Law of Success (21st Century Edition)

INITIATIVE AND LEADERSHIP 339

based on the principle of coordinated, cooperative effort that would
have carried civilization at least a thousand years ahead of where it is
today. These possibilities are not mentioned in a spirit of criticism,
but only as a means of illustrating the power of Cooperation, and to
emphasize my belief in the potential power of all the churches of the
world. Had it not been for the influence of the churches, none of us
would be safe in walking down the street. People would be at each
other's throats like wolves, and civilization would still be in the pre-
historic age. Through harmonized effort and through Cooperation, the
churches of the world could wield sufficient influence to render war
an impossibility. It is not yet too late for such Leadership.

COMMENTARY

Since the first publication of Law of Success in the early part of the twentieth

century, there have been profound changes in practically every aspect of our way

of life. Yet none of those changes have made Hill's basic concepts less relevant or

his advice less applicable. In fact, as has been said before, many of the changes

came about because of the influence of Napoleon Hill's philosophy on those who

have become the leaders in every aspect of American life.

The last quarter of the twentieth century saw the emergence of a subset

within the publishing industry that specializes in books and audiobooks on personal

growth, motivation, leadership, and management style, all of which are testament

to the enduring quality of the principles enunciated in Law of Success. Many of

these recent books became the biggest bestsellers of their day, and in them

you will find Napoleon Hill's ideas, elaborated upon, personalized, and told from

different perspectives that will further illuminate the principles you are learning in

these pages.

The editors suggest that when you have finished reading Law of Success

you should then read or listen to the audiobook of Hill's classic, Think and Grow

Rich, followed by reading or listening to the work of others who have explored the

same ground. The following list is a sampling of books that are also available on