Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill was born Oliver Napoleon Hill on October 26, 1883, in the poverty-stricken Appalachian region of Wise County, Virginia, to a farming family. Dropping out of formal education early, he began his career at age 13 as a 'mountain reporter' for local newspapers, honing his writing skills amid a rebellious youth. By 15, he worked as a freelance reporter and later for Bob Taylor’s Magazine, where he reportedly interviewed steel magnate Andrew Carnegie in 1908. Carnegie allegedly challenged Hill to spend 20 years, unpaid, distilling success principles from the era's wealthiest individuals, introducing him to figures like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, and Alexander Graham Bell—claims historians later questioned for lack of verification. Hill pursued diverse business ventures in the 1910s and 1920s, including lumber, automobiles, the Betsy Ross Candy Shop, the George Washington Institute of Advertising (1915), and the Intra-Wall Correspondence School (1922). These often failed, especially during the Great Depression, leaving him destitute after losing a Catskills mansion and success school plans by 1929. He briefly studied law but dropped out due to finances. In 1928, he published the eight-volume Law of Success, which sold well by attributing wisdom to famous figures, providing financial stability until the economic crash. He married Florence (divorced 1935), had sons including Blair (born deaf but allegedly overcame it through mindset, per Hill's accounts), and later wed Rosa Lee Beeland in 1936 after meeting at a lecture. In 1937, Hill released Think and Grow Rich (co-credited with Rosa Lee Beeland in some editions), a bestseller blending interviews, anecdotes, and 13 'steps to riches' emphasizing desire, faith, and persistence. It restored his wealth temporarily, though fortunes fluctuated due to creditors and divorce. From 1939–1945, he produced How to Sell Your Way Through Life, the 17-volume Mental Dynamite course, and The Master Key to Riches. Post-WWII, he partnered with W. Clement Stone, teaching 'Philosophy of Personal Achievement' (1952–1962) and co-authoring Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude (1960). Hill founded organizations promoting his 'Philosophy of Achievement,' rooted in freedom, capitalism, and positive mental attitude, influencing self-help pioneers like Norman Vincent Peale. He died on November 8, 1970, leaving a controversial yet enduring legacy marred by unverified stories.