vision and the courage to create a truly great landscape. The sheer volume of information about specific plants and how they are used are invaluable to me. To have all this knowledge presented in such a beautifully written book is such a gift. I've already read it twice. I've had my copy of this book for two years now and it wouldn't surprise me if I picked it up for a fresh reading sometime this winter.
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How It All Began: A Personal Account of a West German Urban Guerilla
- How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches
- Huey Long
- I Spy A Penguin (Level 1) (I Spy)
- I Was Poisoned By My Body: The Odyssey of a Doctor Who Reversed Fibromyalgia, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - Naturally!
- Inside the Lion's Den
- Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents 2004: Who They Are! What They Want! and How to Win Them Over! (Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents)
- Jefferson Davis: The Man and His Hour
Books Index
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