Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil

Publisher's Summary

In 1938, just after publication of his all-time best-seller Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill revealed that he had broken the Devil’s Code, forcing him to confess his secrets. The resulting manuscript - Outwitting the Devil - proved so controversial, it was hidden for more than 70 years. Now, Sharon Lechter brings us this important book, annotating and editing it for a contemporary audience. Using his legendary ability to get to the root of human potential, Hill digs deep to identify the greatest obstacles we face in reaching our personal goals - including fear, procrastination, anger, and jealousy - as tools orchestrated by the Devil himself. These hidden methods of control can lead us to ruin, and Hill reveals the seven principles of good that will allow us to finally triumph over them and succeed.

Fascinating, provocative, and empowering, Outwitting the Devil shows how to create your own path to success, harmony, and fulfillment in an age of uncertainty and fear.

©2011 Napoleon Hill (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"My simple faith is this: If we are created in God’s image, then we were born to create, and to create is to prosper. [This] previously unpublished Napoleon Hill manuscript.... I’ve read it and recommend it." (Rich Karlgaard, Publisher of Forbes magazine)

the most powerful information of your life

This information is indespensible for anyone working towards a life of happiness and success in all areas of life. Read or listen to Outwitting the Devil at least twice and write down the following lists every day even once they are commited to memeory. Keep these ideas at the front of your mind at all times.

Seven Habits to form in order to outwit the devil
1.) Have a Definite Major Purpse in life
2.) Obtain self-mastery
3.) Use adversity for benefits
4.) Use time as a tool
5.) Find harmony
6.) Think through your plan for attaining you Definite Major Purpose

Ten Must-do things in order to prevent drifting
1.) Do your own thinking on all occassions
2.) Have a Definite Major Purpose and create a definite plan of action for attaining it
3.) Analye temorary defeat and NO MATTER WHAT extract a seed of equivalent benefit from it
4.) Be willing to render the service for all material things that you demand of life. Render more and better service first, accept the payment later.
5.) Recognize that your mind communicates with infinite intelligence and helps you transmute your desires into reality.
6.) Recognize that your greatest asset is time.
7.) Know that fear is a filler that occupies the parts of your mind that the devil fills. It is a state of mind that can instead be filled with what you want, and can get.
8.) When you pray, don't beg. DEMAND on getting EXACTLY what you want with no subsittutions.
9.) Either you mater life or it masters you. There is no half-way. Never accept what you don't want.
10.) Your dominating thoughts ALWAYS attract their physical couterparts.


Three appetites to master in order to obtain self-mastery
1.) the desire for food (I personally would add alcohol, but Napoleon Hill did not)
2.) the desire for sex expression
3.) the desire to express loosely formed ideas

227 of 229 people found this review helpful

A Good Book Spoiled by the Incessant Interruption

While I was excited to listen to this book, as I enjoyed Think and Grow Rich, I was deeply disappointed in the presentation. The flow of the original ideas by the author was continually interrupted with asides and be-musings of the editor. NO KIDDING, there were parts where 2 minutes of excerpt were followed by 2 minutes of anecdotes from the editor's personal life and various "what-ifs" and "have you evers". On and on it went. I kept thinking, surely the editor (Sharon Lechter) would eventually keep quiet and let the book stand on its own. Sadly, she didn't. Get the book and skip the the sideshow. It was like watching a movie with a friend who just won't shut up. I'm sure she meant well and is a fine person, but this should be about the author and not the editor.

180 of 183 people found this review helpful

Would be better without editor commentary

Where does Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is a really great book with an almost timeless message. Unfortunately I found the editor's comments - which are placed throughout the book - to be dated and, at times, condescending. I would have enjoyed the book much more without the commentary from the editor. But the content written by Napoleon Hill was suburb.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The content written by Napoleon Hill was read by a fantastic actor and was enjoyable to listen to. The content written by the editor was not read by a professional actor - or at least it did not seem like a professional. I can't remember - it might have been the editor herself reading those portions. Either way it was not enjoyable. Statements were read as questions and her regular interjections really broke-up the continuity of the book.

Any additional comments?

Awesome book that would be even better if presented as Mr. Hill wrote it, without additional commentary.

67 of 68 people found this review helpful

Narrator comments ruined this for me

I am a HUGE Napoleon Hill fan and was thrilled when I heard this was available. I was so disappointed with the seemingly constant narrator's comments. I often appreciate a narrator's insight and viewpoint, but these were so distracting I couldn't finish it. So disappointed...

63 of 64 people found this review helpful

Great Book, Annoyinig Editor!!!

The outline and flow was perfect by Napoleon Hill. The editor's constant "but ins" to say the least, just to give her opinion or explain what Mr. Hill meant could have been omitted. Outstanding interview with the devil!

60 of 61 people found this review helpful

Enlightening, but a little too much commentary

Would you listen to Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil again? Why?

I would definitely like to listen to the book again, but I would prefer to listen again without the editor commentary. I believe it would enhance the flow of the story and allow me to continue with the provoking thoughts without interruption. I did find the commentaries helpful at some times but mostly just distracting..

What was one of the most memorable moments of Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil?

I remember the most intriguing and memorable moments being the description of the devil being made up of all negative energy, and the remarkably realistic interview.

Which character – as performed by Dan John Miller and Phil Gigante – was your favorite?

His Majesty, the Devil.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I don't agree with this becoming a film itself, but I do feel that the devil in this form would make an interesting antagonist.

