Book Review: The Master Key System by Charles Haanel

The Master Key System was written by Charles F. Haanel and published in 1916. This book is the power house of all success books. Napoleon Hill was so inspired by this book that he based his entire career on its principles. In April 1919 Napoleon Hill wrote the following letter to Charles Haanel:

My dear Mr. Haanel:

I believe in giving credit where credit is due; therefore, I believe I ought to inform you that my present success and the success which has followed my work as President of the Napoleon Hill Institute is due largely to the principles laid down in The Master Key System. I shall cooperate with you in getting your course into the hands of the many who so greatly need your message.

Cordially and sincerely,

Napoleon Hill

The Master Key System was originally published as a correspondence course with twenty- four lessons, delivered one each week for twenty-four weeks. The introduction informs the reader to spend one week reading and studying one part of the book. The reader is not to advance to the following part, or chapter until one weeks time for maximum learning. Let's learn a little more about the man, Charles F. Haanel.

Charles Haanel was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on May 22, 1866, to Hugo and Emeline Haanel. His father, Hugo, was born in Europe and arrived first in New York City. Hugo married Emeline in 1865 and a year later Charles was born. When Charles was four years old the family moved to St. Louis Missouri. Charles started his business career as a clerk for the St. Louis Stamping Company. By the time he was nineteen he was the president of his own publishing company. He married Esther Smith when he was twenty two. Esther bore him four children before she passed away in 1904. He then married Margaret Nicholson in 1908. At the age of thirty nine he was appointed president of the Continental Commercial Company. Charles passed away in 1949. He was 83. Throughout his life he maintained an interest in Eastern philosophies and esoteric subjects. Charles was obsessed with learning and sharing information with others. He went on to write many books, some of them related to his interest in meditation and Eastern religions.

The Master Key System is a hardbound book that contains the original text and an updated version as it relates to our day and age. This 437 page book contains twenty-four chapters, or lessons as they are referred to in the book. These twenty-four lessons are titled accordingly:

1. The World Within
2. Thought is Energy
3. Radiating Attraction
4. Energy is Power
5. Thought is Creative
6. Thought, Action, And Effect
7. Idealization, Visualization, Realization
8. The Power of Imagination
9. Health, Wealth, And Love
10. Cause and Effect
11. Answers From Nature
12. The Law of Attraction
13. The Process
14. Manifestation
15. Metamorphosis
16. The Cycle of Seven
17. Concentration and Desire
18. The Value of Belief
19. Matter is Changing
20. Balance in The Universe
21. Prepare For Success
22. Planting The Seeds
23. Success In Service
24. The Master Key

Pages 433-438 contain a useful and informative glossary.

Charles Haanel has an eloquent and graceful way of explaining his ideas to the audience. Two areas of his teaching, which he spends some quality time on are the subjects of creative thought and thought energy. Haanel explains that every thing and institution we see around us, because it was created by human beings, existed first as a thought in some human mind. He goes on to say that thought, therefore, is constructive; it's creative. Haanel states with enthusiasm that, "human thought is the spiritual power of the cosmos operating through humanity, so studying the creative process of thought and how to apply them is one of the most important things we can do." Regarding thought energy, Haanel simply stated that thought is energy. Active thought is active energy; concentrated thought is concentrated energy. Thought that is concentrated on a definite purpose becomes power. Haanel goes on to explain how creative thought and thought energy interacts with nature and the laws of the universe.

The Master Key System is a great book that is both intellectually stimulating and rich in content. If you are interested in the law of attraction and other key universal laws, I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed. Below, I have listed this book and two of my favorites from Amazon, The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill, and Goals by Brian Tracy.