WOW Public Domain Niche eBooks

(These are all Public Domain Books, which means that their copyright has expired and you are free to resell them or even alter the form or type of their content, however you cannot claim authorship of the works.)

 

THE CLASSICS

 

As a Man Thinketh - James Allen

This brief but revered self-help classic was written by a 19th-century Englishman who is partly responsible for the creation of the entire personal development industry. Allen borrowed the title from the Biblical verse, "As a man thinketh, in his heart, so is he." In a clear and accessible argument, Allen builds on the idea that one's thoughts shape one's character, and also one's circumstances, environment, and destiny. Allen's practical philosophy stresses responsibility: "Man is made or unmade by himself." But he also clearly values those who are dreamers, and he sees the ultimate goal of his spiritual practice to be serenity.

Most contemporary Personal Development authors and teachers credit this little book for providing foundation to their principles.  It is a set of philosophical musings on the power of our thoughts. Earl Nightingale, widely regarded as the father of modern day personal development, in his best-selling recording, called the ideas in this book, "The Strangest Secret".  The secret, he said, is "we become what we think about".

"All that we achieve and all that we fail to achieve is the direct result of our own thoughts."

"As a Man Thinketh" is a classic in the truest sense: few books have been so widely read, have stood the test of time so well, have had such an impact on generations of readers, and have carried such a simple, profound message: You are what you think.

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Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill

The Top Selling Success Book of all-time! By far the most powerful book ever written on the subject of personal financial growth and happiness. In this book you will find the secrets of millionaires that have been jealously guarded for centuries. It has been said that this book is responsible for making more millionaires than all other motivational success books combined! This powerful statement is too amazing to ignore.

If you have not read this fantastic masterpiece then you are missing a chance of a lifetime to turn everything around in your favor. If you consistently apply the techniques described in this book, life will have no choice but to give you what you wish. The information contained in this book is so powerful, I personally think that it should be taught as a class in every high school in the nation. Our continued success as a world leader would be greatly improved, not only financially, but socially as well.

Napoleon Hill spent 25 years of his life guided by Andrew Carnegie (The Richest Man in the World at the time) to discover these great secrets. Mr. Hill analyzed hundreds of well-known wealthy men, many of whom admitted that they had accumulated their vast fortunes through the aid of the Carnegie secret. Among these men were: Henry Ford, Thomas A. Edison, George Eastman, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilbur Wright, John D. Rockefeller, F.W. Woolworth, Woodrow Wilson, Dr. Alexander Graham Bell and countless others. These names represent but a small fraction of the hundreds of well known Americans whose achievements, financially and otherwise, prove that those who understand and apply the Carnegie secret, reach high stations in life.

If you have any doubts about the power of this great book, think about this -- if you keep doing the same things over and over again -- you'll only succeed in getting the same results. So why not try out the proven Andrew Carnegie system for success? To quote Napoleon Hill himself, "Anything your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

 

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Intentions - Oscar Wilde

Originally published in 1891 when Wilde was at the height of his form, these brilliant essays on art, literature, criticism, and society display the flamboyant poseur's famous wit and wide learning. A leading spokesman for the English Aesthetic movement, Wilde promoted "art for art's sake" against critics who argued that art must serve a moral purpose. On every page of this collection the gifted literary stylist admirably demonstrates not only that the characteristics of art are "distinction, charm, beauty, and imaginative power," but also that criticism itself can be raised to an art form possessing these very qualities.

The heart of the collection is the long two-part essay titled "The Critic as Artist." In one memorable passage after another, Wilde goes to great lengths to show that the critic is every bit as much an artist as the artist himself, in some cases more so. A good critic is like a virtuoso interpreter: "When Rubinstein plays...he gives us not merely Beethoven, but also himself, and so gives us Beethoven absolutely... made vivid and wonderful to us by a new and intense personality. When a great actor plays Shakespeare we have the same experience."

Also included are: "The Decay of Lying," in which Wilde takes to task modern literary realists like Henry James and Emile Zola for their "monstrous worship of facts" and stifling of the imagination; "Pen, Pencil, and Poison," a fascinating study of art critic and murderer Thomas Griffiths Wainewright; and "The Truth of Masks," on the use of masks, disguises, and costume in Shakespeare. For newcomers to Wilde and those who already know his famous plays and fiction, this superb collection of his criticism offers many delights.

