Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practical, Hands-on Assistance; and Many Original Ideas, January 31, 2002
By A Customer
This new release is a reprint of the original 1910 edition of Wallace Wattles' guide to financial success and personal growth. Make sure that you get the new 2002 Iceni Books edition, and not some of the other versions that are around, which have been made unusable by editing. Wattles' book is a true classic in the genre, and it has been mentioned along with such other classics like George Clason's "The Richest Man In Babylon" and Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich." It was always a surprise to me, that this book, in full original title "The Science of Getting Rich or Financial Success Through Creative Thought," is less well-known than the titles mentioned above. While Clason's book, in the essence, is a tale about the workings of exponential growth, and Hill's book is little more than the repetition of the formula, "whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve," in Wattles' book there is much more to be found.Wattles, like Hill, also emphasizes the importance of using one's power of thought, and one's willpower, as an indispensable ingredient on the way to get rich. But Wattles with his suggestions is way ahead of Hill, because he does not think exclusively along egoistical lines, as does Hill. Throughout the book he warns the reader of acquiring riches in a competitive way, and strongly advises to do any business in a creative way instead. He asserts that the reader should never compete for what is already there, but should instead create something of value, be it a product, or a service. This thought alone is a revelation. Wattles makes unmistakably clear that only in that way it is possible for everyone to get rich. Instead of keeping others down by competition, if you strive to get rich in a creative way, you inspire other people to do so as well, and open up a way for others to follow. Besides this thought, which is original in how to get rich, and self-help literature, Wattles has much other original, yet always practical, advice for his readers, like how to best get into the right business, how to direct thoughts and actions purposefully, how to convey the impression of personal growth, and much more. I am issuing here, however, some kind of a warning to you: Wattles grounds his science on the ideas of oriental philosophies, which state that there exists one original substance in the universe, where all things originate from. To back up that notion, he mentions that this idea was also held by many western philosophers, like Hegel, and Emerson, and requires the reader to accept the truth of this notion by faith. I cannot say that I am a believer in the one substance, and still, I have learned some of my most important lessons from Wattles. So do not be put off by that esoteric concept, but concentrate instead on the solid foundations of financial and personal success that Wattles hands over to you. I am convinced that Wattles in this book says all that you need for success.
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AWESOME!, June 25, 2002
By A Customer
A crystal clear look at truth. I would compare this gem to The Game of Life and How to Play It, by Scovel-Shinn (except that it's even better). It is a master piece written by someone who clearly understood (he passed away long ago) the reality behind the illusions of time and space. It could also be categorized as a "New Thought" book.WARNING... I understand that this title's copyright has expired, therefore there are others who have reprinted this book, making slight modifications that entitle them to add their name as a co-author. Don't go there. Don't let anyone else tell you what Mr. Wattles had to say, because he says it all so well himself in this true reprint!!! This is a MUST HAVE book!
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58 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A New Thought Classic With Practical Application, July 2, 2004
Wallace D. Wattles wrote several books but is best known for his prosperity classic, The Science of Getting Rich. Wattles is an early author within the New Thought Movement whose book is making a comeback along with Charles Haanel's The Master Key System. Those who have read both works will notice their similarities, including their use of creative visualization as the primary tool for creative application of the karmic "Law of Attraction." The element that underlies this Law and gives purpose to one's visualization is strong desire mixed with unwavering faith in Omnipotent Goodness (or God) which is omnipresent and, therefore, in residence within as one's essential Source of empowerment. One must first know what one wants and want it badly enough to do whatever it takes (within ethical limits) to get it. This idea is expounded in other New Thought publications such as "It Works" by R.H.J. and "The Ultimate Secret To Getting Absolutely Everything You Want" by Mike Hernacki. Creative visualization requires one to imagine what one strongly desires (to be, do, or have) and take what Wattles calls "the Mental Attitude of Ownership" toward everything in one's mental picture. One must persistently visualize oneself as being, doing, or having whatever one wants, and be deeply grateful for it both before and after one actually gets it. According to Wattles, "the man who can sincerely thank God for the things which as yet he owns only in imagination, has real faith." Wattles' view of God is pantheistic (All is God), which is rooted in monism (All is One; One is All). He admits this in his preface and refers the reader to Oriental philosophies and thinkers like Spinoza, Hegel, and Emerson for the philosophical foundations of his book. He freely alternates between the personal pronoun "He" with the use of "God" and impersonal terms like "the Universe," "Nature," "Original Substance," "Formless Stuff," etc. in reference to the Intelligent "One Thing" that lives, thinks and seeks increasing expressions of abundant life through creation (including creating through us via desire, will and imagination). His intent is practical, not philosophical. The book is "intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward." The "science" in the book's title refers to the "natural law" that "like causes always produce like effects; and, therefore, any man or woman who learns to do things in this certain way will infallibly get rich." In Chapter 4, Wattles says that the first step towards getting rich is "to acquire the ability to think the way you want to think" which he defines as thinking "TRUTH," regardless of appearances. Does anybody desire poverty or disease? No; therefore, poverty and disease are considered only temporary appearances whereas the reality is abundance and health as desired by All. Wattles sees economics from a divine perspective where scarcity isn't a problem. Therefore, he is at odds with contemporary economists like Thomas Sowell who, in his book Basic Economics, defines economics in terms of scarcity. According to Sowell, "Scarcity means that everyone's desires cannot be satisfied completely, regardless of which particular economic system or economic policy we choose - and regardless of whether an individual or a society is poor or affluent. Therefore competition among people for these resources is inherent." Wattles strongly disagrees and affirms that the supply is limitless because it transcends the visible supply in the "limitless riches of Formless Substance" out of which all things are made and continually being made. He calls his readers to "rise from the competitive to the creative plane" and bases his ethic on the creative mindset, which is without fear or haste. More life is sought for all, and every person should be given more in use value than any cash value received. According to Wattles, "you can only get what is yours by giving the other man what is his." Although I disagree with the monistic and/or pantheistic world view, I think Wattles has some insightful things to say that may be divorced from monism but are essential to a unified concept of a personal God and His creation as essentially GOOD, not evil. Although Wattles says in Chapter 1 that he shall not speak of riches in a figurative way, it is clear that he views wealth more as abundant life than mere cash. However, one of several flaws in the book is that he doesn't discuss in detail the important question of WHEN one can expect to get one's most pressing need for money fulfilled and whether death may thwart one's quest or be overcome. Only if death is no obstacle can he boldly say, as in his preface, that "failure is impossible."
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