How to Win Friends and Influence People

Born From a 90-Minute Lecture:

Carnegie originally developed the material as a short talk that expanded to a 90-minute lecture called "How to Win Friends and Influence People," which he gave for years to adults in his Carnegie Institute courses in New York.

The book literally grew from real-world testing in what he called the first laboratory of human relationships for adults.

Stenographer Turned It Into a Book:

Carnegie initially resisted writing a book, so publisher Leon Shimkin hired a stenographer to type up what he heard in one of Carnegie's long lectures and presented the transcript to Carnegie, who then edited and revised it into final form.

Talk about persistence paying off!

Nobody Expected a Bestseller:

The book was first published with only 5,000 copies, and neither Carnegie nor his publishers anticipated more than this modest sale, but it became an overnight sensation with edition after edition rolling off the presses.

Sometimes the best surprises are the ones you never see coming!

17 Editions in One Year:

The book went through 17 print editions in its first year of publishing and sold 250,000 copies in the first three months.

Imagine the printing presses working overtime to keep up with demand during the Great Depression!

Over 30 Million Copies Sold:

Over 30 million copies have been sold worldwide, making it one of the best-selling books of all time.

This self-help classic continues to sell more than 250,000 copies annually, nearly 90 years after publication.

Seventh Most Influential American Book:

A 2013 Library of Congress survey ranked Carnegie's volume as the seventh most influential book in American history.

It shares this honor alongside foundational texts that shaped the nation!

Warren Buffett's Only Diploma:

Warren Buffett took the Dale Carnegie course when he was 20 years old, and as of 2009 kept the diploma in his office.

The billionaire investor credits Carnegie's teachings with transforming his life, calling it more valuable than his Ivy League education.

Started From YMCA Classes:

Dale Carnegie began his career teaching night classes at a YMCA in New York, later expanding to YMCAs in Philadelphia and Baltimore, then taught independently at hotels in London, Paris, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

He was earning $30 to $40 per night on commission before his courses exploded in popularity.

Changed His Name for Success:

Carnegie changed his last name's spelling from Carnagey because none of his friends or correspondents spelled it correctly and he didn't want to constantly correct them.

The new spelling also cleverly associated him with the famous Carnegie family, though they were unrelated!

Revised 45 Years Later:

In 1981, a revised edition containing updated language and anecdotes was released, reducing the number of sections from six to four and eliminating sections on effective business letters and improving marital satisfaction.

Even classics need a refresh to stay relevant for new generations!

Students Tested Principles Weekly:

Carnegie gave his talk and urged listeners to go out and test it in their business and social contacts, then come back to class and speak about their experiences and the results they achieved.

This hands-on approach created a living laboratory where principles were proven in real life before making it into the book.

Influenced by 100 Roosevelt Biographies:

Carnegie and his researcher read over one hundred biographies of Theodore Roosevelt alone

as part of their exhaustive research into how great leaders dealt with people throughout history, studying everyone from Julius Caesar to Thomas Edison.