Self-Help
by Samuel Smiles
The 1859 book that named the genre: biographies of engineers, inventors and craftsmen who rose by industry, perseverance and character. It is Victorian in every sentence and the stories of Stephenson, Wedgwood and the rest are still stirring.
Read it if…
you want the founding text and a few hundred examples of persistence.
Skip it if…
you want modern prose and modern examples.
Three things you will actually use
- Heaven helps those who help themselves.
- Character is formed by small acts repeated.
- Perseverance outperforms genius.
Do this first
Read the chapter on application and perseverance.
Our verdict
The book that named the genre.
Compare with other Character books
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