To review each of the 19 individual books found in ‘The Prosperity Bible’ would make this review as unwieldy as the book itself; therefore, I will just share some general thoughts about the content as a whole.
Firstly, I think it is important to state that the word ‘Prosperity’ is used in a broad sense. It is used by the authors to not only mean physical wealth, but it also incorporates abundance in other areas of one’s life as well. This is not a compilation of books on ways to get rich quick, rather it is a compilation of books that explore how we can enrich our lives through personal development.
I originally purchased ‘The Prosperity Bible’ because it was precisely the book I had been wishing for: a compendium of material written by some of the early, Personal Transformation/New-age/Self-help authors in one book; however, as the adage warns, “Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it” and that is exactly how I feel about this book now.
Having a book comprised of so many individual works is convenient, and it takes up less room on the bookshelf than 19 individual books, yet it also makes for an unwieldy, 1272 page, three pound behemoth. Carrying the book in your backpack, or trying to hold the book aloft while reading it might save a few reps at the gym, it just didn’t make for an enjoyable read. In addition, in order to save more weight and to reduce the actual thickness of the book, the pages are very thin and can be easily torn. If you like highlighting, be prepared for it to bleed through to the other side of the page.
As far as content goes, with so many books included in one volume it is reasonable to assume that the group will include exceptional books and some lack-luster titles as well and, indeed, that is what I found here. Of the 19 books there were several that I did not enjoy at all, but I felt the majority were well worth the time it took to read them. Even with the occasional book that I didn’t like, at a cost of $15.95 (the price at the time of writing this review) this collection is an exceptional bargain – considering how much the individual books would cost if purchased separately.
For those wanting a list of these individual books, and their respective authors, I will include it here because I did not see it listed in the book summary provided on Amazon:
1) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (original 1937 edition)
2) Acres of Diamonds by Russell H. Conwell
3) A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard
4) As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
5) The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn
6) The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
7) Creative Mind and Success by Ernest Holmes
8) Prosperity by Charles Fillmore
9) In Tune With the Infinite by Ralph Waldo Trine
10) The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel
11) The Secret of Success by William Walker Atkinson
12) The Act of Money Getting by P.T. Barnum
13) The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin
14) The Secret of The Ages by Robert Collier (original 1926 edition)
15) The Conquest of Poverty by Helen Wilmans
16) How to Attract Success by F.W. Sears
17) The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumont
18) How to Grow Success by Elizabeth Towne
19) The Mental Equivalent by Emmet Fox
When it’s all said and done, I am grateful that this book exists because it gave me exposure to many great books that I might not have purchased separately. Anyone unfamiliar with the authors who contributed to ‘The Prosperity Bible’, or for those who want to read the books in an inexpensive format, getting the ‘The Prosperity Bible’ will meet your needs. Personally, once I realized how transformative some of these books were, and how much I disliked reading them in this hulking book, I went out and bought the individual titles that I wanted to re-read.
The rating for this book is actually 3 ½ stars (of course I can’t give half stars with these ratings so I will bump it up to a 4-star rating overall) and it would be derived as follows:
Physical Quality = 2-stars (thin paper and the massive size weren’t to my liking)
Quality of Content = 4-stars (most of the individual books would merit 4 or 5 stars, with a few warranting 2 or 3 stars)
Overall Value/Price = 5-stars (buying all of the individual books would likely cost 10x as much)