30 pages • 1 hour read
Og MandinoThe Greatest Salesman in the World
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1968A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: Og Mandino
Og Mandino was an Italian American self-help writer and speaker and was eventually inducted into the National Speakers’ Association Hall of Fame. He wrote 16 self-help books, and The Greatest Salesman in the World is arguably his most well-known work. He enlisted in World War II and, afterward, became an insurance salesman. Mandino initially struggled at sales, much like protagonist Hafid, and fell into alcohol and depression. He considered ending his life but claimed he was saved by self-help books from a local library. These books motivated him to improve his life. Mandino began writing his own self-help books, which remain among the most successful, and traveling the world speaking on The Nature of Success. As a devout Christian, he believed the teachings of Jesus and attempted to include them in his books. For example, in The Greatest Salesman in the World, Hafid learns Christian principles like accepting guidance from God. Furthermore, the novella includes Jesus’ birth, solidifying the importance of Christianity in Mandino’s life. His work continues to inspire people to this day, with Hafid’s 10 scrolls being lessons he himself learned.
Literary Context: Og Mandino’s Influences
The Greatest Salesman in the World was Og Mandino’s first major success as a writer. It is therefore symbolic in being a book about The Nature of Success. Mandino was inspired to write self-help books after the genre helped him overcome struggles with alcohol and depression. He was particularly influenced by spiritual leader Emmet Fox, as well as self-help authors Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone, all of whom played unique roles in shaping his views. Emmet Fox was a proponent of new thought, the idea that accumulated knowledge is superior to relying on one school of thought. This idea is reflected in The Greatest Salesman in the World, as it discusses wisdom being filtered by time. Napoleon Hill claimed to have the keys to success but was later proven to be a con man. Still, his work inspired Mandino to publish his own books. W. Clement Stone was an insurance salesman like Mandino and wrote about his experiences in business. This more personal take on self-help can be seen in Mandino’s parables. Aside from self-help authors, he was influenced by the Bible itself.
In The Greatest Salesman in the World, Hafid’s 10 scrolls are introduced under a divine light. Biblical values are taught through his life and scrolls, some more subtly than others. The aging Hafid looks forward to joining his wife, Lisha, in the afterlife, signifying belief in life beyond death. He considers his bookkeeper Erasmus “a man among men” (6), living for others as he himself has done by donating half his earnings to the less fortunate. When he describes the scrolls as having guided his life, he stresses he was merely an “instrument of fulfillment” for a divine purpose (14)—this purpose being Hafid encountering Jesus on the night of his birth and receiving guidance from a bright star, a divine light. Furthermore, the 10th scroll explicitly states the importance of having a relationship with God and praying. Overall, Mandino was an integral part of the self-help boom of the post-war era, as people sought to realize their full potential—some with faith.
