This is a book that has been around for literally years, since 1968. Has sold over – well, copy I have says “14,000,000″ and it is the “Gift Edition” 55th printing, September 2006. So has been around awhile. It was the writers first book. Thing is that I have found few that have ever heard of the book – no one other than the person that suggested that I read the book. This was one of several books suggested to me to read when I was doing the counseling thing.

It is a modern day parable – well sort of. Modern in the sense that it is written currently, but the story line comes from a time of Rome was the ruler of the world. It is just a small book with principles to help you along in life. It isn’t a ‘how-to’ book about how to instantly improve anything. It is a book that when read from a point of thinking to meditate upon the points found within. Even if read just from the point of just wanting to read the story – it is a short, to the point story with the morals that are always found in parables.

10 Principles are found within the story written on scrolls. They are:

1. Every day is the beginning of a new life.

2. Greet every day with love.

3. Persist until you succeed.

4. You are a miracle of nature.

5. Live every day as if it is your last.

6. You are master of your emotions.

7. I will laugh.

8. Laugh at and with the world.

9. Value multiplies every day of self.

10. I will act today.

I like number 6. It just seems – very useful. It covers from all perspectives positive and negative. It also comes from both sides of the point – the overly confident to the overly self depreciation sort of person. You find “If I feel sad I will laugh” and “If I feel insignificant, I will remember my goals.” There is also the flip side, “If I become over confident, I will recall my failures.” and “If I feel all powerful, I will try to stop the wind.”

From scroll 3. “I will persist until I succeed.” “I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep.” “The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.” (On the back from the book cover).

Og Mandino is the writer. His personal bio is in the copy of the book that I have – not sure if it is in all copies of his book. Interesting tidbit is that Og Mandino was in the Army Air Corp in WW2 with the 445th – same unit as Jimmy Stewart. Reading that alone and to know the end of his story is – well, not much different than the parable that he shares within his book. His return to ‘the world’ after the war s not much different, possibly a tad bit BETTER than many that are getting out of the military today. His story and how he came to writing – an interesting story. As I said, he lived the parable he shared in his writing – he was the lowest of the low, counted out. He shares what got him to the point of making a change for the better in his life – how he came to be published – - all starting years before with a mother that told him that he would indeed be a ‘famous writer’ when there was no evidence to support such a claim.

If mention of “God” offends or suggestions of ‘higher powers’ – not going to be the book for you.