I discovered Throwback Thursday on my friend Carla Loves To Read page.

Throwback Thursday meme is hosted by Renee@It’s Book Talk and is a way to share some of your old favorites as well as sharing books that you’re FINALLY getting around to reading that were published over a year ago. You know, the ones waiting patiently on your TBR list while you continue to pile more titles on top of them! These older books are usually much easier than new releases to get a hold of at libraries and elsewhere. If you have your own Throwback Thursday recommendation feel free to jump on board and connect back to Renee’s blog.

My choice this week is A Message to Garcia, a little known gem whose wisdom has withstood time.

My Original Review

This motivational classic was written one winter night in 1899. A Message to Garcia is a pithy volume of only 17 pages. Written in just one hour it is chock full of pearls of wisdom. It centers on the real life story of Major Andrew S. Rowan who traveled the harsh terrain across the island of Cuba to meet with rebel force leader General Calixto Garcia. In doing so he infiltrated enemy lines and secured information that led to the success of the United States Army during the Spanish American War. Hubbard tells this tale to beseech us to act promptly without excessive deliberation – “To stand still is to retreat.” or questioning – “things that chew cud do not catch anything.”

Other lessons that can be gleaned from this book:

The meaning of success –
“Get rid of the savage fallacy that success lies through sacrifice . . . Success implies joy in your work . . . The man who can lose himself in his work is the one who will succeed best . . . No success is final . . . Every success is a preparation for greater success just ahead.”

The definition of Genius –

“A genius is a man who takes the lemons that Fate hands him and starts a lemonade stand with them.”

“Failure does not exist. One who is successful is too busy putting effort into the work that they do not even know that they stand on the thin line between success and failure.”

“Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.”

The value of education – Hubbard believes that education should teach you to DO something. Too much time, he believes is wasted on telling students how to think when by the time they reach college age they should be productive members of society. A college education is therefore a waste of time according to Hubbard.

To see Colonel Rowan’s account go here:
http://www.foundationsmag.com/rowan.html

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Throwback Pic

Paul Leroy Robeson wore many hats: singer, actor, activist, athlete, lawyer. Here he is as Brutus in the film The Emperor Jones—the first film to feature an African American in a starring role. This picture taken by photographer Edward Steichen first appeared in Vanity Fair on August 1st 1933.

Signing off. Hope we get to talk books soon!