Dale Carnegie was an American self-improvement lecturer and author. Born in 1888, Carnegie was the son of a farmer, and worked throughout his childhood helping his parents with various tasks on the farm. He was fortunate, however, in that he was able to obtain an education in his young adulthood at a nearby Teacher s College. Carnegie worked as a salesman and an actor before he took up teaching public speaking courses at a New York YMCA branch, where he was living at the time. Carnegie s public speaking career took off, and through his success he was able to have several of his books published. His first book, Public Speaking: a Practical Course for Business Men sold well, but his most impressive achievement was the publication of his book How to Win Friends and Influence People, which was an immediate bestseller when it was published in 1936, and has gone on to sell millions of copies in thirty-one languages. Carnegie also worked to open the Dale Carnegie Institute, a learning-ground for those interested in his public speaking and self-improvement techniques, and Dale Carnegie courses are still taught today. Carnegie died of Hodgkin s Disease on November 1, 1955.