Treasury of Courage and Confidence

Dr. Peale begins by talking about his friend, the late Ely Perry of Kinston, North Carolina who "never ceased to amaze me by his insights, his depth of understanding, and his zest for life." He tells us Mr. Perry had an extensive personal library of spiritually based motivational books, each one extensively marked with comments in the margins. He uses his friend to illustrate the value to be gained from interacting regularly with achievers who have left their legacy to us in print form. Books contain thoughts that significantly impact one's life. Thoughts are mental food. We get to select the diet. He uses his mother as another illustration, writing "her books were marked and marked again, and any sentence that was good was underscored."Like all of Dr. Peale's other books, this one is full of practical wisdom. He doesn't just cite the principles, he teaches you how to apply them. This book truly does live up to its title.