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The Law of Success - Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill stunned America when he published the first edition of "The Law of Success," the precursor to his well-known "Think and Grow Rich" book. In it Napoleon teaches, for the first time in the history of the world, the true philosophy upon all personal success is built. It  took Hill twenty years to research and write this book. He personally met with hundreds of the most famous self-made multimillionaires, so he could study their habits, analyze their methods, and learn their secrets of success. After further testing and proving his theories, he refined them into 17 basic principles that anyone could master and use.

However, Hill understood that such laws are not static and immutable, but subject to new discoveries and new ideas and must therefore be capable of adaptation, change, and growth. Now, a completely updated and revised edition of The Laws of Success, prepared by the Napoleon Hill Foundation, is designed to carry the philosophy of personal achievement to a new generation. The work itself is massive, well over 1,000 pages. This version contains excerpts from some of the best chapters of the book, including an in-depth discussion of Napoleon Hill's first four principles of personal achievement -- the foundation upon which personal success is built.

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The Art of Money Getting - P.T Barnum

Earning a sizeable income online (or in any business) is not rocket science. The reality is, making money is an art. There are certain rules and principles that you must live by if you are to achieve true financial independence.

The Art of Money Getting is a phenomenal book written by P.T. Barnum, nearly 100 years ago. Learn the true principles of millionaires; the Golden Rules for making money.

I hold that every man should, like Cuvier, the French naturalist, thoroughly know his business. So proficient was he in the study of natural history, that you might bring to him the bone, or even a section of a bone of an animal which he had never seen described, and, reasoning from analogy, he would be able to draw a picture of the object from which the bone had been taken. On one occasion his students attempted to deceive him. They rolled one of their number in a cow skin and put him under the professor's table as a new specimen. When the philosopher came into the room, some of the students asked him what animal it was. Suddenly the animal said "I am the devil and I am going to eat you." It was but natural that Cuvier should desire to classify this creature, and examining it intently, he said... 

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The Science of Getting Rich - Wallace D. Wattles

Timeless wisdom and a practical, step-by-step prosperity program drawn from a 1910 classic. This book about wealth is unlike any other I have ever read and it is an absolute must read for anybody who has a burning desire to become rich. It was only after reading this book that I knew that my desire to become wealthy would become a reality. I was immediately overwhelmed with inspiration and confidence. It totally changed my thinking, and situations in my life that had caused fear and stress, totally turned around and became instead positive opportunities.

Make no mistake, this is a practical manual, not a treatise based on vague theories. It is intended for those whose most pressing need is for money, who want to get rich first, and philosophize afterward. It is for those who want results and who are willing to take the conclusions of science and philosophy as a basis for action without going into all the processes by which those conclusions were reached. The plan of action laid down in this amazing book has been thoroughly tested over the years and bears the supreme proof of practical experience: IT WORKS! Great motivation and inspiration book.

 

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What Is Man? - Mark Twain

Mark Twain's offbeat 1906 work is a dialogue between an old man and a young man who argue about whether a human being is controlled more by his mind or by his environment.

[The Old Man and the Young Man had been conversing. The Old Man had asserted that the human being is merely a machine, and nothing more. The Young Man objected, and asked him to go into particulars and furnish his reasons for his position.]

Old Man. What are the materials of which a steam-engine is made? Young Man. Iron, steel, brass, white-metal, and so on. O.M. Where are these found? Y.M. In the rocks. O.M. In a pure state? Y.M. No - in ores. O.M. Are the metals suddenly deposited in the ores?

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The Great God Success - David Graham Phillips

David Graham Phillips worked as an investigative journalist for the New Your Sun and the New Your World in the late 19th century. He then turned to authoring, and his first work, "The Great God Success" sold so well that he left journalism altogether to concentrate on writing fiction. Although written as fictional accounts, most of his works explore a variety of social problems.

