Acres of Diamonds

Russell Herman Conwell (February 15 1843 - December 6 1925) was an American Baptist minister orator philanthropist lawyer and writer. He is best remembered as the founder and first president of Temple University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania as the Pastor of The Baptist Temple and for his inspirational lecture Acres of Diamonds.Acres of Diamonds originated as a speech which Conwell delivered over 6000 times around the world. It was first published in 1890 by the John Y. Huber Company of Philadelphia.The central idea of the work is that one need not look elsewhere for opportunity achievement or fortune-the resources to achieve all good things are present in one's own community. This theme is developed by an introductory anecdote told to Conwell by an Arab guide about a man who wanted to find diamonds so badly that he sold his property and went off in futile search for them; the new owner of his home discovered that a rich diamond mine was located right there on the property. Conwell elaborates on the theme through examples of success genius service or other virtues involving ordinary Americans contemporary to his audience: dig in your own back-yard!. (wikipedia.org)