The Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Oldest Military Treatise in the World.  Translated from Chinese with Introduction and Critical Notes by Lionel Giles.  One of the greatest and most studied studies of battle strategy, with philosophy applicable to not only war, but business and politics.More than 2,500 years ago, Sun Tzu composed his masterpiece The Art of War which has been used by the world's greatest leaders including Napoleon. Here, Wing makes the influential philosophies of the Orient accessible to all seekers of professional achievement and personal excellence.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
A vegetarian postmaster with a penchant for poetry; a teenage runaway who pulls himself up from poverty into wealth and fame; a swimming teacher who adopts the speaking style of the ancient philosophers; the founder of the American public library and the fire station; a globe-trotting inventor; a statesman; a ladies' man; a printer; a teetotaler; and a candlestick maker.  All of these phrases describe one man: the famous Benjamin Franklin, who tells his story in this fascinating book.   Franklin's life wasn't always easy; he knew what it was like to rely on the pity of strangers and to hold jobs he hated, but his never-give-up mentality made him one of the most important men in history, and made the American colonies into one of the strongest and most independent nations in the world.

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
This little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that - "They themselves are makers of themselves" by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell
Meet a self-made man who lived a totally unselfish life, and who opened doors of opportunity for untold millions through his philosophy that "ALL GOOD THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!"  He believed that each of us is placed here on Earth for one main purpose--to help others.  ACRES OF DIAMONDS is a spiritual book.  It is not a "get-rich-quick" guide.  Conwell saw that success is a spiritual idea, and is a result of spiritual principles. The story is told of a poor man who was determined to find his fortune.  This story is the basis of Mr. Conwell's famous lecture, given over 6,000 times to many thousands of people. It earned over $4,000,000 (about $145,000,000 today). You, too, can find your fortune - if you know where to look. Let the author point you in the right direction to find your "ACRES OF DIAMONDS."

100 Books for an Education
The person who reads the 100 titles (some of the titles come in more than one volume) from a good list of this nature, will be as well educated as any new-fledged Doctor of Philosophy in the country. However, the man who knows the great writers of Western civilization will still have much to learn, but he will not die mentally bankrupt. How tragic that men are so interested in filling their pockets with money but not in filling their minds with the wisdom of the ages!  Great literature is the nearest thing to life. The illiterate man lives only once; the reader of great books multiplies his years by hundreds; he lives a thousand lives who learns to love books. In the great books one finds unfolded the life of all the ages. The reader of great books will travel to far countries, engage in sundry exploits, and meet many races of men. Instead of living in one community for one lifetime, he will live for centuries in Greece, Palestine, Rome, Egypt, and all of the countries of the world. Instead of doing one little task, he will engage in all of the activities of man's recorded history. Instead of having a few acquaintances he will look into the hearts and souls of many.

The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli
The Prince is a 16th-century essay on the psychology of obedience to authority. Its analysis of the structure of authority and the nature of man gives brilliant insights into the age-old conflict between state authority and individual rights. From his perspective in Renaissance Italy, Machiavelli's aim in this classic work was to resolve conflict with the ruling prince, Lorenzo de Medici. Machiavelli based his insights on the way people really are rather than an ideal of how they should be. Here is the world's most famous master plan for seizing and holding power. Astonishing in its candor The Prince even today remains a disturbingly realistic and prophetic work on what it takes to be a prince . . . a king . . . a president. When, in 1512, Machiavelli was removed from his post in his beloved Florence, he resolved to set down a treatise on leadership that was practical, not idealistic. In The Prince he envisioned would be unencumbered by ordinary ethical and moral values; his prince would be man and beast, fox and lion. Today, this small sixteenth-century masterpiece has become essential reading for every student of government, and is the ultimate book on power politics.