Extract from the book: "Hum -- I thought Yale men went into something commercial; law or banking or railroads. 'Leave hope of fortune behind, ye who enter here' is over the door of this profession. We pay fifteen dollars a week at the start." -- "I haven't the money-making instinct. Couldn't you make it twenty?" -- The Managing Editor of the NEWS-RECORD turned slowly in his chair until his broad chest was full-front toward the young candidate for the staff. He lowered his florid face slowly until his double chin swelled out over his low "stick-up" collar. Then he gradually raised his eyelids until his amused blue eyes were looking over the tops of his glasses, straight into Howard's eyes. "Why?" he asked. "Why should we?"

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Acres of Diamonds - Russell H. Conwell

This volume contains the lecture entitled "Acres of Diamonds" by Russell Conwell, as well as a biographical sketch of Conwell's life and achievements by Robert Shackleton. Conwell personally delivered this inspiring lecture over 6,000 times & earned over $4,000,000 (about $145,000,000 in current dollars) in doing so.

As a student, schoolmaster, lawyer, preacher, organizer, thinker and writer, lecturer, educator, diplomat and leader of men, Conwell made his mark on his city and state and the times in which he lived. His ideas, ideals and enthusiasm have inspired tens of thousands of lives. This is a book full of the energetics of a master workman.

If you are looking for "get rich quick" ideas or schemes, you will not find them in the pages of this book. Instead, you will come to appreciate the virtues of earning money through honest, hard work. You will learn to look for opportunities to serve others in your own back yard by simply finding a need and filling it.

Conwell believed that each of us is placed here on Earth for one main purpose -- to help others. He inspired thousands of people and two generations of Americans, many of whom became successes and helped America grow great -- all through the simple but profound concepts found in 'Acres of Diamonds' -- "All good things are possible -- right where you are -- and right now!" If you wish to be great, begin with who you are right now, where you are right now. Follow these principles, and you will uncover your own acres of diamonds.

 

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How To Live on Twenty Four Hours a Day - Arnold Bennett

"But," someone may remark, with the English disregard of everything except the point, "what is he driving at with his twenty-four hours a day? I have no difficulty in living on twenty-four hours a day. I do all that I want to do, and still find time to go in for newspaper competitions. Surely it is a simple affair, knowing that one has only twenty-four hours a day, to content one's self with twenty-four hours a day!"--by Arnold Bennett

One of the first "self-help" books ever written, Readers who begin this book with the question: "How can I get it all done?" will soon be asking: "What am I going to do with all my free time?"

This classic personal time-management book originally published in 1908 has inspired generations of men and women to live deliberate lives. Not just another collection of timesaving tips, this book is more of a challenge to leave behind mundane everyday concerns, focus on pursuing one's true desires, and live the fullest possible life. Reflection, concentration, and study techniques make it easier to accomplish more truly rewarding undertakings than anyone ever dreamed possible.

 

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Laugh and Live - Douglas Fairbanks

The movie actor offers his course of self-improvement.

Selected contents: Taking stock of ourselves; Energy, success and laughter; Honesty, the character builder; Keeping ourselves democratic; Living beyond our means; Wedlock in time; A "close-up" of Douglas Fairbanks as only his family and closest friends would have known him.

 

 

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The Master Key System - Charles F. Haanel

Would you like to bring into your life more power, more health, more happiness? The Master Key System shows you how to live the spirit of these things until they become yours by right. It will then become impossible to keep them from you - and any goals that you seek!

The Master Key System is the only clear, concise, comprehensive, definitive, distinctive, cogent, and scientific presentation of the Creative Power of Thought ever formulated by any one person at any one time.

The Master Key System is one of the finest studies in self-improvement, mind-stuff, and higher consciousness ever written. Covering everything from how to get wealthy to how to get healthy, Charles Haanel leaves no stone unturned. With precision, he elucidates on each topic with logic and rigor that not only leaves you feeling good, but also thinking good. The book was banned by the Church in 1933 and has been hidden away for 70 years!

Rumor has it that while he was attending Harvard University, Bill Gates discovered and read The Master Key System. It was this book that inspired him to drop out of the University and pursue his dream of "a computer on every desktop." You probably know the results... 

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The Majesty of Calmness: Individual Problems and Possibilities... - William George Jordan

Author of "The Kingship of Self-Control"

Nature is very un-American. Nature never hurries. Every phase of her working shows plan, calmness, reliability, and the absence of hurry. Hurry always implies lack of definite method, confusion, impatience of slow growth. The Tower of Babel, the world's first skyscraper, was a failure because of hurry. The workers mistook their arrogant ambition for inspiration. They had too many builders --and no architect. They thought to make up the lack of a head by a superfluity of hands. This is a characteristic of Hurry.