Any additional comments?

Again I truly enjoyed the book, but would like to be able to disable the editor’s comments so that I might be able to listen to the Interview uninterrupted.

25 of 25 people found this review helpful

Delete Sharon Lechter

Where does Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top, if not the top. I listened to it following "Think and Grow Rich"

What was one of the most memorable moments of Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil?

The voice and subtle humor of the devil.

What three words best describe Dan John Miller and Phil Gigante ’s voice?

Great.

Any additional comments?

Sharon Lechter's interruption every 5 minutes is very distracting so I deleted them (see below). She just repeats what Hill said, added her opinion and then asked a question that made you feel like you were in a primary school classroom. Sharon may have had good intentions with her commentary but it does not add value.

After listening to the book for 20-30 minutes I decided to delete all her parts. After this, I could get immersed in the book and take in the content. This was impossible with Sharon Lechter's interruptions.

I used Audacity to delete Sharon Lechter's segments. They are relatively easy to see because there is a clear gap between the her sound bites and the other narrators. This took me 1-2 hours but it saved me about 60 minutes in listening time. Unfortunately I couldn't use Audibles app to listen to the edited mp3s so I used another app.

Consider doing this, it's a much better experience. The publishers should consider releasing a version without the commentary.

20 of 20 people found this review helpful

Annoying Editorial Comments

I'm a big fan of Napolian Hills work, and I was excited that this book came out in audiobook form. However, the editor narrations by a woman's voice, is annoying. Every five or six minutes she interrupts the story teller with less than insightful comments that most everyone would probably understand anyway...like "wow, what an insightful comment...it is so true today, it is easy to get discouraged." or "you know in 1939 when Hill wrote this book, 3000 dollars was the equivilant of 45,000 and therefore he was really doing well."...blah, blah, blah....Her voice was too overpowering over the male narrators, so you were interrupped in your train of thought when it came back to the original Hill reading. I finally had to stop listening. Napolian Hill's book, as it was written, was charming and whitty... he doesn't require simpleton interpretation. I'm going to look for a copy in another form, so I don't have to listen to the constant interruption of the editor.

57 of 59 people found this review helpful

Sharon Lechter Needs to Hush Up

Where can this book be purchased without the constant interruptions my Lechter??? It is petty of her to jump on the wagon of Mr Hill! I can't wait to purchase this book in paper form so that I can black out her comments!!!

77 of 81 people found this review helpful

Ruined

Would you try another book from Napoleon Hill and Sharon Lechter (editor) and/or Dan John Miller and Phil Gigante ?

Never. This book by Napoleon Hill is yet another work of genius from this great author. Unfortunately it has been utterly ruined by Sharon Lechter, at least in audiobook form.

As the story is told this unspeakably annoying woman interjects repeatedly to echo what was just said, restate it, put her own religious spin on it, or explain her understanding of it.Her interjections completely ruin this book just as a first year art student would ruin a famous work of art if he or she tried to 'improve' it with a Sharpie.

Just as you are absorbing the genius of Hill's work, you have to patiently wait while Sharon witters on, or tries to apologize for the author's choice of language or opinion (the book was after all written over 70 years ago and has a few dated assertions).

I am just grateful that Napoleon Hill is not alive to witness this defacing of his great work by this talentless hack. I am angry that I am probably going to have to stop listening to this book because I can no longer stomach the idiotic and mindnumbingly stupid comments made by this woman.

Has Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not at all. I just don't want his work defaced by a simpleton who thinks they can improve upon his writing.

Would you be willing to try another one of Dan John Miller and Phil Gigante ’s performances?

I thought the performance was great actually, If only it were not being interrupted all the time while Sharon Lechter tells me what to think, feel or deduce from the work.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

The book was fascinating for sure. Napoleon Hill draws on his life experience to produce a very forward thinking and thought provoking piece that essentially reveals how apathy or 'drifting' robs so many humans of their potential. The use of 'The Devil' to further this metaphor is clever, and so far ahead of its time the book was suppressed by family and those with the ability to suppress it after Hill's death in the 70s until now.However, the core message is a great one, and a nice companion piece to the famous Think And Grow Rich.

Any additional comments?

Sharon Lechter has not only ruined the book by scrawling her unwanted opinion all over it, but I think she makes the classic mistake of over reaching on her understanding of the religious connotations of the piece.

The Devil in this work could be any number of things, it's not really important. It's merely a character used to illustrate the power of failure and the patterns of behavior that harm people through self sabotage or lack of tenacity.Unfortunately Lechter pushes her clearly overtly religious Christian beliefs all over the book, pouncing on the authors use of prayer or faith or various expressions.

It is kind of ironic that The Devil in the book warns about the power of propaganda, and here this woman is pushing her pro-religious, pro-Christian propaganda along with some thinly veiled right wing politics on top.

What we have is a great book, ruined by a second rate author simply using it as a pulpit from which to spout her views.When I go to see a great play, I want to see the actors perform, and I want to take away a message from the play and internally digest what I have seen. What I don't want to see is a critic from the local newspaper standing on the corner of the stage telling me what the author was thinking as he wrote the play, and then telling me what I should conclude about the play, how it relates to me, asking me open ended supposedly thought provoking questions, and telling me to love Jesus.

By the same token when I listen to a great book, I don't need someone blathering over the top of it ruining it for me. I sincerely hope that eventually a version is released that is true to the original, without the unnecessary interruptions of a third party.

88 of 95 people found this review helpful