Acres of Diamonds

<p>Acres of Diamonds is an essay by Russell Herman Conwell an American minister lawyer and writer. Conwell got the idea for this famous work during a trip to the Middle East. It started as a speech he gave to his former Civil War comrades and he eventually delivered it across the U.S. and around the world over 6000 times.</p><p></p><p>The essay's main message is that people don't need to search far for success wealth or purpose; often the resources they need are right where they are. Conwell illustrates this with a story about a man who sold his land to search for diamonds only for the new owner to find a rich diamond mine on the property. Conwell encourages people to dig in their own backyard.</p><p></p><p>Conwell's earnings from this speech helped him establish Temple University and support various civic projects. After his death the proceeds from the essay went to support a homeless shelter in Philadelphia. The work has since become a classic in New Thought literature.</p><p></p>