 

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The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumont

Through concentrated thought power you can make yourself whatever you please. By thought you can greatly increase your efficiency and strength. You are surrounded by all kinds of thoughts, some good, others bad, and you are sure to absorb some of the latter if you do not build up a positive mental attitude.

This course of of lessons, first published in 1918, is intended to teach you how to concentrate, with the belief that the person who is able to concentrate can better utilize constructive thoughts and shut out the destructive ones.

Lessons include: Concentration Finds the Way; The Self-Mastery, Self-Direction Power of Concentration; How to Gain What You Want Through Concentration; Concentration; the Silent Force that Produces Results in All Business; How Concentrated Thought Links All Humanity Together; The Training of the Will to Do; The Concentrated Mental Demand; Concentration Gives Mental Poise; Concentration Can Overcome Bad Habits; Business Results Gained Through Concentration; Concentrate on Courage; Concentrate on Wealth; You Can Concentrate, But Will You?; Art of Concentration with Practical Exercise; Concentrate So You Will Not Forget; How Concentration Can Fulfill Your Desire; Ideals Develop by Concentration; Mental Control Through Creation; Concentrated Will Development; Concentration Reviewed

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The Silence: What It Is How to Use It - David V. Bush

In this brief text, the author explains that "the silence" is the medium by which the life of God and the soul of man are brought together.

Selected contents: health silence; for harmony, peace, and comfort; thought to hold as a basis for this silence; abundance; health, success, prosperity, universal peace and brotherhood; how to have more.

 

 

 

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Walden or My Life in the Woods - Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau's classic account of the solitary life, describing his attempts to simplify his life and sort out his priorities by living alone in a cabin beside Walden Pond for nearly two years, is one of the most influential books ever written. The bible of the environmental movement, WALDEN vividly portrays Thoreau's reverence for nature, and his understanding of the idea that nature is made up of crucially interrelated parts.

When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned my living by the labor of my hands only. I lived there two years and two months. At present I am a sojourner in civilized life again. I should not obtrude my affairs so much on the notice of my readers if very particular inquiries had not been made by my townsmen concerning my mode of life, which some would call impertinent, though they do not appear to me at all impertinent, but, considering the circumstances, very natural and pertinent. Some have asked what I got to eat; if I did not feel lonesome; if I was not afraid; and the like. Others have been curious to learn what portion of my income I devoted to charitable purposes; and some, who have large families, how many poor children I maintained. I will therefore ask those of my readers who feel no particular interest in me to pardon me if I undertake to answer some of these questions in this book.

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The Time Machine - H.G. Wells

At a dinner party in suburban London, the Time Traveller, known to the reader only as the Eminent Scientist, speaks to his guests about the fourth dimension of space -- i.e. time. He states that it is possible to travel through time much as one travels through space. The guests are not persuaded, even after seeing the Eminent Scientist's time machine itself. At a later dinner party, the scientist arrives a little late, rumpled and dirty. He tells them he has spent the equivalent of eight days in the year 802,701. He encountered the Eloi, a race of delicate gentle vegetarians who exist in an idyllic garden, and the Morlocks, who live underground and operate the machinery and industrial equipment of the world.

The Eloi, in other words are descendents of capitalism, and the Morlocks are the progeny of the proletariat. The Time Traveller then hurries into the year 30,000,000, where he sees a single life form--a round, tentacled thing near the ocean. He concludes that this represents the end of life on earth.

The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us. His grey eyes shone and twinkled, and his usually pale face was flushed and animated. The fire burned brightly, and the soft radiance of the incandescent lights in the lilies of silver caught the bubbles that flashed and passed in our glasses. Our chairs, being his patents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere when thought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision. And he put it to us in this way - marking the points with a lean forefinger - as we sat and lazily admired his earnestness over this new paradox (as we thought it:) and his fecundity. `You must follow me carefully. I shall have to controvert one or two ideas that are almost universally accepted. The geometry, for instance, they taught you at school is founded on a misconception.

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