A bestseller in 1859, Self-Help became one of Victorian Britain's most important statements on the allied virtues of hard work, thrift, and perseverance. Smiles's book is the precursor of today's motivational and self-improvement literature and encapsulated the aspirational Victorian desire for social advancement. Publisher: Oxford University Press Author(s): Samuel Smiles Number of pages: 432 Collection: Oxford World's Classics Publication date: 2008 Dimensions: 195 x 128 x 21 Cover type: Paperback / softback Editor(s): Peter W. (Associate Professor,, Associate Professor,, Department of English, University of Alberta) Sinnema