Acres of Diamonds

Considered by many to be one of the finest speeches ever written, "Acres of Diamonds" offers a multitude of lessons about the rewards of work, education, and finding the riches of life in one's own back yard. In an era when many Americans would pack public halls to hear speeches given by the greatest citizens of their day, Russell Conwell read his world-famous lecture hundreds of times, and used the income he earned delivering it to found a small seminary to train Baptist ministers. That school soon grew into Temple University, one of the first universities to offer affordable education to working-class Americans: it stands today as the most visible example of Russell Conwell's legacy and vision. There are a multitude of gems to mine from Russell Conwell's words, no matter what your walk of life. "Acres of Diamonds" remains a significant - and inspirational - lesson about where the true riches of life may be found. Author note: Russell H. Conwell (1843-1925) was a lawyer, Baptist minister, decorated Civil War officer, and founder of Temple University, which is now the largest post-graduate training institute in the United States. Russell F. Weigley is Professor Emeritus of History at Temple University, and a nationally renowned military historian.