Dale Carnegie: The Man Who Influenced Millions [Hardcover]

Giles Kemp (Author), Edward Claflin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kemp, a marketing executive, and Claflin, author of You'll Never Get No for an Answer , cover the extraordinary life of Dale Carnegie (1888-1955), born to impoverished parents in Missouri farm country. A youth tempted to suicide by failures, Carnegie nevertheless kept seeking the key to success which he finally found and shared with other aspirants. The authors describe the Carnegie Course, subject of his bestselling How to Win Friends and Influence People , published in 1936. While the authors maintain that their book is not intended to promote the course, their reports on sessions in progress seem, perhaps inevitably, like endorsements. The book is, however, an interesting account of Carnegie the man and of his teaching, which combines elements of method acting and group encounters. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Kemp and Claflin provide the reader with a well-written, enjoyable glimpse at a man who has made a tremendous impact on the business world. The authors estimate that over 150,000 people will graduate from the Dale Carnegie course in the United States alone this year. Past graduates have included such notables as Lee Iacocca and Stew Leonard, the multi-millionaire businessman from New Jersey made famous in Tom Peters and Nancy Austin's A Passion for Excellence ( LJ 6/15/85). Kemp and Claflin include testimonies from Iacocca and Leonard on how the Carnegie course has made a positive impact on their lives. The authors also discuss how Carnegie's work has affected psychology, education, and the personal growth and self-help movements of today. This is a welcome addition to the history of American business. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
- Richard Paustenbaugh, Indiana Univ. Libs., Bloomington
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (August 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312028962
• ISBN-13: 978-0312028961
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful in clarifying Carnegie's legacy, May 4, 2002

By 

Andrew Olivo Parodi (Oregon, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dale Carnegie: The Man Who Influenced Millions (Hardcover)

Dale Carnegie's works, HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE being the most famous, are very well known. But little is known about the man himself. He is buried under myth and assumptions. Wouldn't you assume that the man who wrote such huge best selling books on human relations would be very outgoing and have a great social life? This book says otherwise.

This book is surprising because it says that Dale Carnegie was always a shy and awkward man who occasionally went through periods of being a recluse. Despite the success of his books, he never became an out-going person and he was awkward about his newfound fame and fortune.

This book is helpful because it traces the Dale Carnegie Seminars from their genesis, and even lets you know what goes on in some of the seminars. The book, interestingly, says that when one graduates from Dale Carnegie's "Human Relations" class they aren't so much masters of social skills, rather they have developed the ability to be more comfortable with themselves and who they are. They have learned to not be controlled by their insecurities.

Dale Carnegie, the man behind the best sellers, was far more interesting, complex, and surprising, than one would think (i.e., wouldn't one imagine him to be the "man about town"? I had expected him to be). I recommend reading this book if you are interested in learning about that man. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My favorite part of this book was reading that upon his arrival in New York City he learned a word that fascinated him, "intuition."

A section of photographs is included in this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dale Carnegie: The Man Who Influenced Millions, February 26, 2010

By 

Michael Taylor "Michael Taylor" (Indian Trail NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dale Carnegie: The Man Who Influenced Millions (Hardcover)

This title by Kemp and Claflin describes the man behind the famous Dale Carnegie books and courses. The book describes highlights of his life:

1. Early life and times during the depression.
2. Marriages.
3. Job and career changes that led to his defining moment.
4. Various relationships with business leaders, politicians, relgious leaders, and other people of his day.
5. How he was surprised that he influenced so many people.

The subject of the book comes across as a plain, yet complex man who become one the most successful "self-help" gurus this country has ever known. Indeed, many of his sayings and books are based on plain good common sense that many in today's sophisticated age seem to forget.

A readable narrative that flows smoothly from area to area of Dale Carnegie's life.

Recommended.