Book Trek 2018 - 04

Book:  Acres of Diamonds. 

Author:  Russel H. Conwell 

Info:  Copyright 1915.  New York:  Harper and Brothers

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮✮✮✮
 
Where Acquired:  Free Kindle download.
 
Category:  Impulse Reads.  I'm an avid listener of the 48 Days to the Work You Love podcast.  The host, Dan Miller, mentions this book periodically, so I thought I'd read it.

What it's about:  This book is a printing of the author’s speech presented in the Philadelphia area.  Conwell, minister and founder of Temple University, presents, through anecdotes, his central thesis that one need not desert his home neighborhood to find opportunity and prosperity.  He proposes that all have their “acres of diamonds” within, and need not search for them without.

Favorite Quotes:

The idea is that in this country of ours every man has the opportunity to make more of himself that he does in his own environment, with his own skill, with his own energy, and with his own friends. – p. 1

But it serves simply to illustrate my thought, which I emphasize by saying if you do not have the actual diamond-mines literally you have all that they would be good for to you. – p. 6

…to make money honestly is to preach the gospel. – p. 6

We preach against covetousness, and you know we do, in the pulpit, and oftentimes preach against it so long and use the terms about ‘filthy lucre’ so extremely that Christians get the idea that when we stand in the pulpit we believe it is wicked for any man to have money—until the collection basket goes around, and then we almost swear at the people because they don’t give more money.  Oh, the inconsistency of such doctrines as that! – p. 7
 
'The love of money is the root of all evil.'  He who tries to attain until it too quickly, or dishonestly, will fall into many snares, no doubt about that.  The love of money.  What is that?  It is making and idol of money and idolatry pure and simple everywhere is condemned by the Holy Scriptures and by man’s common sense.  The man that worships the dollar instead of thinking of the purposes for which it ought to be used, the man who idolizes simply money, the miser that hordes his money in the cellar, or hides it in his stocking, or refuses to invest it where it will do the world good, that man who hugs the dollar until the eagle squeals has in him the root of all evil. - p. 9

Greatness consists not in the holding of some future office, but really consists in doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life. – p. 22

What I liked:

The Kindle Edition had real page numbers.

Though Conwell talked about becoming rich, he didn’t define what “rich” was.  To him, it wasn’t a specific amount of money; it was an attitude of mind and how one related to prosperity.

I enjoyed the author’s dry humor.

What I didn’t like:

While Conwell condemns the assumption that all who are rich are selfish and evil, he perpetuates the assumption that all who inherit riches are spoiled, selfish brats.  While that continues to be a problem, even now, the sensationalizing of the “trust fund baby” cannot be applied to everyone.  Does not the scriptures say “a good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children…” (Proverbs 13:22)?  The author would have done better to point out that a worthwhile inheritance should include a culture of godly character, generosity, and proper stewardship along with money.  He missed a good opportunity.

Takeaway:

Though I felt lead to leave my hometown to find opportunity, Acres of Diamonds was of great encouragement to me.  My change of location was only one piece of the pie.  A change in attitude, as Conwell states, is the most important key to fulfilling one’s purpose on the earth.