What do you think?
Rate this book
Lessons from Great Lives
Book by Sill, Sterling W.
199 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
14 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 17, 2023
A gem! Going to read this again with my son.
July 28, 2012
I love this book. Sterling Sill was an incredibly studious man, and what a blessing for him to share his studies of great people with us. Each chapter includes an inspiring look at people that have worked hard at their different talents, so when the time was right, they were ready to give themselves to greater things.
The original book has 13 more chapters (disappointed those were taken out for this version), but this book has two additional chapters by Dan McCormick on Socrates and Sterling Sill, so I've got a copy of each.
Very few changes were made on the original chapters. Some had information removed, but most were paragraph changes and editing. With the majority of the book being Sterling Sill's original work, I find it strange that Dan McCormick's name is shown like they were co-authors rather than something like "with 2 additional chapters by..." It also bothers me that a subtitle was added. In McCormick's conclusion (the first book doesn't have one) he reiterates this "rich" theme. It might be argued that it says "in all areas of life," but McCormick's author bio mentions his millions a couple of times. The people presented in this book weren't striving for money--they were striving to be the best they could to give their talents to create a better world. So the "rich" thing bugs me immensely. I did enjoy the chapter on Sterling Sill, so a huge thank you for that.
And yet, because of Sill's work, definitely a 5 star. He had me googling about people and places, and I have added many more books to my to-read list because of the great lives he shared. Keeping my eyes open to add many other people to my personal list of greats.
The original book has 13 more chapters (disappointed those were taken out for this version), but this book has two additional chapters by Dan McCormick on Socrates and Sterling Sill, so I've got a copy of each.
Very few changes were made on the original chapters. Some had information removed, but most were paragraph changes and editing. With the majority of the book being Sterling Sill's original work, I find it strange that Dan McCormick's name is shown like they were co-authors rather than something like "with 2 additional chapters by..." It also bothers me that a subtitle was added. In McCormick's conclusion (the first book doesn't have one) he reiterates this "rich" theme. It might be argued that it says "in all areas of life," but McCormick's author bio mentions his millions a couple of times. The people presented in this book weren't striving for money--they were striving to be the best they could to give their talents to create a better world. So the "rich" thing bugs me immensely. I did enjoy the chapter on Sterling Sill, so a huge thank you for that.
And yet, because of Sill's work, definitely a 5 star. He had me googling about people and places, and I have added many more books to my to-read list because of the great lives he shared. Keeping my eyes open to add many other people to my personal list of greats.
Want to read
August 4, 2017Cross posted under review of the book listed with Sill as the sole author:
Not finished reading yet. Some favorite quotes so far:
". . . you may judge a man more truly by the books and papers that he reads than by the social companions that he keeps."
Sill talks about how an autobiography works better when it is managed similar to a budget:
"A planned program that gives an autobiography its direction in real time is much more profitable than a story which, after death, merely recounts what happened."
"An autobiography forces us to study ourselves. If it is thought about in advance, in connection with what others have done with their lives, it can make things happen that will be pleasing and profitable to us."
"One of the most important segments of education is the study of human lives and the most important of those human lives is our own. We ought to study it and make a record of it as we go along. We may also improve our own life as we learn of the events, the circumstances, and the successes of those to whom we look for inspiration and direction."
"Everyone should write an autobiography in which he gives proper attention to the good things about his own possibilities."
These quotes show the value of positive, forward thinking. I suppose I should begin a journal in which I write the virtues and strengths I learn as I study the lives of others who I admire, and then work towards achieving similar virtues and strength in my own life, recording my improvements and successes along the way. I love this concept.
Sill continues with short chapters giving overviews of greatness in the lives of 18 different individuals, including Jesus, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Marie Curie, Lincoln, and Napoleon. McCormick has added a chapter on Sill, himself. Because these chapters are so short, I'm sure they only give highlights of these great individuals. I will probably pick a few to study more in depth. This reminds me of a concept taught in The Noticer, by Andy Andrews--study the lives of great individuals and them work to include those aspects in your own life.
Not finished reading yet. Some favorite quotes so far:
". . . you may judge a man more truly by the books and papers that he reads than by the social companions that he keeps."
Sill talks about how an autobiography works better when it is managed similar to a budget:
"A planned program that gives an autobiography its direction in real time is much more profitable than a story which, after death, merely recounts what happened."
"An autobiography forces us to study ourselves. If it is thought about in advance, in connection with what others have done with their lives, it can make things happen that will be pleasing and profitable to us."
"One of the most important segments of education is the study of human lives and the most important of those human lives is our own. We ought to study it and make a record of it as we go along. We may also improve our own life as we learn of the events, the circumstances, and the successes of those to whom we look for inspiration and direction."
