The Secret to Freedom and Success - Outwitting the Devil

Simply amazing!!!! This book has put together so many others I have read and I now have my marching orders to a fulfilling life. This book has provided many of the answer to my questions. I highly recommend it!!

Great book! It definitely dismantles the shadow works of the inner saboteur (negative/shadow aspects of our minds) which is alive an kicking in all of our psychies and ready to take us down from within, if we let it. This book is a great antidote! Everyone should read it at least once!

My oldest son informed me of this "literary masterpiece", after which I ordered copies for my two other sons and a few friends. So much of what it teaches I had questioned since childhood and realized I had already incorporated so many of the teachings in my daily lifestyle. No household should be without this book. It is a must read for todays society, having the ability of positive change, if applied correctly. Cassandra F. Claybrook

Husband read it and he really appreciates it. He does not like to read personal development book, but he actually enjoyed this book and got a lot out of it. Napolean Hill is a master. I so appreciate him sharing his hard earned knowledge with us. I am 1/4 way in.

Outwitting the Devil, by Napoleon Hill, does not read like a classic novel about good and evil, pain and pleasure, or success and failure. There is no archetypical hero to root for, nor villain to hate. Those needing a happy ending, where the good guy wearing the white hat rides to the rescue (the adult version of the fairy tale) may find this book disappointing. This is more of a "choose your own adventure" book. Therefore, the reader should be prepared to pony up a bit, in the intellectual honesty department.

The more serious reader is uniquely drawn into considering the possibility we've been intelligently designed and created to be the masters of our own fate and, as such, the reader is also challenged to consider the inherent responsibilities and thought processes such a paradigm entails. Napoleon Hill conveys his ideas through an imagined and most enticing Q&A session he has with the Devil himself. The quality of the questions Hill deftly asks of the Devil leaves little maneuvering room for the Devil to avoid giving truthful answers. This powerful and dynamic Q&A exercise more than suggests that thoughtful and strategic questioning can be more important and relevant than the perceived "source" of the information. In this case the "source" of the information is the Devil which may scare away those readers who are apprehensive and fearful of truly "knowing their enemy." Hill suggests, much like the cartoon character Pogo aptly stated, "We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us" or more apropos to Hill's observations; we have met the Devil, and the Devil is us.

The concept that makes this book a hard read for the faint of heart and those desiring 'someone' to rescue them from their failing paradigms, rather than taking personal responsibility, is that the power of the Devil can only manifest itself in our lives if we lend the Devil our energies. Outwitting the Devil suggests that we lend the Devil our energies, by default, when we are careless with our thoughts, words, and actions. In so doing, we "drift" along through life with the rest of the herd (society at large). Hill poignantly portrays, in his Q&A with the Devil, the various thought traps that can cause us to "drift" over to the dark side.

The idea of lending our energies to the dark side through careless thoughts, words, and actions correlates quite nicely with biblical scripture in Proverbs that tells us, "For as he (man) thinketh in his heart, so is he..."

Outwitting the Devil advises the reader that we must consciously choose associates with complimentary values to our own otherwise it will be more difficult, if not impossible, to maintain the "definiteness of purpose" critical to achieving happiness and success. If we allow ourselves to get sucked into the negative vortex of the "drifters," we risk becoming "drifters" ourselves. Takeaway: If you want to help a "drifter," don't become one.

Books, such as this one, written in a period of history (the Great Depression) that seems to rhyme with our current economic condition have many benefits. History often points out to us that successful men such as Napoleon Hill and the icons of his generation are not always successful all of the time or in every aspect of their lives. Knowing the principles of successful living and having the courage to comprehensively apply them may seem to be more aptly suited to our childhood comic book super-heroes and somewhat out of our reach. This book illustrates, however, that we all have the capacity to achieve our dreams and we are our own unsung heroes every time we find the courage to overcome our own personal fears. By releasing ourselves from our chronic fears and the underlying negative thoughts that sponsor them, we offer hope and inspiration to others to do the same. So, if we need to find either a hero or a villain to give our own life story a happy ending, we need to look no further than the nearest mirror and look at the reflection in it. That's where the buck truly stops.

Outwitting the Devil offers the reader the awareness and tools needed to better manage their thoughts, words, actions, and outcomes. It's a great book and well worth the price of admission.

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Steven Wallace, co-author of The END TIMES Hoax and the Hijacking of Our Liberty

Just about everything about this book is in a word... AMAZING. Napoleon Hill begins by recounting the trials he faced in his quest to continue his life purpose, which takes readers on an adventure that leads to a conversation with the "Devil." The information presented is revealing, timely, and needed. His work shows that there is a significant correlation between the problems of the 1930's and the problems of today. Best of all, it shows that his principles are timeless. Not only is this worthy of reading, it is worthy of deep analysis.

I do not want to say anything negative about this book, because I love it. But it would be unfair of me not to mention the added commentary of the editor Sharon Lechter. I don't know if it was by design, but the commentary is patronizing at times.

But since Hill's material is that good, the book still deserves a full five stars.

Very insightful book on fear, the number one tool that the devil, negative energy, or however you see the opposition of this life. This book has changed, for the better, the way I approach decisions and am able recognize when I'm deciding things based off fear.

Napoleon Hill's words are great. Sharon Lechter's are not. This book is much different from Think and Grow Rich in that it's more personal and Hill tells some stories of his early struggles and how he made it through them. This is great news and will be uplifting to anyone who is struggling to put the success principles into practice and who thinks that they're not doing it right or that it isn't working for them. Everybody has to struggle at first, often-times it seems for many years. So by all means buy the book. Hill's message is very good. I only gave it one star because the editor did her best to ruin a great book by a great man.
I have the audio book. The narrator is a man and Lechter keeps butting in with her own commentary in presumably her own voice. Her interruptions are very annoying and distracting and add nothing of value. They only interrupt the flow of a wonderful book. The incessant fingernails-on-the-chalkboard interruptions could be more easily avoided if you buy the book and read the words off a page. But with the audio book this is not possible. If you can find this book without the commentary, definitely buy that one instead. If the publisher happens to read these reviews, please make this book available WITHOUT THE EXTRA COMMENTARY.

Napoleon Hill's words are great. Sharon Lechter's are not. This book is much different from Think and Grow Rich in that it's more personal and Hill tells some stories of his early struggles and how he made it through them. This is great news and will be uplifting to anyone who is struggling to put the success principles into practice and who thinks that they're not doing it right or that it isn't working for them. Everybody has to struggle at first, often-times it seems for many years. So by all means buy the book. Hill's message is very good. I only gave it one star because the editor did her best to ruin a great book by a great man.
I have the audio book. The narrator is a man and Lechter keeps butting in with her own commentary in presumably her own voice. Her interruptions are very annoying and distracting and add nothing of value. They only interrupt the flow of a wonderful book. The incessant fingernails-on-the-chalkboard interruptions could be more easily avoided if you buy the book and read the words off a page. But with the audio book this is not possible. If you can find this book without the commentary, definitely buy that one instead. If the publisher happens to read these reviews, please make this book available WITHOUT THE EXTRA COMMENTARY.

I throughly enjoyed the information and thought process contained in this book. I learned some things about spiritual warfare and how each day propels you forward toward your destiny or causes you to procrastinate and do nothing. I would recommend for those who feel they are mature enough in the faith to read and possible expand their horizon in reaching their destiny.

Napoleon Hill again drives is points of achievement with Outwitting the Devil. He takes this book to a new level is terms of his writing style. It is difficult to put down and difficult not to like, no matter your take on the scenario taking place.