How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day by Arnold Bennett

Judging from the title of the book, the reader might expect that the book is a manual on how to manage your time better. Nothing could be further from the truth, this book is a flowery and witty self help book aimed at helping readers improve the quality of their lives, in fact it is one of the firsts of its kind in the world.

Bennett describes the twenty four hours in a day as a miracle and that it should be used for the betterment of health, wealth, respect, pleasure and contentment. He then further goes to highlight the need for one to desire to exceed his daily program and to strive for more. He explains the need to be dissatisfied with the daily arrangement in one's life in order to strive to do better. He explains that a person’s attitude is the make or break factor in becoming a better person, drawing examples from the lives of characters invented in the book. Bennett explains that the mind is an instrument that can be used to one's advantage if you learn to control it. He highlights the importance of concentration in living life to the fullest. He abhors idleness and encourages readers to be wry of it and avoid it at all costs, he suggests finding innovative ways to keep busy and enjoy life.

For a rather short book written over a century ago, ‘How to Live on 24 Hours a Day’ is a masterpiece that is as practical today as it was then. Readers will find that this book is the bedrock for the millions of self help books in the market today because its principles still resonate in today’s literature.