"Everyone should write an autobiography in which he gives proper attention to the good things about his own possibilities."
These quotes show the value of positive, forward thinking. I suppose I should begin a journal in which I write the virtues and strengths I learn as I study the lives of others who I admire, and then work towards achieving similar virtues and strength in my own life, recording my improvements and successes along the way. I love this concept.
Sill continues with short chapters giving overviews of greatness in the lives of 18 different individuals, including Jesus, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Marie Curie, Lincoln, and Napoleon. McCormick has added a chapter on Sill, himself. Because these chapters are so short, I'm sure they only give highlights of these great individuals. I will probably pick a few to study more in depth. This reminds me of a concept taught in The Noticer, by Andy Andrews--study the lives of great individuals and them work to include those aspects in your own life.
Want to read
August 4, 2017Not finished reading yet. Some favorite quotes so far:
". . . you may judge a man more truly by the books and papers that he reads than by the social companions that he keeps."
Sill talks about how an autobiography works better when it is managed similar to a budget:
"A planned program that gives an autobiography its direction in real time is much more profitable than a story which, after death, merely recounts what happened."
"An autobiography forces us to study ourselves. If it is thought about in advance, in connection with what others have done with their lives, it can make things happen that will be pleasing and profitable to us."
"One of the most important segments of education is the study of human lives and the most important of those human lives is our own. We ought to study it and make a record of it as we go along. We may also improve our own life as we learn of the events, the circumstances, and the successes of those to whom we look for inspiration and direction."
"Everyone should write an autobiography in which he gives proper attention to the good things about his own possibilities."
These quotes show the value of positive, forward thinking. I suppose I should begin a journal in which I write the virtues and strengths I learn as I study the lives of others who I admire, and then work towards achieving similar virtues and strength in my own life, recording my improvements and successes along the way. I love this concept.
Sill continues with short chapters giving overviews of greatness in the lives of 18 different individuals, including Jesus, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Marie Curie, Lincoln, and Napoleon. McCormick has added a chapter on Sill, himself. Because these chapters are so short, I'm sure they only give highlights of these great individuals. I will probably pick a few to study more in depth. This reminds me of a concept taught in The Noticer, by Andy Andrews--study the lives of great individuals and them work to include those aspects in your own life.
". . . you may judge a man more truly by the books and papers that he reads than by the social companions that he keeps."
Sill talks about how an autobiography works better when it is managed similar to a budget:
"A planned program that gives an autobiography its direction in real time is much more profitable than a story which, after death, merely recounts what happened."
"An autobiography forces us to study ourselves. If it is thought about in advance, in connection with what others have done with their lives, it can make things happen that will be pleasing and profitable to us."
"One of the most important segments of education is the study of human lives and the most important of those human lives is our own. We ought to study it and make a record of it as we go along. We may also improve our own life as we learn of the events, the circumstances, and the successes of those to whom we look for inspiration and direction."
"Everyone should write an autobiography in which he gives proper attention to the good things about his own possibilities."
These quotes show the value of positive, forward thinking. I suppose I should begin a journal in which I write the virtues and strengths I learn as I study the lives of others who I admire, and then work towards achieving similar virtues and strength in my own life, recording my improvements and successes along the way. I love this concept.
Sill continues with short chapters giving overviews of greatness in the lives of 18 different individuals, including Jesus, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Marie Curie, Lincoln, and Napoleon. McCormick has added a chapter on Sill, himself. Because these chapters are so short, I'm sure they only give highlights of these great individuals. I will probably pick a few to study more in depth. This reminds me of a concept taught in The Noticer, by Andy Andrews--study the lives of great individuals and them work to include those aspects in your own life.
May 15, 2011
A great read and I enjoyed every story. What a powerful premise behind both the original edition by Sterling W Sill and this re-release by Dan McCormick with his updated data and perspective. The legacies of great leaders are timeless and these simple yet profound lessons inspire me to study more deeply these great lives. In our world today we are too often taken by the flash and glitter of our contemporary so called "heroes" and while some are truly great men and women, many are empty suits whose memory will fade before they have left this life. This book reminds us of timeless principles that made those men and women 'great' and which will continue to be an essential part of greatness for any that wish to be their best in whatever they do. This should be a part of every high school reading list and I am having my sixteen year old son read it, but it should also be apart of anyones library who aspires to be 'great' in their personal and professional walk in life.
June 24, 2020
The author chooses 30 individuals who lived extraordinary lives and dedicated one chapter to each of them.
Instead of giving a biographical sketch that someone could easily find on Wikipedia, the author identifies the one characteristic that made the individual successful, and harps on that characteristic throughout the chapter.
