Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance
Self-Help, published in 1859, the same year as On Liberty and On the Origin of Species, was the great Victorian manual of character and sold a quarter of a million copies in its author's lifetime. Samuel Smiles, a Scottish doctor turned journalist and railway secretary, developed it from lectures to a mutual improvement society of young workmen in Leeds. His argument is that energy, perseverance and self-culture matter more than genius or birth, and he proves it with hundreds of short biographies: Watt, Stephenson, Wedgwood, Palissy the potter, Hugh Miller the stonemason geologist, and dozens of inventors, artists and men of business. The chapter on money and the one on the true gentleman are the moral core of the book. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the first chapter free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance
Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance by Samuel Smiles can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance online?
Yes. Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance in the public domain?
Yes. Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance by Samuel Smiles is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance?
About 9 h 13 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance?
Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance by Samuel Smiles is filed under "Philosophy" in the Vinteuil library.