For example, Babe Ruth’s was “The Law of Averages.” Babe Ruth was the record holder for the most home runs (up until recently), but he’s also the record holder for the most strikeouts. No one struck out as much as him, but consequently, no one was able to hit as many homers. The more times you try something, the more times you’ll accomplish it.
The idea of the book was great, but it quickly became apparent that the author must’ve published these chapters as newspaper articles first, and then complied them into a book. This became clear after the author repeated the same anecdotes/examples and continued to mention that he read George Washington’s biography.
Or else the biography was simply amazing and warranted mentioning there times that the author read.
Instead of giving a biographical sketch that someone could easily find on Wikipedia, the author identifies the one characteristic that made the individual successful, and harps on that characteristic throughout the chapter.
For example, Babe Ruth’s was “The Law of Averages.” Babe Ruth was the record holder for the most home runs (up until recently), but he’s also the record holder for the most strikeouts. No one struck out as much as him, but consequently, no one was able to hit as many homers. The more times you try something, the more times you’ll accomplish it.
The idea of the book was great, but it quickly became apparent that the author must’ve published these chapters as newspaper articles first, and then complied them into a book. This became clear after the author repeated the same anecdotes/examples and continued to mention that he read George Washington’s biography.
Or else the biography was simply amazing and warranted mentioning there times that the author read.
May 29, 2009
This one was hard to rate. I really wanted to rate it 4 or 5 stars, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. I really wavered between 2 and 3 stars, but ended up at 3 because I was really glad I had been exposed to this book.
I love the idea of this book. I love the premise. I love the lessons that we can learn from great lives. I loved reading about these powerful people and what drove them.
Unfortunately, the book is not well written. It was painful to have to slog through the endless moralizing and the lofty phrases that attempted to aggrandize each of these people, none of whom needed any artificial praises for what they accomplished.
Additionally, the short format of the book made it impossible to truly appreciate these great lives. I suppose a better writer could have used the same amount of space to introduce us, but still, I think it could only be an introduction. I wanted more information.
This book had the potential to be greater than it is. All the same, I found it worthwhile to be introduced to this lineup of incredible souls. If nothing else, this book helped me form a list of biographies I'd like to read someday. If you come across this book in a library or from a friend, go ahead and read it. I don't know that I can recommend buying it, though.
I love the idea of this book. I love the premise. I love the lessons that we can learn from great lives. I loved reading about these powerful people and what drove them.
Unfortunately, the book is not well written. It was painful to have to slog through the endless moralizing and the lofty phrases that attempted to aggrandize each of these people, none of whom needed any artificial praises for what they accomplished.
Additionally, the short format of the book made it impossible to truly appreciate these great lives. I suppose a better writer could have used the same amount of space to introduce us, but still, I think it could only be an introduction. I wanted more information.
This book had the potential to be greater than it is. All the same, I found it worthwhile to be introduced to this lineup of incredible souls. If nothing else, this book helped me form a list of biographies I'd like to read someday. If you come across this book in a library or from a friend, go ahead and read it. I don't know that I can recommend buying it, though.
March 30, 2009
I loved the exposure to many great and inspiring people that I knew so little about. It makes me want to read their autobiographies or a biography of their lives and glean more. There is so much good in this book. I highlighted things that impressed me. I can't wait to go back and study my margins and thoughts again. I personally have gained much from the lives of these people. In the chapter on Job (p.144) the authors state, "many of our greatest blessings are frequently lost", because of mishandling (they are talking about trials), but I think it applies here. I don't want to mishandle the things that stood out in my mind from this book that can bless my life and those I interact with on a daily basis.
There were chapters that were more of a "page burner" for me than others. The author did a great job placing those slower chapters so that they weren't all clumped together.
There were chapters that were more of a "page burner" for me than others. The author did a great job placing those slower chapters so that they weren't all clumped together.
Want to read
March 20, 2008Attended a Successful People Seminar through my home-business. The co-author Dan McCormick presented on this book and gave great insight on why we should all be studying lives of great people. I am excited to read it and will post information when I have finished.
June 16, 2009
There are some very inspiring people in our history. I am in awe of what people are able to accomplish and the impact they have on history. A few people talked about in this book are Jesus, Benjamin Franklin, Ghandi, Abraham Lincoln, Socrates, The Prophet Job, and many others.
August 19, 2010
I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about great leaders, some of whom I didn't know much about.
January 11, 2013
I LOVED this book! I plan to read it again--maybe a chapter a day. It inspired me to want to learn from the best who have lived and become more like them.
June 28, 2015
Loved this book, very insightful and interesting.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews